• deweydecibel@lemmy.worldEnglish
    86·
    11 months ago

    Part of it, for me, is that I still want to play games as I did when I was younger. I.e. multi-hour play sessions. To sit there and just get lost in it for the whole evening.

    But increasingly that’s becoming unworkable. I got shit to do.

    The solution, then, would be to adjust my expectations to like an hour of playtime here and there. But when I do that, I’ve created a schedule, and time limit, both of which really kill my personal enjoyment of game time. Playing a game while watching the clock is just not relaxing to me.

    So I keep holding out for more of those evenings, those solid chunks of time when I pick up the controller and play till I’m ready for bed. But they’ve become so few and far between that gaming has become a weekend thing. That’s a problem in itself because the weekend is generally reserved for doing things with my partner or other outings.

    Quarantine was probably the most gaming I’ve done in a long time. I basically got to play with the same reckless abandon as I did when I was much younger, for a couple solid months. But the chances of me being able to have that same relationship with this past time ever again appears fleeting.

    • Firestorm Druid@lemmy.zipEnglish
      7·
      11 months ago

      Having rigid schedules with little to no wiggle room sure contribute to that, doesn’t it. It’s really frustrating to me. For quite a long period of time (around a year-ish), I didn’t do anything else except work from home which was, for the most part, pretty chill. Naturally, even though I’m living with my partner, I had a lot of time on my hands to go to ping pong practice, play games, and other things. Now, I’ve recently started an apprenticeship and now I have time to do fuck-all once I get home from school. Groceries, cooking, some cleaning, and then it’s basically time to sleep lol. Barely, if any gaming, no time on my hands to go to practice etc.

      We’ve been struggling a lot recently, but I’m still holding out hope that it’ll get a little better once we’re accustomed to the schedule even if it’ll probably only get more later on. One can hope, I guess.

      It really does help to appreciate the little time we have (I have) to do recreational activities, though. It does feel really special then.

    • prole@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      5·
      11 months ago

      Steam Deck is great for this. Especially since you can suspend mid-game like a Nintendo Switch. No down time to select a game, wait for it to load, etc., if you don’t want that.

      Great for quick sessions if you only have small bursts of time.

    • jol@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      11 months ago

      The other problem is that even when I have time off, like vacations or holidays, I have a backlog of adult things to do. And Heck if my partner is going to accept that I use my PTO to game.

    • i_dont_want_to@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      1·
      11 months ago

      It’s definitely one of those things that I really miss.

      It helps me if I make an alarm for 15 minutes before I need to stop playing. It reduces the anxiety of looking at the time. It’s not the same, but better than just an alarm at quitting time.

  • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
    63·
    11 months ago

    Fuck, I feel this so hard…

    “I’m going to get a bunch of chores done so I can try this new game out without guilt of procrastination. Or maybe try out a hobby.”

    One set of chores later…

    “Yawn. I’m out of energy to start something new.”

    • meliaesc@lemmy.world
      12·
      11 months ago

      Oh man, this exactly. I’ve taken to cramming in the cleaning the day before but, of course, I end up overdoing it. Then new messes appear by the time I’m ready to try again.

      • Lenny@lemmy.zip
        141·
        11 months ago

        To purchase more in-game items, and feel like you’ve accomplished something for a few minutes before the sad comes back.

  • uncouthterran@reddthat.com
    37·
    11 months ago

    I know not everyone has this luxury but remote work has really helped give some time back in my day. Between the flexible schedule and just napping when I feel like it, I have more time in the evening to play games again. Not everyday but a few times a week at least.

    • Firestorm Druid@lemmy.zipEnglish
      12·
      11 months ago

      Remote work really was the saving grace for me. It’s just amazing how much more time one has once you eliminate the commuting times.

      • Patches@sh.itjust.works
        7·
        11 months ago

        It’s not just the commute. You do the dishes and laundry during lunch and the ‘I don’t need to be here’ meetings so your free time is just that. Yours

  • Firestorm Druid@lemmy.zipEnglish
    32·
    11 months ago

    I’ve had to come to terms with not having any time to play, really, except for maybe an hour or two here and there with my partner. It does feel awesome to at least have that going, but it sucks a lot that I don’t get to play for extended periods of time if I want to. Not even taking advantage of any sales right now, even though I might want to, just because I know that I won’t have any time to play.

  • prole@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    305·
    11 months ago

    The problem was doing the dishes. Just let them pile up, it’ll be fine.

    Side note though: Work/life balance for the win. I get paid slightly less than others in my field, but I also work ~40 hours a week, and never take work home with me. It’s wonderful.

    • Natal@lemmy.world
      10·
      11 months ago

      Went from 35h/week to 40. It’s made my life so much more complicated because everything is closed when I’m finally free. I have to take from my holidays to get my car repaired.

      • prole@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        6·
        11 months ago

        Damn, 5 more hours a week made that much of a difference? I’m also on a 4-day work schedule that is hybrid WFH which I forgot to mention. Having that extra weekday is clutch for things you can’t do on weekends.

        I’ll gladly pay those union dues, because it wouldn’t be like this without our collective bargaining power.

        • blightfight@lemmy.world
          3·
          11 months ago

          Meanwhile here I am, working 60 hour weeks because my union has been subverted by corpos.

          Reminder that unions aren’t a on eand done thing, you gotta keep fighting forever because greed is eternal.

  • Jumi@lemmy.world
    13·
    11 months ago

    Usually I don’t even turn on my PC on workdays but I recently got Victoria 3 and I just must make Bavaria great

  • SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world
    12·
    11 months ago

    Or just as likely you are barely able to keep your head up and you realize it is after 2am and you’ll be feeling like crap the next day.

  • MTLion3@lemm.ee
    12·
    11 months ago

    Been there, done that. 10 pm rolls around and I’m like “Gaming time!” And then I’m sleepy within like 30 minutes 🤣