As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m a bit of a workaholic. And for me, work means video games. But video games also mean fun and recreation to me, so it creates a conundrum.
Whether I am working hard, hardly working, or just trying to chill, my life often revolves around games. And if you’re a reader on this site, there’s a good chance that gaming is a massive part of your routine, too.
But for the past week, I actually took some time off to experience life away from screens for a bit, and I can’t recommend it enough. Not only was it good to take a break from games for a while, but stepping away from something you enjoy is totally healthy.
Instead of grinding away in Destiny 2 or Marvel Snap, I forced myself to take some time off. I took a trip to Manhattan with my girlfriend, walked around, ate good food, and simply enjoyed each other’s company. We followed it up with the BLACKPINK concert on Sunday (they are incredible) and the Linkin Park concert on Tuesday (they still got it for sure), and there was not a game in sight to be found. I’m now just really sore from all of the fun, but I regret nothing.
Even without all of the excitement of my scheduled activities, I think everything would have been worth it if only for the fact that I found joy outside of gaming for a bit, which is always welcome, and stepping away for a while has reinvigorated my excitement for video games again.
I logged back on today, refreshed and excited to see what games had for me, ready to take on the world once more and enjoy my dream job. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for one salty opponent in Marvel Snap to sour my mood, but hey, maybe they just need a break right now, too.
My break also gave me a bit of clarity about games, and it’s something I’ve slowly learned over the course of the past several years. If a game isn’t bringing me joy anymore, I close it. I do something else. It’s not worth sticking with something out of habit, sunk cost fallacy, or just because. Step away, go for a swim, hit the beach, go for a walk, do anything else for a time, and come back to find that maybe the game itself wasn’t the issue.
Breaks are good. We all need them sometimes, and not just from stuff like work or chores. Even walking away from something you love and have fun with, like gaming, can help you appreciate it a bit more, because I know I’m not alone in feeling bogged down by the hobby at times.
Step away, and maybe you’ll find you don’t need those games after all. Or maybe you do, and your time away has brought you some peace to find the happiness in your favorite hobby again. Either way, touch grass, because it feels amazing.
The post For one whole week, I took a break from gaming. It brought me peace, clarity, and appreciation for the hobby appeared first on Destructoid.