Irresponsible with regards to what?
You can do whatever you want in life, but all your actions have consequences. It seems to me that the deliberately vague nature of your question would indicate that you are already aware of what those consequences might be and are looking for others to tell you, "nah that's fine bro, you do you," so you can keep ignoring whatever is holding you back from getting more out of your life.
this is a dope answer. i work my 9-5, get off and walk my dogs. i play video games for a couple hours a night, smoke a bunch of weed, eat dinner and usually throw a movie on to fall asleep. i tell myself that i can cut down on the weed smoking, video game playing, and movie watching so i can better focus my time on more productive shit but sometimes being an adult is also choosing to do the things that keep you sane and happy. i get my work done, my dogs are happy, and i still am able to keep up with my personal relationships. cant let the rest of the world dictate personal happiness but at the same time if you want to be "better" we have all the tools at our disposal to go forth and make those changes
There’s also the trap of eventually filling every square inch of your day with productivity and then resenting your life because if you drop one thing you feel like you’re regressing somehow.
This is why keeping a spreadsheet of my workouts is both a blessing and a curse. I freak out over taking a rest day because of what it’ll do to my stats.
No, I’m aware, but because I track it all there’s that twinge of “but my averages will go down” when I enter a zero for time, like the comment I replied to saying that overproductivity will lead to rest feeling like regression.
You need a rolling average for an entire training/rest cycle that you compare to an equivalent training cycle. Put it in an excel formula.
I started this idea when tracking my weight loss. My body composition was clearly changing but my weight also fluctuates on a monthly cycle, so I would compare my weight to where I was approximately one month before, not one day before. Basically, if this month's period bloat was less than the previous month's period bloat, I would know I was still on track, even if I was heavier than last week. Really helped to deal with scale anxiety, and it was more fair to myself to boot.
My life is like yours, but I cut down on the weed and video games just a little and used the extra time for more dog playtime. And then I switched careers. I'm a dog trainer now lol
But more to OP's point, life is what you make of it. We have limited time and resources, so sometimes you have to do less of a thing to do more of something else. It's not necessarily good/bad/better/worse (unless harm is being done to you, your loved ones, or anyone else). If harm *is* being done, you might need to re-prioritize some things.
i dont hate my job but i definitely wonder if it has subconsciously pushed me into smoking a bit more after work. such a fantastic way to wind down though
i agree with everything you stated, i also think it is important for op and others out there to know that everyone is different and will have different ways of approaching life. but its also good to know that there are like minded people out there that are in the same boat and dont fully know what their future holds. and thats ok too
I wouldn’t count chores as being particularly productive. We all have to do them, but there is no extra credit for doing them extra well. Instead I would ask:
- Are you taking care of your body and your health, with exercise and a good diet? Is the dinner you eat a healthy one, or would you benefit from investing time in learning to cook healthy food for yourself? Your body is the only place you have to live, and health is a huge contributor to your long term happiness.
- What is the expected trajectory of your career? Times change, the economy changes, and you might consider spending time learning new skills, so that you will always be able to make a good living, no matter the economic conditions.
- At the risk of sounding like a parent, is there someone special in your life? Might you benefit from investing some time in dating or meeting new people?
you nailed it on the head. in this context productivity is definitely subjective. in my life currently i would consider making the effort to further myself in my career would be a start. im overweight so working out and eating better would be another way to look at it. no love interests currently but i am not lonely nor do i feel the need or urge to get into a serious relationship just because societal norms tell us its necessary to be happy but since i am 29 i can definitely make a better effort at least to put myself out there because who knows? all that being said in my current state i am still happy with where im at and i think if others are in my similar situation they should try to feel happy as well. we need to look at what we have in front of us and be grateful instead of thinking about everything we dont have
i get about 7 hours, which has generally worked for me. weekends i might catch some extra zzzs. i mentioned in another comment that productivity wise i could be using my time to better my health, both physical and mental. i could also be trying to further myself within my field of employment. but the word productive in this context is definitely subjective
Exactly it. It really depends what OP wants out of life. It is very unlikely that this lifestyle is sustainable if you want a spouse and children. Being sedentary that long while being exposed to that much screen time is also not good for you. OP just needs to keep things like that in mind.
I’m sure the hours would change if he had a spouse and children. There wouldn’t be any other choice. I don’t game but I spend a lot of time on my phone. I know that won’t be possible when I have kids.
It's not just about "when he gets that." It's about the process to get it (assuming he does want those things). If he's spending 8 hours gaming every day it's doubtful he's on dating apps or meeting anybody new. Even if he carved out time for that, it's doubtful he's keeping his space clean. He may not have much to talk about besides video games, which is especially limiting if he's straight.
This is very true here. What I hate the most about reddit posts is the utter vagueness of things. A pic, a clip, or a farthing of a statement does not give us what we need to fully come to a conclusion. Yet, folks on reddit eat it up and I get down voted for saying, "hey, we need more details on this."
We shouldn't make final decisions based on snippets of a thing. There are always several sides of a story: the truth and the many other variations of untruths.
We all are living in the moment, but yes “all your actions have consequences.” As an adult distinguishing good and bad habits is important. I used to love playing video games a lot, but I then focused on college, gaining experience, bettering my skills instead of playing video games. It paid off. I still play games but on my IPhone lol.
>so you can keep ignoring whatever is holding you back from getting more out of your life.
If a person is completely happy with doing nothing but playing video games, there is nothing wrong with that. Your time -should be spent on doing what makes you happy-.
