Die-hard gamers often spend a lot of time at their gaming console or in their mobile gaming worlds fighting zombies and building empires. This can come at the expense of getting enough exercise, completing household duties, and being a good partner/roommate.
You might be having more fun fighting in a dystopian world or perfecting your latest Magic or Pokemon game deck than dealing with real life issues. It is a common problem for gamers to get wrapped up in a campaign or a journey, and not snap out of it when it is time to return to real life. Some gamers even forget to take a time out for the people in their life that matter or to take breaks for their own physical and mental well-being.
If you keep living in the fantasy world and letting things slide in the real world, it will become a problem that no magical spell, power boost, or army of elves can help you defend against. I was there once myself, and I failed at balancing my personal life with my gaming. However, you don’t have to learn the hard way like I did on how to balance life with your gaming. Here are some idea hacks on how to balance your gaming life with your real life.
Start with reducing your consumption
Start reducing how much you expose yourself to your games and what surrounds them. If you are playing more than 3 hours a day, you may need to look at your time management to make sure you are not neglecting your real life responsibilities. Also, studies are now showing that the negative effects of playing more than 21 hours a week outweigh any positive affirmations you might receive from socialization within games such as massively multiplayer online role-playing games, also called MMORPGs or MMOs. At this cutoff point, you are more likely to be withdrawn from real life, to suffer from depression and anxiety, or to become obese from all the junk food that goes with those late night dungeon raids.
Cut down on game time
This may be more difficult if you are into mobile gaming because you can take the games with you anywhere. If you can’t get through a family meal without playing your game at the same time, you may want to consider cutting back. Consider choosing games that you can play and put down in a shorter time span, so that you can still take care of your dirty laundry or pay attention when you are out and about with friends.
Set aside a scheduled time slot a couple of times a week to play a game
For example, schedule your game time for Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Place it in your calendar as you are busy during that time. That way you know how to plan your personal life while not giving up on your desired games. Remember, this time is not locked in stone and can be moved as real life obligations come up. Is the baby crying or is your child needing help with homework? Choose to put down your mobile gaming device and come back to it when you are not needed. This give and take will help you with balancing life with the virtual world.
Take inspiration from your game into real life
If your favorite character is a hand combat specialist, consider learning those sweet Judo moves in real life by taking a class. Consider joining a local Live Action Role Playing group and see what it is like to actually swing a sword while making new friends. There are also apps available that let you kill zombies as you meet your workout goals.
