Jump to content

NEW VIDEO: The EASIEST Way to Stop Gaming

My Wall of Text


Mark

Recommended Posts

About exercise:

In the past i never gone to the gym. This time around i startet an alternating jogging/ bodyweight training exercise. The main reason i like it, is the availabilty of it. I can't come up with serious excuses not to do atleast a short jog or some basic bodyweight exercises. I use this routine. I think on this side every exercise is explained well with videos wich made it easy to do them in a right way( I actually did push-ups wrong my whole life and now their hard).

About procrastination and daystructure.

Sometimes i am able to realize i don't wanna do work and want to procrastinate. Then i sometime sit it out dooing nothing. Then i just do my work. More often I have the same problems with procrastination until around 1pm.In my experience schedules do not help if I know what to do, but just don't wanna do it xD.

Often times journalling helped me wiht motivation in the morning though. You could maybe try to schedule it earlier adn use the journal to reflect on the things you want to accomplish by beeing strict with your tasks.

hoped i could help a bit.

Greetings Mario

 

Thanks for your suggestions! Regarding your exercise routine, unfortunately due to my medical condition and based off past experiences, the majority of those types of exercises have a tendency to do me more harm than good. When at the gym for example, I avoid the treadmill and use either the exercise bike or the rowing machine for my cardiovascular workout, while I use the various machines for strength training, with just a couple of exercises that involve dumbbells.

Writing the journal can certainly help with motivation when it is lacking :)

 

Day 26;

This week has been a bit of a write off unfortunately. It has been a stressful few days, and I haven't felt good physically. I've recognised that some of my biggest urges to game have come while feeling this way. I don't think this is the worst thing however, it would be more of a concern to me personally had I wanted to prioritise gaming when 100%.

I am close to entering uncharted waters in regards to the length of time I've gone without gaming. I don't believe that has any correlation to the above, but I am hopeful that when I get back to my best, I can get into a routine again.

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 66
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Day 33;

I am now over a third of the way there. 30 days is quite a big milestone to reach. A couple of thoughts, albeit incoherent ones, that I want to write...

  • Being brutally honest, there has been little evidence to the contrary that my gaming plan post-detox is a bad one. Not gaming has rarely been a problem, finding outlets for my boredom during periods of downtime more so. I may have to re-evaluate my procrastination-related goal. 
  • Even if I am to return to single-player games at some point in the future, I'm glad to have committed to removing certain aspects of gaming from my life as outlined in my original post, and I have no intention to change my stance towards that.
  • I started to become more self-aware a couple of months prior to signing up to this site, but being here has certainly helped enhance that ability even further.
  • Being consistent with my implemented exercise routine is by far the most important aspect of my self-development journey. When I've worked out, I'm happy. Today is a prime example of that.
  • My current work schedule make Monday and Tuesday problematic days for myself. Not only can they be stressful, but the timing of when I start work (mid-afternoon) makes it difficult to be productive. I'm much more of a morning person, the longer the day goes on, the less likely I'm going to do something. I don't have a solution for this currently.

To counter the above, when I type out the fact that I've got 57 days remaining of my detox. I have still got a hell of a long way to go, and a hell of a lot to learn in the process xD

 

Edit: Reading back the above, part of me feels like it comes across that I'm somewhat in denial in regards to my gaming habits. I hope it doesn't come across like that, but just in case, I thought I'd do my best to clarify the above.

  • Firstly, I acknowledge the fact that I've had issues with video games. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case.
  • Have I spent too much time playing games in the past? Definitely.
  • Can I continue to play multiplayer games without it having a negative impact on my life? No, I don't feel fully in control when playing games online, with signs of addiction regularly present. I don't want to play these types of games anymore anyway, The rewards I got from playing online were superficial and nothing more.
  • Same question but applied to single-player games? This is where I become conflicted. The signs of addiction are much less apparent and I have much more control as to when I played, and for how long. It wasn't perfect, but I wouldn't describe it as problematic either.
  • Not playing PC and mobile-based games is simply part of the process of wanting to better myself by reducing the amount of time spent gaming. Even though playing games on PC was never a regular thing for myself, while mobile gaming isn't something that I've done for a number of years.

Post-detox, the ideal scenario for me personally would be to play the odd single-player game that I genuinely want to play and will get genuine enjoyment from, and nothing more. It wouldn't be everyday, just the odd hour here and there to relax. Is that achievable? I don't know. Hopefully the next 57 days will help in answering that question.

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you're taking the right approach to this all. The next 57 days will teach you a lot about yourself and from that you will have more clarity. 

Thanks Cam! One thing I forgot to mention as well is that any plan to game post-detox will be my last. I know something similar has been said before by countless others, but (cue cheesy line) I'm on a path now, I want to develop as a person, and I know the limit to how much I could game without it having a negative impact, therefore blocking that path. My journey won't stop after 90 days, regardless of whether I continue to game or not :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you're taking the right approach to this all. The next 57 days will teach you a lot about yourself and from that you will have more clarity. 