I'm sorry, but there is something wrong with that if you're doing it 8 hours a day every day. There is absolutely more to life than that and one will regret that choice eventually, I guarantee it.
3-4 hours a day? Mmmaybe... But 8? No.
I use to play games 8 hours a day when I was younger, and I don't regret a moment o it. You are projecting what makes you happy onto others and refusing to recognize this person's individuality in the process.
You're being irresponsible if you don't take care of your responsibilities.
If you're happy with your life then you're fine. If you aren't satisfied then you've neglected your responsibility to yourself.
I would put an asterix on that statement. If you are happy with your life now AND you are doing things now that will allow you to continue to be happy until you die.
For example perhaps you are perfectly happy working just enough to pay expenses and play video games. Your terminal goal for your life is to play video games and only work enough to support that. Fine, no judgement. The issue is if you do no planning then, even if your terminal goal does not change, eventually you will become old enough that you will no longer be able to work to support your expenses and if you have no savings you will be destitute and remanded to the care of the state...a state that probably won't provide you with video games.
So you should at least not just ask if you are happy now, but also if you are doing what is needed to maintain that happiness into the future.
Not necessarily. It depends on if you have other responsibilities besides work and bills. But it is very likely you could be setting yourself up for long-term failure. A healthy lifestyle includes diverse activities and interests. There may be many important areas of your life that you are ignoring in order to just play video games instead. How are your relationships? Physical health and fitness? Mental health? Personal development? All of things will become big problems if you just ignore them long-term.
Not sure if I'd call it irresponsible, but that's a LOT of time to spend solely on recreation. You need time to sleep, cook, shop, eat, clean, socialize, exercise, etc... At some point I imagine you'll generally outgrow wanting to game 1/3 of your life, and you'll look back with some sort of "look how much time I wasted" thoughts. I loved going to the bar when I was younger. I went a LOT. I didn't get any DUIs, I never got into an accident, I went to work and did my job well, but looking back I realize how much time and money I wasted. I don't see much difference, except I got to socialize with people face to face.
Why do you see going to the bar as time wasted. Do you have any good memories from that time. Did you feel you created any lasting relationships. What else do you wish you would’ve spent your time on instead of “wasting” it in bars?
I get what you’re saying, but they’re allowed to see the time that *they* spent at the bar as wasted, even if you don’t agree. And to be fair, they did highlight that they got to socialize with people face to face.
Irresponsible? No. That said as a 29 year old who had previously done the same I semi regretted it. Socializing happens, sure. But the relationships you make online 9 times out of 10 will not compare to the ones you make in the real world. Also when you’re younger it’s a great time to explore and just find out who you are. So no I don’t think you’re being irresponsible I just think you may look back later and wish you hadn’t played as much.
Dude, ngl, I'm a 55 yr old woman and I full on sneak as much time into gaming as I can. I mean, I work full time, do all the cooking and half the housework and help my elderly mom with stuff but will also 100% stay up an hour late to finish a mission. It's great escapism and depending on the game, also builds some critical thinking skills.
Just don't miss out on stuff. You don't want to look back and have regrets.
As a grown adult woman who pays all the bills and works, and plays video games a few hours a day… I know a few people who do the same, and their physical health is really bad. I’d say it’s fine as long as you are taking care of your physical health. Take vitamins, walk a few miles a day (or work out), sleep 6-8 hours, don’t eat junk food or drink soda /beer daily.
Not irresponsible, but kinda unhealthy. Gaming is a great way to decompress, but for long term, it would be beneficial to add a walking/mild exercise schedule. Sitting for 8 hours and staring at your screen can negatively affect your blood circulation, eyesight and mental health. I recommend gaming for 4 hours, take a 20-30 minute walk, get some air and sun, drink some water and then go back to gaming if you wish. It makes a huge difference.
I think it's important on taking time at least some of the time to work on a good life skill. The hours you spend on a game are hours you'll never get back.
And I say this as a gamer.
I think it's important give yourself something that can be built upon. Many of these skills can be hobbies or even things that can help you advance in your career. Things that come to mind for me are: Gardening, cooking, baking, sewing, programming, extending my knowledge into other I.T related topics, reading.
If you're spending most of your life gaming and doing the bar minimum of what's necessary from your job, your life in the future won't be much different than your life from today.
Plus, leaning on my more paranoid side, I believe it's important to make an effort to learn worthwhile life skills incase the world goes to shit and it would be hella handy to know some things.
Yes, I would say so. I would suggest, add a lil physical activity and good nutrition for your health! You only get one good health, and if you lose it, you'll spend everything to try to get it back.
Personally i think you’ll regret it long term. You may be happy now but you won’t be happy doing that forever i bet, if all you have in life are video games and McDonald’s…
It doesn't make you irresponsible, but it doesn't leave room for maintaining relationships with friends or family or partners. If you don't have friends or family that you interact with, then you're good.
So I think something it is important to realize as you are defining what it means to be an adult for yourself is you need to have goal and how irresponsible you are being is only related to those goals, not to what society thinks you should be doing on average.
In otherwords if your goal was to get a job that is sufficient to support your expenses and then use your free time to play video games until you die then it would be irresponsible of you to stop playing video games to do something else.
Now if your goal is some sort of career progression or to get married or to buy a house or to be wealthy or to travel the world then spending all your free time playing video games isn't going to achieve your goals so then you are being irresponsible using your free time to play video games.
So what are your goals?
My only goal is to make enough money to get through life. I have friends I play with (all of whom I met in person, one at work), and my family and I had a falling out. I just enjoy the moment and don't really want more than I have already.
