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How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
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Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#2I didn't, I focused on my forum discussion/social media addiction instead.
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#3I didn't, I focused on my forum discussion/social media addiction instead.
Exactly. I uninstalled Steam to prevent myself from playing video games but now I find myself wasting time on instagram/reddit/youtube/twitch instead
:(
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#4One method is to take the approach of just uninstalling the games and then trying to live with the withdrawal symptoms until you're over it (while working towards new projects). The other method is to do it over a period of time, while also slowly getting rid of all the distractions that get you to play games in the first place.
I find the second method easier to work with, although some are able to just flick an internal switch and stop one fine day. At the same time it's good to start working on your side projects by starting small (extremely small, whatever you're willing to agree with), and then increasing it over a period of time. I've found this method to help. You could start with something as small as just 5 mins of work per day, or a really small task for that day. Once you feel like you're making progress (no matter how small), you'll automatically find the incentive to focus on it more, and spend more time on it.
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#5I still play games, after 8 hours of work I like to take my mind off everything and just focus on something else. In the weekend I manage to find more time and to motivate myself many of my side projects are actually game-related.
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#6I personally was never addicted, but once tried to instill interest for game programming in kids who were beginning to show signs of addictive behaviour. I still believe it's a good approach, though it didn't work too well in my case.
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#7It is only addiction if you feel withdrawal effects and you can't live without it. If you have a full-time job, family and the complexities of life, and after you are done with your duties, you play games instead of writing a side project... you are fine.
Now, between you and me. Are you side projects VERY GOOD? Is it your main passion and mission in life? Are they ideas which if enough time, got a lot of potential or are they just something you work with the hopes of it making it big?
If they aren't, you will play games or do something else. And that's fine. Most ideas and projects suck. Instead of worrying about this, play the game... and look around, when you find something truly exciting, you will do it.
Also, let you play as much games as you want, given that you do your duties, and set aside like 30-1h for self-development as part of your duty. Do programming exercises, read programming books, or things that are important on your field of expertise. Also go to meetups with other cofounders and keep looking around.
That way you are good for the job market, you chill playing your games and you keep looking for a great opportunity.
I'm also without any very good ideas atm, I browse around, checking for ideas and exploring markets. That's normal.
Don't listen to PG or people that say that you should just build something. This is only good for an Angel investor or incubator due to 0.0001% of the people that do it and find a good market BY LUCK, they go big and incubators and angel investors take their cut.
You only live once, 1 life. Enjoy it! And if you end up seeing a problem that you can fix or find something worth dedicating your life to, then I believe your brain and your body will want to do it instead of playing games(or anything that gives you pleasure/fun/challenges). Also, send me a message if you find that, because I'm doing practically the same as you.
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#8I haven’t been really addicted to gaming since university. But now I largely look for ways to add gaming systems to my everyday life, such as travel hacking (optimize the points, miles and credits I earn for air and train travel) or adding incentives to new habits I want to adopt (minor cheat days if I’ve gone to the gym a certain amount of days in a row).
Re: How did you get over your gaming addiction to focus more on side projects?
#9You can make a side project that is related to your favorite game, in fact I recommend it.