> “Somewhere along the line, we started believing that joy has to be earned. That hobbies only count if they lead to something productive or visible. That if you can’t quantify it, post it, monetize it, track it, it doesn’t really matter.”
Yes, this is exactly the problem. We’re not “supposed” to have fun for its own sake: everything we do has to either be productive or signal others.
Exactly, somewhere we traded permission to enjoy ourselves for constant justification, and fun stopped being allowed unless it could prove its worth to someone else.
I’ve had similar conflict with balancing family life and gaming. Never sure if I’m wasting time or just enjoying a hobby. I think I’m going to start looking at it almost like mental medicine and be intentional with it as you suggest. I also love the idea of journaling so you can look back on your experiences and maybe tweak things if necessary (ie types of games, time playing games etc).
Anyways, yes, I think it’s healthy to allocate time to gaming the same way you would exercise or reading. What do you think? Am I missing the point?
Thanks for the comment, I get exactly what you’re saying. That tension you’re describing is the same thing that pushed me to rethink how I game in the first place. When you treat gaming like something you have to “justify,” it turns into guilt. When you treat it like a tool for resetting your mind, it becomes something you can use with intention instead of something you have to defend.
And the journaling piece really does help. It shows you patterns you’d never catch in the moment. Maybe certain games drain you. Maybe twenty-minute sessions are magic. Maybe you actually enjoy gaming more when it’s part of a routine instead of something you squeeze in at random. You don’t know any of that without tracking it.
For me, it’s simple. Gaming belongs in the same category as reading, lifting, and anything else that keeps you sane. It’s not about escaping your life. It’s about sharpening yourself so you can show up better in it.
> “Somewhere along the line, we started believing that joy has to be earned. That hobbies only count if they lead to something productive or visible. That if you can’t quantify it, post it, monetize it, track it, it doesn’t really matter.”
Yes, this is exactly the problem. We’re not “supposed” to have fun for its own sake: everything we do has to either be productive or signal others.
Exactly, somewhere we traded permission to enjoy ourselves for constant justification, and fun stopped being allowed unless it could prove its worth to someone else.
I’ve had similar conflict with balancing family life and gaming. Never sure if I’m wasting time or just enjoying a hobby. I think I’m going to start looking at it almost like mental medicine and be intentional with it as you suggest. I also love the idea of journaling so you can look back on your experiences and maybe tweak things if necessary (ie types of games, time playing games etc).
Anyways, yes, I think it’s healthy to allocate time to gaming the same way you would exercise or reading. What do you think? Am I missing the point?
Thanks for the comment, I get exactly what you’re saying. That tension you’re describing is the same thing that pushed me to rethink how I game in the first place. When you treat gaming like something you have to “justify,” it turns into guilt. When you treat it like a tool for resetting your mind, it becomes something you can use with intention instead of something you have to defend.
And the journaling piece really does help. It shows you patterns you’d never catch in the moment. Maybe certain games drain you. Maybe twenty-minute sessions are magic. Maybe you actually enjoy gaming more when it’s part of a routine instead of something you squeeze in at random. You don’t know any of that without tracking it.
For me, it’s simple. Gaming belongs in the same category as reading, lifting, and anything else that keeps you sane. It’s not about escaping your life. It’s about sharpening yourself so you can show up better in it.
You’re definitely not missing the point.