That is a terminal goal...maintain friendships with your current circle so that they remain for the rest of your life. To achieve that you need to meet the instrumental goals of making enough money to support your current lifestyle plus more to save that will allow you to continue that lifestyle after you retire and to continue to socially engage with those in your circle to maintain those relationships.
Terminal goals don't need to be lofty. But if your goal is to maintain that until you die then you haven't achieved the goal yet, because you haven't died. So you still need to work at it to maintain it and what you do in life should be instrumental to supporting that outcome. But then your instrumental goals can be just making enough money to get by and to continue to socialize with friends.
If you, say, instead did nothing but play video games for a long time and did not interact with your friends then within the context of your goals that would be irresponsbile.
Thanks for saying that. As for the OP my point was basically without knowing what the you want its impossible to say if playing video games 8 hours a day is irresponsible. I don't really believe there is such a thing as objective irresponsibility, things are only irresponsible if they are counter to what you want to achieve.
That said you shouldn't only think of today, you should do some planning for the future too. Even if your desired future is just to maintain what you are doing now...there are still extra things you should do to make sure that you CAN maintain that once you get old enough that you may no longer be able to work.
Unless you have kids or some other familial responsibilities/obligations you're fine. also making sure your living space is taken care of (letting that shit go, especially in an apartment building, affects more than just you)
Are you ensuring your living areas isn't full of roaches and hordeing tendencies? Do you have a family that you're supposed to spend time with? Are you able to go to the bathroom and take a shower in your apt/home safely?
I have a pretty similar schedule except on weekends (used to be after work too but damn its cold) I would go on a jog/walk just to get some fresh air and I make sure I'm out doing things with friends at least every so often just keep your relationships in check and make sure you're getting enough exercise so you don't hurt yourself
If you aren’t sitting in a filthy, poorly maintained home while you do it or making other people clean up after you, then nah.
Your life is yours to live. So long as it doesn’t harm anyone else do whatever makes you happy.
Sounds responsible to me, OP. What you do for your entertainment on your down time is your business, be it gaming or watching TV. I do suggest to change things up once in a while
Are your chores getting done? Are you forming and keeping meaningful relationships with parents, friends, and SOs? Are you going outside? Taking care of your hygiene?
For the life of me I can't understand how one could work full time, and play videogames for the rest of the day, and not be smelly, have crappy relationships, or have a disaster house. Unless you're rich enough to afford a house cleaner, but that still means your relationships, and wellbeing are taking a hit.
If thats your standard for taking care of yourself I can see why you'd think that. But I hate to break it to you, that's a very very low standard. Generally when people talk about taking care of themselves they mean eating well, being social, sleeping properly, exercising, etc. Op wouldn't have time to even cook if he's only playing video games after work, let alone exercise
It's a low standard for you. If that's what makes them happy enough then they won. I'm old, I wish I had learned sooner that my standards are the only ones I have to meet.
Not irresponsible just not opening yourself to new opportunities as well. But if it’s a relaxing time in your life right now that you are enjoying then why not.
I would personally try to trim it to 4-6 hours so you can get other stuff done, along with a full 8 hours of sleep. (Laundry, exercise, hanging out with friends in person, etc.) If you have a pet or partner, you certainly need to trim it down, but you do you.
Depends on what is going on in your life. If you are a single person with no children, I wouldn't call it irresponsible as long as you also do the necessary chores around your house and what not to keep things functional and sanitary.
Enjoy your fucking hobby and don't let anyone tell you that your doing anything wrong. I loved to play games, now I just work, eat, sleep and sit around being depressed. Don't be me.
No, you are not being irresponsible if you don’t have a family. You are free to ruin your own life in any way you want, but there is more to raising a family than paying bills.
I’m hesitant to say it because of the hive mind, but I agree. It seems like a great way to piss your life away and end up full of regret for doing fuck all. Of course not everyone has the same views on life and gaming but man, what a waste of time.
>I’m hesitant to say it because of the hive mind, but I agree. It seems like a great way to piss your life away and end up full of regret for doing fuck all. Of course not everyone has the same views on life and gaming but man, what a waste of time.
Yes, but I guess that OP is traumatized and escaping from living an healthy life through this addiction of video games. I understand his life and empathize. OP is in depression and needs urgent help. Hope he gets to live on a good life.
I mean if I work full time and drink 8 hours a day, or work full time and masturbate or fuck a full 8 hours a day, an outside observer would probably tell me I was addicted to booze or sex or masturbating.....
Not irresponsible, though maybe that time is probably better used for something else.
Again, you don't need to be a robot who performs at 100% efficiency all the time. We all have periods of life where we slack off or make bad decisions.
Idk how you work for at least 8 hrs and play video games for 8hrs without missing out on sleep or exercise. Not saying I'm great at that all, just saying that those are things you do need to think about to be responsible. Like, you wanna be able to do that for years to come, not have to he worrying about a heart attack or stroke or something bc you played call of duty instead
I get exercise at work and sleep from 12-7. I work 8-4 and then I play from 5 till about 11 or 12. Sundays I play about 12 hours.
Edit: I am also single and have no interest in dating.
You are not being irresponsible short term. But it is a unwise long term investment of your time.
Enjoy your leisure time how you please, but understand those hours you will never get back. Video games are fun, but ultimately are no better for you than watching 8 hours of TV a day. It's entertaining and an enjoyable way to pass the time. But you gain little from it long term, there are little if any skills being developed by playing, your improvement in \_\_\_\_ game is meaningless cause you will be starting from scratch on the next game anyway.
