Making Time for Games

"The days are long but the years are short."

I've felt that more recently than any point before in my life. It permeates everything with a strange urgency. It could be a harbinger of destruction or a beacon of boundless hope.

I choose the latter. Here's why.

Busy is a Buzzword

Busy isn't a state of being. It's an excuse for all the things you're putting off and all the things you want to do, but feel guilty about committing to.

You may, like me, have a rash of client work or house repairs (I am leveling up my house fixing skills like you wouldn't believe, I'm probably max level for my class right now). You might have a stack of to-dos that reaches the sun.

The repetitiveness is a signal. It's a signal that your brain is asking for novelty. After all, we crave it as humans. We remember catchy experiences better than mundane ones. We always look for the next cool thing. It's in our DNA!

Give Yourself the Gift

Don't ignore your bills or family or health for games. That's the wrong message. That's not what I mean. Games are tools, if you'll let them be.

Do, however, give yourself the gift of novelty. Games give you the rare opportunity to conjure up an incredible, unique, immediate state of mind. It's almost trance-like in how it grips you, pulls you in, and takes your brain for a ride. You learn, you laugh, you grit your teeth and try again.

Sounds a lot like a great lesson in managing a busy life, right? Find a way to win given your current conditions?

It feels like you're ready to make some time for games today.

Play on.

To future worlds, Matt Ventre