How do I keep a healthy game-life balance? [closed]

Question

I have, in the *cough*past*cough*, found that games take over a significant portion of my life, and free time - and, like a troll that's been sitting in the basement for too long, that they are constantly hungry for more.

What can I do to make sure that I both have time for gaming, and don't end up affecting the rest of my life too negatively (ie, make sure I have time to work, eat, shower, meet girls and get drunk)?

Answer 1

Really, it's a matter of discipline. I'm a married software architect with 5 kids. It can be difficult at times. But the main thing is to keep gaming at the lower priority.

Since gaming is a time of venting that doesn't make me money or advance my life in any way, it comes after work, time with kids, time with my wife, and all the "Honey-Do's" she has for me. My wife is also always able to interrupt me at any time I'm gaming. She takes the priority.

Now, if you start working the dream job for Game Informer or something where you get paid to do the stuff, then you're golden. {-o)

Answer 2

Get a life.

No seriously, i dont want to be rude, it is really that simple. I will explain further: find new hobbies, for example start going to the gym regularly twice a week, go to a pub every friday, have a romantic evening with your girlfriend every saturday, read a book every sunday etc. Now you are left with about two days where you have nothing to do. If there is really nothing you can do, play games. The important thing is to put gaming as low as possible on your priority list - do not pass on a party invitation just because there is a raid planned in your WoW guild or you planned to beat that highscore in whatever games you play. Go to the party!

This is how i keep a healthy game-life balance. Of course the above list is just an example, you can do whatever you want, just find something not related to games that you will enjoy and do it regularly. Find two or three such things and you will soon find out that the world out there is the most exciting adventure ever created - no game can compete with it.

Answer 3

• Choose games you can take a break instantaneously, like in pressing the pause button in single player. This allows you to switch attention fast.

• Enter a community where you can be close internet buddies. If you already have a community, get to know them better, so they understand you when you need to quit in the middle of a multiplayer or coop. game because your girl/kid needs your attention. See previous point.

• Health check: Force yourself to take your clothes off and observe yourself in the mirror and on the scales. It will make you feel better and boost your self-respect. It does mine.

• Make sure you get constant fresh air, even while you are playing. Not dehydrating is important, too.

• Time yourself. Mark the point your nerves, eyesight etc. start to fail you. This should be the point of no return. After that, you will be unable to leave the table as you will be too exhausted to do anything else.

• Plan ahead, make appointments, and stick to them. It is much easier to refuse a social event if someone calls you to remind you of it in the last minute, especially when playing a hot round of a game.

• More importantly: Make yourself familiar with the thought of what you would do if you stopped playing right now and would never touch a game ever. Try being honest to yourself.