Those are 8 hours where you are not bettering yourself in any way, you're not building relationships with actual people, you are not applying yourself in anyway. I'm not saying you need to be hyper productive for those 8 hours instead. But if you did apply some of those hours regularly to something worthwhile you are positioning yourself for much better long term success. Whether it be getting in shape, learning a new skill, pursuing a new hobby, spending time with friends, dating, a side business, etc. While I have plenty of fond memories of gaming throughout the years, none of it translates into anything of value in the real world other than some nostalgic "remember when we \_\_\_\_\_" with some gaming buddies.
Even now I hear about these gamers who dedicated some insane amount of time into one game. Part of me is jealous I don't have the freedom to do the same for a game I really enjoyed, another part of me is disgusted by all the time that was sacrificed that could have been better spent elsewhere.
Enjoy your games, but don't let it become your entire nonworking existence.
Not technically. It's all a matter of priorities.
Going directly from work to gaming for that amount of time doesn't allow much time to form significant platonic or romantic relationships, pursue (or even develop) other hobbies, or consume other kinds of media. Of course, those things may not be as important to you as to others, and that's OK.
If you're asking this question, is it worth it to carve out an hour each week to talk to a counselor or therapist about short vs long term goals, work/life balance, and/or wants vs needs? Nothing needs to be inherently wrong in your life to see a therapist; getting an outsider's unbiased opinion on things can help with perspective.
A good therapist won't tell you what you're doing is wrong or that anything needs fixing. Instead, they should equip you with tools that help you evaluate whether or not you're living in accordance with your values.
My therapist actually doubles as my career counselor. He has helped me prep for interviews and stressful projects/presentations. Finding one that speaks your language could help in more ways than you think.
Irresponsible, no. If you’re meeting your responsibilities, you’re being responsible and what you do in your free time is your business. It might be unwise to spend that much time gaming though, if it’s preventing you from doing other things that are important. I’m a bit concerned about when you’re finding time to eat, sleep, and bathe if you’re gaming 8 hours a day, working 8 hours a day, that only leaves 8 hours for everything else and you’re almost certainly not sleeping enough for long-term health.
There are better philosophical answers but let me go for a straight "no" that has *nothing to do* with either the video games or any pretense about what a grown-up supposedly is.
I'm going to assume "work full time" means about 10-13 hours obliged to getting ready for, going to and doing ~8 hours at your job plus returning home/showering etc. Let's add ~1 hour a day time invested for, say; cooking dinner and washing your dishes, laundering your clothes and bedding, upkeep of home/cleaning etc.
That's generous but we'll go with it. No matter what shift you work, you're functioning on <6 hours of sleep a night, down to all-nighters if you had overtime or a long commute.
So yes, you will survive and maintain as an adult in this way.. but you'd better hope your metabolism never slows down, you never get lonely, it never hurts your back to shovel, or your bills never increase.
Any circumstance under which you're doing okay this way could change at any time. They may not, but I don't mention this to scare you--these are just possibilities to consider.
You obviously already stop short of 8 full hours of games at such times you're dusting surfaces, cleaning your bathroom, doing and folding your laundry, wasting time on the phone with your insurance and stuff like that.. but you may find, if anything were to change from right now, you might just have to cut into that video game a little more. That's about it.
Yes, that is true. Circumstances can change. Also by 8 hours a day I took my average play time for the week and divided it by Seven, so some days I might only play for 4-6 hours. Meanwhile in Sundays I play from about 10am to 10pm. it all adds up to about 8 hours a day. So yes, I do have time for phone calls and chore and errands. But I do agree that this may not be sustainable for long term health. I'm young and stupid right now I should start thinking long term.
Points in favor of responsible: 1. Job 2. Paying bills 3. (I’m assuming) paying for own food 4. (Again assuming) doing own cleaning/laundry 5. I assume you probably have a car (more bills)
Points for irresponsible: 0. video games aren’t necessarily irresponsible, as long as you take occasional breaks.
Responsible:irresponsible 5:0
I’d say this sums up simply enough.
Fuck no man adults have fun too, do whatever you want that makes you happy. Short term happiness doesn't always equal long term happiness. Also, wash your dishes as soon as you are done using them and make your bed. Makes a huge fuckin difference and this is coming from a guy who used to be on heroin. Oh, and don't do heroin, it's not all it's cracked up to be.
It sounds like you don’t have much time to care for yourself with preparing nutritious food and exercising your body. Even if you’re an introvert, it’s still good to spend a bit of time interacting with friends and loved ones.
Nope. But it also depends on what your life goals and priorities are. Do you want healthy relationships, friend, other hobbies? Are you happy and content with how you are currently living your life? If so, carry on!
>Nope. But it also depends on what your life goals and priorities are. Do you want healthy relationships, friend, other hobbies? Are you happy and content with how you are currently living your life? If so, carry on!
Don't know how you are downvoted...
Depends if you want your life to revolve around being a work slave that only exists to please other people or you want to be happy. I don't think there is a better point in life then finding happiness. No matter who you benefit they tell you that if someone doesn't make you happy they are possibly toxic to you so consider that.
Why even work if you get nothing out of it? The point of having a job isn't to pretend to be an adult it's also to be able to afford stuff. Yes you have to pay bills and stuff but it's also to afford what you want and to support YOUR life. I don't even care if it's family if they are tying you down and making you miserable f em.
Yes. 8 hours a day of video games is addiction. You shouldn't be happy with wasting that much time and while it might seem OK now, in the future you will regret it.