Thanks Cam! One thing I forgot to mention as well is that any plan to game post-detox will be my last. I know something similar has been said before by countless others, but (cue cheesy line) I'm on a path now, I want to develop as a person, and I know the limit to how much I could game without it having a negative impact, therefore blocking that path. My journey won't stop after 90 days, regardless of whether I continue to game or not :P

Exactly. You have many other things you'd like to do as well :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 38;

This is my second go at writing my latest journal update, because silly me accidentally closed the browser during my first attempt! ^_^

Monday continues to be tough for me, mainly from a work perspective. I hope to rectify this in the near future. 

Yesterday was a day of reflection for myself. I spent a considerable amount of time reading through a number of articles regarding gaming addiction, procrastination, changing habits etc. Learning of people's stories and relating their experiences to mine helped to remind me of what it is I'm trying to achieve. I might do this more often as a way to keep focused on the goals I have set.

In relation to my fitness goals, I worked out at the gym today to continue my good run as of late, and afterwards I took my dog for a walk as the UK weather has been decent for a change! Unfortunately my yoga schedule has been on hiatus due to lingering issues from my sprained ankle.

Exercise routines aside, I have noticed that my progress elsewhere has plateaued. I have already made the decision to learn how to play the keyboard, which is one new goal I have set myself. I will have to make a concerted effort on working towards my other goals as well.

That's it for now. My mind feels clouded, conflicted, full. Finding the right words is proving difficult, writing the above was hard enough. My recent issues at work certainly hasn't helped matters, but I also feel like the various articles I recently read have given me a bit of a kick up the backside in order to get back on track, fingers crossed it does the trick :)

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 44;

As I edge closer to the halfway mark, it's fair to say that I've coasted through the last fortnight or so. The positives I can take from this however is that firstly, I haven't played any games, and secondly, my exercise schedule is still on track. It's the little habits that I'd hoped to integrate into my routine that continue to evade me. I feel as though my tough days at work (Monday and Tuesday) have largely contributed to this, as it has stopped me from implementing these habits on a consistent basis. Today is the last day for this particular work schedule for a couple of weeks at the very least, so hopefully I can start to kick on again.

 

**Warning, talk about playing games below...**

In addition to when I first started the detox, I've decided to sell some more of my games. I've edged ever so slightly closer to the side of quitting altogether over moderation, but I still want, and plan to play a newly-released game (Uncharted 4) post-detox. I'm intrigued as to how I may feel when I do sit down to play it, as it is one of the few games that I would allow myself to put some of my time into (10 hours approx.).

Still no plans to return to old gaming habits such as playing online, and I'm happy that is the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 52;

Despite my lack of activity as of late, I am still going strong. I did load up some older games the other day, but that was purely for testing purposes, as I'm selling everything apart from my current console and two games, that's all I'm keeping now. I've been spending time looking into the minimalist lifestyle as of late, and what better way to start than selling 95% of my gaming equipment!

It's a time-consuming process though, and with me not feeling 100% for a couple of days, is the reason that I have been absent for the past week. Hopefully I'll return to posting here and in other parts of the forum more regularly :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ruined all of my clothes the other day by accident and now I need to replace them. Thankfully that only involves replacing 6 shirts, 1 pair of jeans and 1 jean shirt. 

#minimalistadvantages

Ha! I don't think I could survive with so few clothes personally, but what I've learned so far is that it's down to the individual as to what they perceive to be the right amount of something. If you know of any good articles relating to minimalism, I'd welcome you sharing them :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My journey has been a long one. Traveling a lot has helped immensely for it because it made me realize how little I needed. But it took like two years of traveling constantly for me to really dwindle my suitcases down to where they are now. My first trip to Europe my bags were completely packed and I barely wore most of it. Haha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 58;

I'm doing okay at the moment, not perfect, but certainly not bad either.

Firstly, the good. I feel like the detox is now a way to prove to myself that I can go without gaming for an extended period, and I'm confident I will achieve that. My gym schedule is more consistent than it has been for as long as I can remember. My two primary goals are being nailed currently. All the little changes I would like to make, not so much. I'm keeping myself busy at the moment through various means, and from tomorrow I'm working long days until the weekend which means I'll have little time for anything else. I'm hoping that my last few bits of gaming equipment that I want to get rid of will be sold by then as well, which for me personally is an important step to take.

If by the end of the detox the only two goals I achieved were to not play games and continue exercising in the manner that I have, I would still regard that as a success. I think it's important to keep that in mind.

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 66;

24 days left, crazy stuff! 

Work was tiring last week, while I've spent yesterday and today decorating, so I'm continuing to keep myself busy. I intend to post a more detailed journal entry, but right now I have to get back to painting ceilings! :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 66;

24 days left, crazy stuff! 

