Like – Just for an example – I want to play every video game, so I end up not playing none and instead just fucking around online with stuff that doesn’t require initiative. The only override I’ve found is involving other people, I always make time for an RPG session with my friends or for hanging out and such. But I have trouble starting stuff for myself.
What do?
If it is video games
I think do not force yourself to play
Like there are games that I just take forever to be in a mood for - like I can have a certain game phase and I would watch something around it, read a bit about it.
It is like how the big companies build hype, but you build your own hype and then when you get in the mood just try to immerse yourself in a session
Don’t have to finish a game, just play( within reason) until you get your fill.
Could focus on short intense session games, left 4 dead or slay the spire, so you can enjoy a session or two or if rpgs, depend on personal preferences, I like to come up with at least a theme around a character and really try to rp the role.
If you don’t mind reading, games like disco elysium I found was one of those games that I had friction getting into until I stopped thinking too much about what I wanted to exactly play and just picked a role and stuck with it and it is one of those games that will show you different sides to it depending on your role play.
Whatever you do, be careful of factorio if you value your time - there is a reason it is called cracktorio because it has a way to “hack” your brain into an efficiency mindset of always looking for more to create more and you loop this gameplay mindset of “the factory must grow”
I put them all away except one per month. I rotate that each month (one of each board game / book / CD).
On the computer I have a folder with a shortcut to one game, movie, TV show, audiobook, album and ebook. I delete the shortcuts when I’m done and make new ones next month. The folder lives on my taskbar/dock.
Hey, this is pretty good thinking, kind of an artificial limit that at least provides just enough friction so you don’t go off looking everything.
This could be useful for just about anything
I hope it helps as much as it is helping me. I just wish I thought of it a few decades ago.
For the too many video games, I make a wheel with the options and spin it. If I’m disappointed by the result, remove that one, spin again. Otherwise play option.
This only works sometimes!
I give myself too many options and normally just play something because my girlfriend is over.
I have more fun installing and modding consoles than I do playing them. So many random tasks to do.
I just have many hobbies that I cycle through continually. I might start a project in one hobby and end up not touching it and finishing it for six or nine months because I’m doing other hobbies.
One year I made a list of what I want to complete that year. Let’s just say that I was a bit ambitious but I was very proud of the games I finished.
This year I am trying to go as long as possible without buying any new games. But I should probably look at making a new list.
highly specific example. but the general advice is to figure a way that works for you.
I started reading with a pen, and write notes and comments on the book margins. it feels much more active and engaging that passive reading. more like a conversation with the author than a lecture. i write whatever, a joke, a comment a smiley face, no rules. really helps me focus on the book and think about it deeper.
I don’t have an easy answer for you, and I identify with your issues a lot. I am intimately familiar with the situation of sitting down in front of the PC with a couple of hours to spare thinking “I want to play some games” and then just… Not getting around to actually double-clicking the shortcut of any of them.
I use a planning tool where I add everything I need to do so I don’t forget and/or procrastinate. I add my hobbies as regular chores in my daily todo list. Somehow, it’s easier for me to think “I have to play video games today” rather than “I want to play video games today”.
What games do you like?
Sim racing and story-rich games mostly. Not the kind of games you can start and stop on a whim 😅
Sounds a lot like me. Now I have 8+ consoles and multiple pcs…but I spend more time repairing and modifying stuff than playing games ha!
I disciplined myself to beat myself (metaphorically speaking) over being wasting time. The resulting stress makes me agitated, and the agitation can only be qwelled once I solve the source of the stress.
I have a small SSD on my laptop. Only 500GB, so I can’t install all of the games. I move ROMs to my external when not playing them and move them to the internal to play. I also package games up from Steam/other sources and do the same. That limits how many games I have installed at any time and helps make some friction to getting stuck in choice paralysis.
That said, for other thing is multiplayer. I an playing Hytale with my partner and we were playing Minecraft before that for a while, so playing together becomes playing that game together and is therefore simple.
I’ve never managed to develop one. I’ve gone many times down the “oh that looks interesting” only to quickly become bored path so I gave up on trying to adopt one. I focus on making my day less boring.
I wish I could get obsessed with satisfactory or something.
Oh I just collect the things needed for the hobby. I don’t actually do the hobby.
I find it hard to jump between things too frequently. It’s all or nothing, more often. For video games I tried elite dangerous in VR and now that’s all I ever want to play. I needed a break from VR so I read books for most of a day, which restarted my drive to read a lot.
I guess it’s been, ‘make it somehow something that I have to tone down, instead of pushing myself to do more.’