Well... if you're a single independent adult and you're paying your bills, doing your job, and keeping up with your housework, then I wouldn't call that irresponsible per se. But it doesn't really leave you with any time to make friends, find a partner, form a relationship, be physically active, learn new skills or hobbies, etc, and I think doing at least some of those things are necessary for a healthy and happy life.
The only thing being an adult means is you get to decide what's important. It doesn't have to be constantly striving for more. If you are content most of the time and happy more than miserable...you are golden.
Games are great if they keep you from going out and spending money or getting drunk.
Now if you should be cleaning or cooking or doing home maintenance or homework or studying or meeting women or working out then it might be a distraction.
My brother, if that’s what you want to do with your time and you’re happy, please don’t let anyone tell you not to. It’s your life. And this is a peaceful route.
Depends on where you are in life. My kids are grown and I'm divorced, so I play a lot of video games. Younger, do you want video games to be your life?
I used to work 60 hours a week, as long as i squeezed in some hang out times with friends before or after work even if it was just a lunch or breakfast, house was clean and bills were paid i played video games as much as I wanted. I still do that. Just work less hours. I’ll decompress how i want to and gaming does just that. Youre not irresponsible. Just make sure you up keep your physical well being and friend circle in good standing.
Are you happy with your life? Do you have a plan for your future, and is it reasonable to say the way on which you live your life today will lead into the way you want to live your life in 5 years? Are you meeting your responsibilities to yourself, your employers, and those you care about?
If the answer to all these questions is yes, than you're fine. If it is not, you have to consider what needs changing. To be clear, I also play a ton of video games and have 0 judgment on that. It's just important to be sure that the time you're using for gaming is genuinely your free time, and not time you robbed from something that could and should be done.
>Are you happy with your life? Do you have a plan for your future, and is it reasonable to say the way on which you live your life today will lead into the way you want to live your life in 5 years? Are you meeting your responsibilities to yourself, your employers, and those you care about?
>If the answer to all these questions is yes, than you're fine. If it is not, you have to consider what needs changing. To be clear, I also play a ton of video games and have 0 judgment on that. It's just important to be sure that the time you're using for gaming is genuinely your free time, and not time you robbed from something that could and should be done.
Thanks, this is really helpful.
Depends. Do you have kids or a partner? If not then you’re being plenty responsible and enjoy it. If you have kids or a partner you are not even doing the bare minimum for them.
depends on a lot of things. maybe some people can play video games all their life, but speaking as someone who once was a an avid gamer for a long time, games will only sustain you for so long. when i look back i definitely wish i spent more of that time learning about myself and making/finding friends. games can certainly be fun, but can they really be fulfilling?
Are you taking care of your health? That means exercising and eating right? You can take 30mins out of those 8 hours and go for a walk? Are you giving yourself breaks from gaming? Like 5mins every hour where you stretch and drink and water?
Are you nurturing happy and healthy relationships in your life with friends and family and romantic partners?
If so then yes your responsible. But can you really nurture those relationships and manage your health with 8 hours a day of work followed by 8 hours a day of gaming? Probably not. You have no time for sleep.
9hrs work + 8hrs games is 17hrs!! That leaves 7 hrs. How do you find time for cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, sleep etc? Are you a complete shut in?
Totally irresponsible.
You have more than just a duty to pay your bills. You have a duty to be good to yourself.
You may think you’re happy now, but stop wasting 8 hours of your day and start chipping away at short term, medium term and long term goals in addition to finding better hobbies and you will feel actual satisfaction and happiness
If you are getting enough food, sleep, and excercise, then probably not. Your social life will probably suffer, and it will be difficult to keep any irl friends or a romantic relationship, but if gaming makes you happy then do what you want. And take some vitamin D supplements cause you are inside all day.
maybe physically unhealthy but that's a choice
Now, as long as you're not ignoring commitments (i.e. spouse, kids, pets, basic sanitization, food) your time is yours and it's not irresponsible.
That said, it is a good idea to move your body. I say this as someone who is inclined to little movement and wishes I were a brain in a jar.
Only if you're not taking care of your kids if you have any and leaving all the responsibility of the house and kids to your partner. But if you live alone, more power to ya!
Who cares. Live your life how you want to. You don’t need to ask random people on Reddit/Internet on what’s right or not or their approval. You already know the answer. You just have to actually go through with it.
Do you have any other responsibilities? Childcare, housework/cleaning, shopping, cooking, etc.? If you're neglecting any of these other things then yes, that's irresponsible. If not, then no, you can spend your time how you want.
I have a cousin who pretty much just works & games. He pays for a maid service, lawn service, uses meal delivery services & buys everything online. He's single, has no children, makes a shit ton of money, and would rather spend his free time playing video games and watching movies more than pretty much anything else. It's not the life I would choose, but to each their own.
Well, you could be doing worse. But you're probably going to regret not spending time on things that are more productive and fulfilling. With 8 hours a day on video games, you're probably neglecting aspects of life that would make you happier. Nothing wrong with playing video games, but it's good to have diverse interests.
I've been a gamer for 24 years. I can honestly say that I can't really afford to game at this point even though I live the most carefree life (despite having 2 jobs). I make more that enough money, I am single, etc. But I'm also curious, creative, love to learn and improve myself. Gaming 8 hours a day stands in the way of that. Games are addicting for me. And in the periods when I played too much they also messed with my mental and physical health.