Work was tiring last week, while I've spent yesterday and today decorating, so I'm continuing to keep myself busy. I intend to post a more detailed journal entry, but right now I have to get back to painting ceilings! :o

tumblr_mowjer5HDD1s9frcro1_500.thumb.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 66;

24 days left, crazy stuff! 

Work was tiring last week, while I've spent yesterday and today decorating, so I'm continuing to keep myself busy. I intend to post a more detailed journal entry, but right now I have to get back to painting ceilings! :o

tumblr_mowjer5HDD1s9frcro1_500.thumb.gif

200.gif

 

Day 71;

Firstly I hope everyone is doing well :)

In the last week I've had some of my biggest urges to game at any period during my detox. I was never in danger of doing so, because I feel fully in control and want to prove to myself that I can see this through to the end. The reason for these cravings is because my medical condition has not been at its best. Going forward, I could justify spending some time to game as outlined in my original post when in this position of being limited to what I can do from a productivity standpoint. When I'm 100%, I'd rather do other things like I have been doing.

It's funny that my detox has become intertwined with the beginning of my journey towards minimalism. I would also like to point out that I've now sold all of my video games, all that is left is my console and controller. It scares me to think how much money I've put into gaming over the years, so if I do continue to play in some form, I'm going to be doing it with the least expenditure possible. 

Once I reach the 90-day target, it is my intention to continue posting here. I may set myself some different goals to achieve, although I will wait until I've completed the detox before making any definitive decisions on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Day 82;

8 days to go!

tumblr_ngogqrqJz61rbc9h1o1_400.gif

 

Just a few thoughts I had recently that I wanted to share...

 

My Problem With Moderation

I can guarantee that the vast majority of people on here have tried to moderate their game-time at some point, myself included, and while some people may have success in the first few days, weeks, maybe even months, it simply isn't sustainable over the long-term. In my eyes, one of the reasons this proves to be the case is that we focus on the quantity rather than the quality. 

As an example, say I decided that I was going to limit my playing of Call of Duty to 2 hours every day. 2 hours of what exactly? 2 hours of playing the same game, in the same way that I had been playing for 5 or 6 hours each day previously. It's only going to take a stressful situation at work, a rough day, or simply boredom to justify upping my playtime again, the length of which gradually increases over time and before I know it, I'm back to where I started, and the cycle starts all over again.

 

Habit vs Hobby

As my detox comes to a conclusion, this is a key distinction that I've come to make. A regular hobby of mine is watching TV/films. When watching a series or film, if I'm not enjoying it, I'll simply stop watching and move onto something else. In the past, gaming is something which I'd put my time into, regardless of how much enjoyment I was getting out of playing, it was a habit. My time away from video games has helped to clarify what aspects I enjoyed, and what aspects were simply time-killers, a way to fill up the allotted time I allowed myself to game. Previously I talked about how I'm open to playing games post-detox, but I no longer want to attach the word moderation to that. I'm not going to assign myself a set time to play games every day/week, because at that point it becomes a habit, a quota which I need to fill even it means doing it on auto-pilot. 

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home stretch brethren!

I like what you have to say about moderation and setting aside time to play videogames. If one chooses to play videogames post-detox, they shouldn't make it a point to do so; they should just do it and be aware of it and enjoy it for what it is: another form of media to enjoy, not unlike books, tv or movies. Rather than set aside time to do it like it's an essential part of their day.

That was a bit rambly I hope that made sense.

TL;DR

I agree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home stretch brethren!

I like what you have to say about moderation and setting aside time to play videogames. If one chooses to play videogames post-detox, they shouldn't make it a point to do so; they should just do it and be aware of it and enjoy it for what it is: another form of media to enjoy, not unlike books, tv or movies. Rather than set aside time to do it like it's an essential part of their day.

That was a bit rambly I hope that made sense.

TL;DR

I agree.

Actually @Merdoc_Rowboat, you summed up what I wanted to say in three lines, so it was anything but rambly! xD

I'm glad my point came across. It's important for me to state that I would put a cap on how much I play at a time, but it's more about awareness than setting a strict schedule.

 

Day 83;

The weather is changing every hour because it's the UK, therefore I've not planned anything special for today. This week has been tough with work and me not feeling 100% again, so I'm going to complete a few random chores, rest, recover, and prepare for the gym tomorrow. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 83!! woooooooo. Can't wait to post my victory gif for you. :D

904.gif

 

Day 84;

Returned to the gym today with a good workout, and with it being a bank holiday on Monday, I will look to take advantage and try to fit in another session tomorrow. Nothing else of significance to report :P

Edited by Mark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

Join Our Discord Server!

Connect, discuss, and have fun with fellow members on our official Discord server.

Join Now


×
×
  • Create New...