I recently got a job after finishing university, all is good. However, after 5 full days of being behind desk job, I feel a bit exhausted of being behind desk.
Thus my desire to game on PC has soured immensely. Despite having a huge backlog and actually want to finish games.
I’m debating to purchase a Steam Deck OLED in the hope, I can actually play some decent games on there without getting fatigue of desk/ screens but that’s a big investment (€670-700).
So I was wondering; how do the adults of Lemmy with 5 full days of work still get the time and desire to play their games?
The post work exhaustion will get easier over time, but it’s a trick to balance. Make sure you’re keeping your health good, getting adequate rest, etc. There will be some adjustment, some changes, it all depends on the kind of work you do and how hard you can avoid burning out.
Good luck, it will likely get better.
Portables are the best for this, imo. Steam Deck or a used 3DS are my choices. The latter is easy to mod and play all sorts of games including the gigantic DS/3DS library.
I find both systems clutch for the suspend function. Lets you pick right back up where you were. I will say the 3ds is much better at this with clamshell design that suspends on closing the lid and it’s battery life in suspend is fantastic!
I also find stress relief games. Mindless 3rd person action games for me. Mad Max was great because I could drive around picking fights or crashing stuff. The Batman Arkham games and the Shadow of Mordor games are other great examples for me. I have not found any relaxing “cozy” games that work for me. Nothing has really grabbed my attention enough to stick with.
I also find stress relief games. Mindless 3rd person action games for me. Mad Max was great because I could drive around picking fights or crashing stuff. The Batman Arkham games and the Shadow of Mordor games are other great examples for me.
Yeah, so for me it would be most Switch games through emulation (such as Captain Toad, 3D World and Odyssey) and P3R/P5R.
I have not found any relaxing “cozy” games that work for me. Nothing has really grabbed my attention enough to stick with.
I checked ‘cozy’ games but like you, they don’t seem to be my type of games.
I’m truly debating about the Deck but €670 is a lot to invest when being uncertain. Also what if it wouldn’t fix the exhaustion issue of screens and desks.
I work from home, so the last thing I want to do on my leisure time is sit at the same desk I’ve sat at for the last 8 hrs. So I lounge on the couch and play through my huge steam deck library. It is not a cheap device, to be sure. But I felt it was absolutely worth it for me.
My suggestion is to either change the context you play games in, or pick games that are very cognitively different from what you normally do at work.
You can change your context with a new console, but I think it may be cheaper to do something like buying a controller and playing games while standing up, or on your couch/armchair, or playing games while sitting on a yoga ball. The point is to trick your brain, because it’s associated sitting at a desk in front of a computer with boring tedium. Change the presentation and your subconscious will interpret it differently.
You can also achieve this by identifying the things that you have to do in your job that mirror videogame genres you enjoy and picking a game that shares few of those qualities.
I worked at the post office for years, doing mail processing, and my enjoyment of management and resource distribution style games went down sharply during that time because of the cognitive overlap- I played more roguelikes and RPGs as a consequence.
You can change your context with a new console, but I think it may be cheaper to do something like buying a controller and playing games while standing up, or on your couch/armchair
I will try this! Will try the standing. Though, eventually I’ll sit due just tired of standing up. The gaming PC is in my bedroom so there’s not really much room for couch and such.
I have a controller that, I often use but same issue happens of being exhausted of the feeling ‘being behind a desk and screen’.
You can also achieve this by identifying the things that you have to do in your job that mirror videogame genres you enjoy and picking a game that shares few of those qualities.
The thing is, I don’t think anything mirrors my work. I currently have a very basic accounting job and it’s not even that demanding. My work week exists of a mix with doing accounting, listen to podcasts, watching videos on phone and such.
It’s one of the most relax work I have ever had to be honest. Yet it’s the first job where this feeling of exhaustion started.
Sounds like I have a pretty similar office job and I used to have similar problems with the exhaustion. There’s a few things that really helped I think. The first was to be more active at work. Obviously there’s a limit to what you can do, but don’t pass up any opportunity to get up, walk around, and stretch your legs. If you can take a break/lunch outside then do that. If you have some days where you don’t have too much work to do and it kinda feels like you’re just sitting there with no sense of time, or you’re just watching videos to pass the time, try to find something to do instead. Pick up any trash/misplaced things around the office, reorganize files, have a chat with co workers. This all helps to prevent the exhaustion, I’ve found. Then, when I’m out of work, I try to have non-gaming things to do. Like family dinners on fridays. This helps me feel like I do more than just sit behind a desk all day every day, and it makes it feel like more of a treat when I do sit down to game. I don’t know if these will work for you, but they’re worth a shot if you haven’t tried them I guess
Any portable console is amazing for this, as you can literally change the whole context on a whim. A steam deck is nice, but even a used older console like a PSP / Vita or 3DS is amazing for a reasonable amount of money. As most of these systems no longer have legal ways to buy new games, I see no harm in pirating the games. I am doing this with a 3DS right now and going through the systems hit games is just an amazing ride. Currently enjoying Super Mario 3D Land and Bravely Default.
