So I'm nearing the end of this little experiment and I have learned a few things!
First, quitting video games was surprisingly easy. I always used to say "I can quit any time I want!" which sounded hauntingly like an addict's cliche. But it turned out to be true. Perhaps my addiction was not as bad as I feared - and learning that, if nothing else, was a great result from this experiment!
Second, video games are not the problem in and of themselves - I mean, I never thought they were, I just have more proof now that they are not. I quickly found that, without games, I was no more motivated or productive than before. I just found other ways to burn through my free time instead. If my next goal becomes "to get more stuff done" then giving up video games alone will not be enough - I need to set up a schedule and routine that encourages productivity. So I get distracted easily and have a hard time being productive - this is the problem so many of us are facing now in the internet age and I'm hardly some kind of freak.
Third, video games are a go-to form of pseudo-meditation for me, a way I could escape from feelings I didn't want to feel. Again, games themselves aren't to blame, since once I gave them up I found myself looking for other things to hide in. Knowing this, now, I can keep my eyes on it and maybe force myself to be honest about things rather than just allowing myself to hide from them.
Fourth, I've decided that when my month is over and video games re-enter my life, I'm going to put a reasonable limit on the amount of time that I play. I'm also going to be more selective about the games I commit to, rather than just grab whatever I can get my hands on like before.
Finally, I've discovered that playing games ALL THE TIME turned them into something like a chore so that they weren't even fun anymore. You can have too much of a good thing. My month ends soon, and while I don't particularly feel in a rush to jump right back into gaming, the thought of firing up a new game for the first time in weeks puts a smile on my face that it NEVER did back when I was playing all the damn time.
Playing games less will give me more time for other things, and make me like games more. Win win!
First, quitting video games was surprisingly easy. I always used to say "I can quit any time I want!" which sounded hauntingly like an addict's cliche. But it turned out to be true. Perhaps my addiction was not as bad as I feared - and learning that, if nothing else, was a great result from this experiment!
Second, video games are not the problem in and of themselves - I mean, I never thought they were, I just have more proof now that they are not. I quickly found that, without games, I was no more motivated or productive than before. I just found other ways to burn through my free time instead. If my next goal becomes "to get more stuff done" then giving up video games alone will not be enough - I need to set up a schedule and routine that encourages productivity. So I get distracted easily and have a hard time being productive - this is the problem so many of us are facing now in the internet age and I'm hardly some kind of freak.
Third, video games are a go-to form of pseudo-meditation for me, a way I could escape from feelings I didn't want to feel. Again, games themselves aren't to blame, since once I gave them up I found myself looking for other things to hide in. Knowing this, now, I can keep my eyes on it and maybe force myself to be honest about things rather than just allowing myself to hide from them.
Fourth, I've decided that when my month is over and video games re-enter my life, I'm going to put a reasonable limit on the amount of time that I play. I'm also going to be more selective about the games I commit to, rather than just grab whatever I can get my hands on like before.
Finally, I've discovered that playing games ALL THE TIME turned them into something like a chore so that they weren't even fun anymore. You can have too much of a good thing. My month ends soon, and while I don't particularly feel in a rush to jump right back into gaming, the thought of firing up a new game for the first time in weeks puts a smile on my face that it NEVER did back when I was playing all the damn time.
Playing games less will give me more time for other things, and make me like games more. Win win!
Comments