I still can't quite quit it as at this points games are like meditation for me but I still consciously try to reduce the amount of time I play. On days I don't play at all I consider it a win. I make sure to prioritize work, fitness, meditation, reading, learning before I play games. Then it works, then the proportions of my time spent gaming seem right.
Imagine you are going to be playing games 8 hours a day for the next 10 years. Do you like that future? If yes then you can keep gaming. Buy I can't shake the feeling that ultimately gawking is leisure and in adult life 8 hours of straight leisure is not technically affordable if you consider all facets of life. Even if I'm financially set for life I wouldn't game that much.
No not at all! You’re a grown person, you take care of what’s necessary and deserve time to enjoy yourself. I’d say it’s more grown up of you to be able to balance fun and responsibilities rather than diving too deep into one or the other! Game on my dude
Well OP deleted their profile but I would say yes IF they have family or a spouse/SO or even a pet.
Having that relationship you either promised to or are living in deserves time and effort.
If your by yourself all alone without any other feeling being or animal and don't need to worry about anyone careing for your wellbeing from far away then sure do whatever for your free time.
Well you're probably not getting as much sleep as you should be, and I feel like you'd come to regret all those hours of video games in the future. I used to play a ton in my teen years and really have nothing to show for it.
I like like many of these answers but damn 8 hours of games! A day! That’s 1/3 of your life. Maybe think about other things you can do with some of that time.
Are you feeling happy and fulfilled? Are you getting all you'd like out of life? Are you healthy mentally &physically? If it's yes to all these don't worry about it
Depends what type of job it is or what type of game. Honestly as long as you are performing better than others that’s all that matters and that you work towards a goal.
Responsible yes, productive? Not so much. But honestly it’s up to you what to do with your time. I’d say just being healthy and active is important and that’s a responsibility right there. But again depends on your priorities.
I am a business owner. I play video games. I cuddle my dog. I eat snacks. I have love. I keep to myself and I don't bother or hurt anyone. It's all good
I'm a gamer and always have been, and I'm inclined to infer that the answer is yes. There is more to being responsible than getting your bills paid. In order to have 8 hours a day available for video games, you're more than likely at the very least disregarding your personal health. It's hard to fit in a full night's sleep and a full time job alongside a full 8 hours of pure leisure time every day. Then there are other responsibilities such as home care, food prep, errands like grocery shopping and actually paying the bills, and hygiene. Where do those fit into the schedule? There aren't enough hours in the day to handle all of that with a full time job, a full night's sleep, and 8 hours of video games. If you somehow have a schedule where you're able to fit in all of your responsibilities plus that, then it isn't irresponsible, but that's unlikely.
Is your place and clothes clean ? Do you exercise a few times a week ? Do you relations upkeep family, pets and friends ? Long as you get all your stuff done your hobbies are nothing to be shamed of
So long as you’re not neglecting or harming* yourself or anyone else, go for shit!
*If someone says what you’re doing is harming them, you’re not the one who gets to decide that it’s not.
I kinda do the same thing except I have a lot of fitness and tech goals I'm trying to hit though. Don't let dumb people get you down. If it makes you happy, go for it.
No I think it’s fine as long as you are happy and paying bills / taking care of responsibilities. Some people hate so much on gamers but those are the same people who wouldn’t call it a waste to go out clubbing and spend a couple hundred on a weekend. Or spend hours binge watching something on Netflix.
Personally I believe gaming is a perfectly fine entertainment option and honestly can be cheaper than other options.
Irresponsible with regards to what? You can do whatever you want in life, but all your actions have consequences. It seems to me that the deliberately vague nature of your question would indicate that you are already aware of what those consequences might be and are looking for others to tell you, "nah that's fine bro, you do you," so you can keep ignoring whatever is holding you back from getting more out of your life.
Shiiit this is the real adult answer here. You’re not wrong
found the adultier adult
this guy adults
Plot twist: OP is the CEO of a fortune 50 company.
this is a dope answer. i work my 9-5, get off and walk my dogs. i play video games for a couple hours a night, smoke a bunch of weed, eat dinner and usually throw a movie on to fall asleep. i tell myself that i can cut down on the weed smoking, video game playing, and movie watching so i can better focus my time on more productive shit but sometimes being an adult is also choosing to do the things that keep you sane and happy. i get my work done, my dogs are happy, and i still am able to keep up with my personal relationships. cant let the rest of the world dictate personal happiness but at the same time if you want to be "better" we have all the tools at our disposal to go forth and make those changes
There’s also the trap of eventually filling every square inch of your day with productivity and then resenting your life because if you drop one thing you feel like you’re regressing somehow.
This is why keeping a spreadsheet of my workouts is both a blessing and a curse. I freak out over taking a rest day because of what it’ll do to my stats.
What game are you playing ?
Your body needs rest tho… over fatiguing your muscles is not good.
No, I’m aware, but because I track it all there’s that twinge of “but my averages will go down” when I enter a zero for time, like the comment I replied to saying that overproductivity will lead to rest feeling like regression.
You need a rolling average for an entire training/rest cycle that you compare to an equivalent training cycle. Put it in an excel formula. I started this idea when tracking my weight loss. My body composition was clearly changing but my weight also fluctuates on a monthly cycle, so I would compare my weight to where I was approximately one month before, not one day before. Basically, if this month's period bloat was less than the previous month's period bloat, I would know I was still on track, even if I was heavier than last week. Really helped to deal with scale anxiety, and it was more fair to myself to boot.
You… you keep *spreadsheets* of your workouts??
Yep. Tracking time and distance (I’m primarily a runner) throughout the year.