Yeah! Also, sometimes I use emulators that work well on phones to play older games, I had fun playing Final Fantasy Legends 2 with RetroArch.
While I sometimes go a while without touching it before picking it up again, the Steam Deck DID take away that “ugh computer desk” feeling that kept me from gaming.
So I recommend it, BUT it’s not a cure, either. It’s just an unfortunate side effect of desk jobs that will never completely go away.
Work/life balance.
I cannot upvote this enough.
Without Work-Life balance, you will be miserable and it won’t matter what you plan to do outside of work you won’t want to do it.
The fact that you’ve just left college and already have a job is a fantastic thing, but the ideal is to have a good work-life balance so that you can actually live life. It took me a long time, too long, to figure that out.
I remember when I first started working full time. The exhaustion is real. It doesn’t ever really go away but you will eventually learn to live with it.
Fuck capitalism. All my homies hate it
I am becoming more and more attracted to doing a masters before I graduate… stave off the misery for another year.
Probably worth doing if you can afford it
My gaming sessions on my Steam Deck are about 1-2 hours around 2-3 times a week. It takes me about 4-6 months to finish an RPG.
I second the Steam Deck, best way to pick games up and down and actually play whenever you can instead of having to plan it!
Thirded. You can also stream your PS4/PS5 to it if you want to play one of those games but don’t want to have to turn off your stories to play on the TV.
My stories!
Accurate.
That’s my secret cap. I’m always exhausted.
The Steam Deck has been a literal lifesaver. Enabling me to play in bed.
Playing on the couch is a godsend.
Second this. Handhelds are great for adult gaming.
Plus in my case you also tend to gravitate away from more narrative, engaged experiences and towards more mechanics-driven, lighter stuff, which tends to be a good fit for the format, too.
Thirded. Triced? Anyway, I haven’t gamed in front of a TV or monitor in almost a decade. All of it has been handheld (either 3DS early in those 10 years, or now with either phone or a Retro gaming device of some sort, or a switch, I dont have a steamdeck).
And I haven’t had a long gaming session in almost that same time frame. Games that I can pick up and play for 10s of minutes before I have to go be an adult again are the ones that get played the most.
I simply started playing less. At first I felt sad and angry, recalling my previous gaming years, but once I started to accept the fact that I was growing up and life changes, the sadness passed. Nowadays I rarely can sit on the PC to play for more than an hour every couple of days. But it’s fine. There really are not that many good games that are “must” play and there is no rush to finnish them.No stress about the back log. Also saves money on games, when you can just wait for the sales.
I do still play games on my phone, when I discover some what worthy games to scratch the itches.
Sounds like you’re mentally drained after work to be honest. Nothing you can really do about it except play on some days only when you have the energy for it, or on the weekends.
That’s the neat part. You don’t.
I watch other people play the games. Then when I’m tired I close my eyes and I have a nap. I can wake up, fully rested and maybe get to see the final boss! Or not. Maybe I just go to bed.
Username checks out.
Just get a bluetooth controller and use the SteamLink app on your phone. It let’s you lounge back and play games just like the steam deck and for way cheaper. I’m actually finding it hard to justify buying a Steam Deck when I have this option.
I’m in the same situation, working 8 hrs at a desk and I can’t join the discord group like I used to during school years. Now I just watch tv on the main monitor and use SteamLink on my phone
I think if you tried an OLED Steam Deck, you might change your mind. The screen alone is amazing… But also, the fact that it’s a fully functioning Linux device is great as well. So much better than Android.
At work and in game, every 90 mins try to take a 5 min breather and relax as much as possible, definitely stretch.
Beyond that, keep in mind how much sun and socializing you are getting and eat a protein heavy diet. That can drastically affect your stamina and will.
Beyond that it’s a matter of pacing yourself, being happy, and doing what works for you. If you don’t want to game, don’t force yourself to. Sometimes just watching tv and building something is better for you and your joy.
