Time passes too quickly when gaming.

Often I find myself not playing video games on work nights because I know that if I play a game time will pass really fast and before I know it the night will be over and it will be time for bed then work. Most of the time I’ll just end up watching TV or reading a book because I can savor the free time more. Does anyone else ever run into this problem?

Yup. A 9-5 job is just draining as fuck in general. It's almost scary how much juice it takes out of me in terms of drive, ambition, and creativity. I rarely even play video games anymore because of this. Watching people simultaneously play and entertain is something that has taken over my life because all of the above.

Regular 40 hour jobs do drain so much out of the day. That said, as long as you manage your time you can get some good video game time in. An hour is a decent chunk of time, you ought to be able to get something satisfying from a game in an hour.

Whatever you do, don't just watch a billion hours of Youtubers playing games. I'm not against watching Let's Plays, but that's way less satisfying than just playing a game.

@justin258: Well I can definitely get some gaming in, but the issue I mentioned in my post is that it makes the time go by so fast.

@justin258: yeah I'm also going to support the message of, try to diversify your spare time. Watching too much online content can lead to a mirrored personality of what you take in and that leaves no room for yourself.

Set a timer

@haneybd87: That's just weekday life. Set aside one of your weekend nights just for gaming and play games until you've had your fill.

I do understand where you're coming from, I have to peel myself away from games to go to sleep. But the flip side of that is that if I were left to play video games until I was sick of the., I'd just wind up hating them.

Tell me about it, although I don't really mind it during the week. I'm far more concerned with time flying by during the weekend. As I'm single right now, I can afford to just play video games all day, which pretty much ends the weekend before it begins. That sometimes makes me feel like I didn't really have a proper weekend.

For me personally, I generally feel done playing right around the time I'd be getting ready for bed. Doesn't make time pass any faster or slower, I just feel like I've had enough at the perfect time.

The best is playing a game while listening to a podcast. Twice as much entertainment value.

Scan planets in Mass Effect 2, then.

Time flies when you're having fun. Although I don't go through the same thing, since I don't work a 9 - 5 job, I totally understand what you're saying. You want to maximize all the luxury time you have off, doing a handful of different things you enjoy. When cognitively focused on a game, you might sink in way more time than you want and when it comes to some games, not feeling like you progressed enough in the game for it to have been worth spending that time in it because you'll end up dissatisfied with the progress in game, and the progress outside of it.

I go through a similar thing, although perhaps I've relieved myself of that recently since I have been playing games on the nights I work. The similar thing I was talking about is that I'd often feel like I couldn't focus on a game because work came first, so the stress (albeit, not much stress mind you) was on my mind of what I have to do when I get there and what to expect. It makes it hard to play games then. It has been hard for me to separate my off time and work time on the days I work. Some people simply trick themselves into thinking 'this is my mini vacation' whenever they're not working, but I can't do that.

When it comes to those times, I tend to just mosey around on the internet, watch TV and/or play with my dog.

Right now I'm glad it does. I want the days to go by as fast as possible getting this antidepressant out of my system. It feels like all I can do to pass the time right now because I just randomly feel so bad I can't even drive anymore. I had no idea how bad the side effects were on that crap. I definitely didn't need it. If you have mild yet manageable anxiety stay away from antidepressants. It's definitely not worth it. Thankfully I feel like I have very little left in me.

I like to just chill out listen to a podcast and grind out some levels in a game, right now i'm level 300 in Nioh and i'm not going to stop. Its a way for me to forget about all the other shit goin on in the world.

Working lates doesn't really give me much opportunity to game. I just leave that to the weekend.

I agree. I usually work 10-12 hr days and don't get home until about 1 or 2 in the morning. And although I'd love to play some Final Fantasy XIV or Dark Souls or something, I usually just end up having a beer and watching some GBI instead, lest I lose track of time gaming and it end up being 6 am.

You think gaming is bad? Try going to a live show, like wrestling, UFC, a theater, a concert etc. 4 hours can feel like 20 hot sweaty minutes. But I'm mostly with you, if I'm having trouble sleeping I often go "let's play a game for a few hours till I'm tired enough to drop." Only to find myself watching the sun rise, not realizing that the few hours I intended to put in turn into 5 or 6.

From my very brief understanding of it, it's all a mental thing. The more "forced" into doing something the more likely you are to find it to drag and grind out. Even in games you see this, grinding 10 minutes on something that your not all interested in can feel like more than 10 minutes, and playing something you love doing will feel like time is just blowing you by.

@rich666 Good strategy tbh, although I've found myself chit chatting and bullshitting with chat in GBi for many hours longer than intended as well. So. :P

It's a legit hobby. Time flies when you do things you like. Like in good company, you don't notice the time. See no difference between playing and other activities in that respect.

Yeah I get the same thing but these days I set an alarm for an hour or 2 before I need to be sleeping and watch something/listen to music/podcasts to unwind so I can sleep easier. The nights pass by fast but gaming is often how I prefer to spend my free time, so it doesn't bother me much.

Totally agree duder. And even less time when you have young children + 40 hr work week.