How to Balance Gaming and Life

The Bad
Things like exercising, working, or even gaming can have a positive impact on your life but too much can send you or those around you for a loop. Neglect is probably the biggest issue you may experience. Depending on how long this equilibrium has been out of whack you may notice social awkwardness. This comes from a loss of reality and understanding of socially acceptable tendencies. To further neglect or being socially awkward comes the inevitable loss of respect. Not necessary in the form of how other treat you but in the form of your reputation.

Life is all about balance. This steadiness is important to maintaining a healthy life-style. Whether you are married and have kids or are on your own slipping to one side of any spectrum can be detrimental to yourself and those around you. I know this may sound a bit ominous but the reality is that it is important to keep a consistent harmony in your life. 

Balance Strategies
So how do we keep balance, below I have a few ideas or suggestions that I have use/d when it comes to balancing hobbies and life in general. I would recommend trying a few and find which ones work best for you. 

Time Allowance is one of the strictest ways to keep balance. It may seem a little childish but overall if you need a stringent structure this is for you. Simply decide by day how much time you want to dedicate to a specific subject. From there maintain this balance with some sort of reward or punishment if the allotted time is ignored. This is good if you have someone to help you due to the reward/punishment factor. 

Segmentation is a little bit easier to regulate on a personal basis. This is similar to staying on a diet where you allot certain “cheat” days where you can splurge on something. This is a good way to also start to limit yourself if you are trying to cut back on something. This method is easy to adhere to if you are by yourself or working on this balancing by yourself. 

The Priorities method is my personal favorite and one I use on a daily basis. This is where you set a personal priority on your different activities. Depend on this order you can separate where your attention lies. This is a good method if you have a strong will and good self-motivation. This method can be hard to get use to at first but once you get the hang of it, it flows really well with any routine or life-style.

The Outcome of Balance
The benefits of maintaining a balance life are numerous. Stress and time are probably the most immediate to show themselves. Obviously your reputation and social acceptance also can begin to flourish as you retain this stability. Lastly your general awareness of where you are in your life and surrounding eventually comes to play. This essentially means that you can begin to feel like you are on top of things and in control of your life.