Instead of playing video games being the default thing you do, change the default to “living my life.” Set aside specific times of the day or evening you will play your favorite video game, for instance, rather than doing so every spare moment you get.
If it’s not working for you, you’re chosen to be on the losing side of the relationship, and it’s time to put a stake in the ground and take responsibility and control for your use of the technology. Technology - including video games - works for us. If technology is taking control of your life - creating stress, anxiety, arguments with other people in your life, or financial hardships - then you have a backwards relationship with technology. Technology works for us, not the other way around. Seeya in the morning.” Set a deadline every evening for a time to retire game playing, and then don’t check or play it again until the next morning.Ħ. Instead of it calling to you, you’re telling it, “Hey, I’ve had enough for one day. By turning it off, you’re taking back conscious control of your life and this little piece of technology. There’s no easier way to deal with video game addiction than to simply turn off the console or the computer and go out and do something different. While it’s fun for a time, it’s not going to lead to a higher-quality relationship or a better, more enjoyable life (especially if it’s creating anxiety and problems in your existing life).ĥ. Great for the game developers or publishers, who are enjoying your money. Or that the game was designed to only reward spending massive amounts of time playing it. For what purpose? If you need such hyperactive connectivity, that suggests something isn’t entirely healthy with some of those relationships to begin with. So many people spend so much time online or in playing video games because they believe it is a necessary part of their connections with others, or with their ability to move forward in the game. Living life in the moment means, first of all, to live life outside of a screen.Ĥ. It is a choice you make every time you pick up the control or sit at the keyboard, and it is one you have to become more conscious of in order to change that choice to one that can accommodate both in your life. But don’t expect your significant other to still be there when you decide you have time for him or her. If it’s more important for you to spend time with your online friends that your IRL friends or significant other, that’s your choice. The key here is to prioritize what’s important in your life. Most modern video games also offer a level of social interactivity with other players in the game, which is also rewarding. One of the reasons people enjoy playing video games as much as they do is because it is very rewarding and often, fun. That means being more conscious each time you’re in-game doing that activity, and trying to cut things short sooner rather than later.ģ. So if you’re spending 10 hours a week on planning for battles, aim for 9 hours the next week. Commit to reducing the time spent on that game or activity just 10% the first week. Take it slow and start with the least important game or activity in a game. Now that you know you’re spending 20 hours a week on game play, it’s time to start cutting back. Keep the journal for a week’s time, then review the amounts of time you’re spending on each game, or if it’s just one game, the activities that keep you in-game for so long.Ģ.
Jot down in a notepad when you start and stop game play. Yes, it’s a pain to do, but the more you keep track of the time you spend playing video games, the better you’ll be able to control it.