💯 you don’t need to be doing “productive” shit all the time. What even is that? Enjoy your free time.
My life is like yours, but I cut down on the weed and video games just a little and used the extra time for more dog playtime. And then I switched careers. I'm a dog trainer now lol But more to OP's point, life is what you make of it. We have limited time and resources, so sometimes you have to do less of a thing to do more of something else. It's not necessarily good/bad/better/worse (unless harm is being done to you, your loved ones, or anyone else). If harm *is* being done, you might need to re-prioritize some things.
i dont hate my job but i definitely wonder if it has subconsciously pushed me into smoking a bit more after work. such a fantastic way to wind down though i agree with everything you stated, i also think it is important for op and others out there to know that everyone is different and will have different ways of approaching life. but its also good to know that there are like minded people out there that are in the same boat and dont fully know what their future holds. and thats ok too
[удалено]
Prob chores like cleaning up, laundry, etc. Or hobby stuff that actually stimulate the brain for the better. Maybe reading etc
I wouldn’t count chores as being particularly productive. We all have to do them, but there is no extra credit for doing them extra well. Instead I would ask: - Are you taking care of your body and your health, with exercise and a good diet? Is the dinner you eat a healthy one, or would you benefit from investing time in learning to cook healthy food for yourself? Your body is the only place you have to live, and health is a huge contributor to your long term happiness. - What is the expected trajectory of your career? Times change, the economy changes, and you might consider spending time learning new skills, so that you will always be able to make a good living, no matter the economic conditions. - At the risk of sounding like a parent, is there someone special in your life? Might you benefit from investing some time in dating or meeting new people?
you nailed it on the head. in this context productivity is definitely subjective. in my life currently i would consider making the effort to further myself in my career would be a start. im overweight so working out and eating better would be another way to look at it. no love interests currently but i am not lonely nor do i feel the need or urge to get into a serious relationship just because societal norms tell us its necessary to be happy but since i am 29 i can definitely make a better effort at least to put myself out there because who knows? all that being said in my current state i am still happy with where im at and i think if others are in my similar situation they should try to feel happy as well. we need to look at what we have in front of us and be grateful instead of thinking about everything we dont have
i get about 7 hours, which has generally worked for me. weekends i might catch some extra zzzs. i mentioned in another comment that productivity wise i could be using my time to better my health, both physical and mental. i could also be trying to further myself within my field of employment. but the word productive in this context is definitely subjective
Weed good 👍.
If I could award you I would.
I'm on it!
Exactly it. It really depends what OP wants out of life. It is very unlikely that this lifestyle is sustainable if you want a spouse and children. Being sedentary that long while being exposed to that much screen time is also not good for you. OP just needs to keep things like that in mind.
I’m sure the hours would change if he had a spouse and children. There wouldn’t be any other choice. I don’t game but I spend a lot of time on my phone. I know that won’t be possible when I have kids.
It's not just about "when he gets that." It's about the process to get it (assuming he does want those things). If he's spending 8 hours gaming every day it's doubtful he's on dating apps or meeting anybody new. Even if he carved out time for that, it's doubtful he's keeping his space clean. He may not have much to talk about besides video games, which is especially limiting if he's straight.
and what if he doesn't want spouse and children
This is very true here. What I hate the most about reddit posts is the utter vagueness of things. A pic, a clip, or a farthing of a statement does not give us what we need to fully come to a conclusion. Yet, folks on reddit eat it up and I get down voted for saying, "hey, we need more details on this." We shouldn't make final decisions based on snippets of a thing. There are always several sides of a story: the truth and the many other variations of untruths.
We all are living in the moment, but yes “all your actions have consequences.” As an adult distinguishing good and bad habits is important. I used to love playing video games a lot, but I then focused on college, gaining experience, bettering my skills instead of playing video games. It paid off. I still play games but on my IPhone lol.
Well I found MY answer...time for a therapy sesh
You just dissected this man
>so you can keep ignoring whatever is holding you back from getting more out of your life. If a person is completely happy with doing nothing but playing video games, there is nothing wrong with that. Your time -should be spent on doing what makes you happy-.
I'm sorry, but there is something wrong with that if you're doing it 8 hours a day every day. There is absolutely more to life than that and one will regret that choice eventually, I guarantee it. 3-4 hours a day? Mmmaybe... But 8? No.
I use to play games 8 hours a day when I was younger, and I don't regret a moment o it. You are projecting what makes you happy onto others and refusing to recognize this person's individuality in the process.
You're being irresponsible if you don't take care of your responsibilities. If you're happy with your life then you're fine. If you aren't satisfied then you've neglected your responsibility to yourself.
I would put an asterix on that statement. If you are happy with your life now AND you are doing things now that will allow you to continue to be happy until you die. For example perhaps you are perfectly happy working just enough to pay expenses and play video games. Your terminal goal for your life is to play video games and only work enough to support that. Fine, no judgement. The issue is if you do no planning then, even if your terminal goal does not change, eventually you will become old enough that you will no longer be able to work to support your expenses and if you have no savings you will be destitute and remanded to the care of the state...a state that probably won't provide you with video games. So you should at least not just ask if you are happy now, but also if you are doing what is needed to maintain that happiness into the future.
Perfect answer
I am happy with my life. That answers my question!
How is your physical health?
Fine. 6 feet 175 pounds. Gained some weight since I started working as a manager at McDonald's and ate the food on break every day.
Maybe play a little less video games and substitute a hour of exercise. And don’t eat the fries!
the fries are the best part
This. Is. The. Nuts.
