Sitting open-mouthed in front of a red television screen, waiting for bold black words to transform into an endless world of shows and movies.

It’s a Netflix binge.

Compulsively watching Netflix on a daily basis spread like a plague throughout the current generation. Instead of taking out a book to study, teenagers dump their backpacks and prepare for a “Walking Dead” or “Pretty Little Liars” marathon.

Teenagers, already glued to the television enough, discovered yet another reason to keep their eyes locked on the television.

Originating in 1997, Netflix’s popularity recently skyrocketed with the current generation has already sucked in over 29.2 million subscribers, according to Statistic Brain Research Institute. With over 800 TV shows and movie choices available, watching one episode turns into watching the whole season and one movie turns into watching all the sequels.

Sure, Netflix is a wonderful invention, but wasting the day away and watching an entire season of “Supernatural” is pointless procrastination. Staying active and keeping up with school work should be kept in mind, and binge-watching shouldn’t get in the way of it.

Binge-watching, or watching from six to eight hours of streaming a night, affects 88 percent of Netflix users, according to a study by the Nielsen Company. Most people appreciate a bit of relaxation after a long day at school and that’s perfectly fine, but sitting like a couch potato through two seasons of “Breaking Bad” isn’t an efficient use of time.

To avoid this, users can limit themselves to one episode or movie or set a timer for an hour. It is important to aim for balance: an hour of exercise and an hour of studying for every hour of Netflix.

Build some self-control and remember that Netflix was created to be a program for moderate enjoyment, not a ticket for laziness and unproductiveness for $7.99 a month.