Gaming for about 35 years

[Snopple]

As you can imagine, this is a huge waste of my life, though I suppose it got me through some difficult times, as I used to have depression in the past. If you're wondering about computers so long ago, I had a landlord who owned a BBC computer and I would play Pacman every evening for an hour before he got back from work; it wasn't for long, but it was the start of something that became an addiction.  There have been times when I played up to about 16 hours a day. I've cut it down to about seven to ten hours a day, which is still way too much.

Even when I stopped gaming once for a week or so, I tended to spend way too long browsing the internet. I did manage a compromise by listening to an audio book while gaming, but this means that I'm still craving games.

I wonder if there's a way of switching off my PC automatically, so I can wean myself off - e.g. start with it only working 45 minutes per hour and then build up to 15 minutes per hour. Obviously I do need my PC some of the time. I like the idea of cutting my gaming down to an hour or two per day, but unless I can find some software that limits me, I don't know if I can find the willpower.

Aside, from that, Hello everyone!

[unknown72]

3 hours ago, Snopple said:

As you can imagine, this is a huge waste of my life, though I suppose it got me through some difficult times, as I used to have depression in the past. If you're wondering about computers so long ago, I had a landlord who owned a BBC computer and I would play Pacman every evening for an hour before he got back from work; it wasn't for long, but it was the start of something that became an addiction.  There have been times when I played up to about 16 hours a day. I've cut it down to about seven to ten hours a day, which is still way too much.

Even when I stopped gaming once for a week or so, I tended to spend way too long browsing the internet. I did manage a compromise by listening to an audio book while gaming, but this means that I'm still craving games.

I wonder if there's a way of switching off my PC automatically, so I can wean myself off - e.g. start with it only working 45 minutes per hour and then build up to 15 minutes per hour. Obviously I do need my PC some of the time. I like the idea of cutting my gaming down to an hour or two per day, but unless I can find some software that limits me, I don't know if I can find the willpower.

Aside, from that, Hello everyone!

Hello! I’m pretty sure there are free programs that automatically shut off your computer at certain times. There’s one built into windows for parents who want to control their kid’s PC use. Good luck ? 

[mmark]

I'm using Cold Turkey Blocker to block off all entertainment (you can add any program or website to the banlist) during certain periods. For me it is from 8PM to 10AM so I can always have a conscious evening and morning routine, but I think I need to advance it a little, because I'm wasting too much time on the internet during the day.

Edited October 31, 2019 by mmark