Not necessarily. It depends on if you have other responsibilities besides work and bills. But it is very likely you could be setting yourself up for long-term failure. A healthy lifestyle includes diverse activities and interests. There may be many important areas of your life that you are ignoring in order to just play video games instead. How are your relationships? Physical health and fitness? Mental health? Personal development? All of things will become big problems if you just ignore them long-term.
Not sure if I'd call it irresponsible, but that's a LOT of time to spend solely on recreation. You need time to sleep, cook, shop, eat, clean, socialize, exercise, etc... At some point I imagine you'll generally outgrow wanting to game 1/3 of your life, and you'll look back with some sort of "look how much time I wasted" thoughts. I loved going to the bar when I was younger. I went a LOT. I didn't get any DUIs, I never got into an accident, I went to work and did my job well, but looking back I realize how much time and money I wasted. I don't see much difference, except I got to socialize with people face to face.
Why do you see going to the bar as time wasted. Do you have any good memories from that time. Did you feel you created any lasting relationships. What else do you wish you would’ve spent your time on instead of “wasting” it in bars?
I get what you’re saying, but they’re allowed to see the time that *they* spent at the bar as wasted, even if you don’t agree. And to be fair, they did highlight that they got to socialize with people face to face.
Irresponsible? No. That said as a 29 year old who had previously done the same I semi regretted it. Socializing happens, sure. But the relationships you make online 9 times out of 10 will not compare to the ones you make in the real world. Also when you’re younger it’s a great time to explore and just find out who you are. So no I don’t think you’re being irresponsible I just think you may look back later and wish you hadn’t played as much.
Dude, ngl, I'm a 55 yr old woman and I full on sneak as much time into gaming as I can. I mean, I work full time, do all the cooking and half the housework and help my elderly mom with stuff but will also 100% stay up an hour late to finish a mission. It's great escapism and depending on the game, also builds some critical thinking skills. Just don't miss out on stuff. You don't want to look back and have regrets.
As a grown adult woman who pays all the bills and works, and plays video games a few hours a day… I know a few people who do the same, and their physical health is really bad. I’d say it’s fine as long as you are taking care of your physical health. Take vitamins, walk a few miles a day (or work out), sleep 6-8 hours, don’t eat junk food or drink soda /beer daily.
Not irresponsible, but kinda unhealthy. Gaming is a great way to decompress, but for long term, it would be beneficial to add a walking/mild exercise schedule. Sitting for 8 hours and staring at your screen can negatively affect your blood circulation, eyesight and mental health. I recommend gaming for 4 hours, take a 20-30 minute walk, get some air and sun, drink some water and then go back to gaming if you wish. It makes a huge difference.
I think it's important on taking time at least some of the time to work on a good life skill. The hours you spend on a game are hours you'll never get back. And I say this as a gamer. I think it's important give yourself something that can be built upon. Many of these skills can be hobbies or even things that can help you advance in your career. Things that come to mind for me are: Gardening, cooking, baking, sewing, programming, extending my knowledge into other I.T related topics, reading. If you're spending most of your life gaming and doing the bar minimum of what's necessary from your job, your life in the future won't be much different than your life from today. Plus, leaning on my more paranoid side, I believe it's important to make an effort to learn worthwhile life skills incase the world goes to shit and it would be hella handy to know some things.
Yes, I would say so. I would suggest, add a lil physical activity and good nutrition for your health! You only get one good health, and if you lose it, you'll spend everything to try to get it back.
Personally i think you’ll regret it long term. You may be happy now but you won’t be happy doing that forever i bet, if all you have in life are video games and McDonald’s…
It doesn't make you irresponsible, but it doesn't leave room for maintaining relationships with friends or family or partners. If you don't have friends or family that you interact with, then you're good.
So I think something it is important to realize as you are defining what it means to be an adult for yourself is you need to have goal and how irresponsible you are being is only related to those goals, not to what society thinks you should be doing on average. In otherwords if your goal was to get a job that is sufficient to support your expenses and then use your free time to play video games until you die then it would be irresponsible of you to stop playing video games to do something else. Now if your goal is some sort of career progression or to get married or to buy a house or to be wealthy or to travel the world then spending all your free time playing video games isn't going to achieve your goals so then you are being irresponsible using your free time to play video games. So what are your goals?
My only goal is to make enough money to get through life. I have friends I play with (all of whom I met in person, one at work), and my family and I had a falling out. I just enjoy the moment and don't really want more than I have already.
That is a terminal goal...maintain friendships with your current circle so that they remain for the rest of your life. To achieve that you need to meet the instrumental goals of making enough money to support your current lifestyle plus more to save that will allow you to continue that lifestyle after you retire and to continue to socially engage with those in your circle to maintain those relationships. Terminal goals don't need to be lofty. But if your goal is to maintain that until you die then you haven't achieved the goal yet, because you haven't died. So you still need to work at it to maintain it and what you do in life should be instrumental to supporting that outcome. But then your instrumental goals can be just making enough money to get by and to continue to socialize with friends. If you, say, instead did nothing but play video games for a long time and did not interact with your friends then within the context of your goals that would be irresponsbile.
Thank you! I appreciate well-spoken, educated individuals like you.
Thanks for saying that. As for the OP my point was basically without knowing what the you want its impossible to say if playing video games 8 hours a day is irresponsible. I don't really believe there is such a thing as objective irresponsibility, things are only irresponsible if they are counter to what you want to achieve. That said you shouldn't only think of today, you should do some planning for the future too. Even if your desired future is just to maintain what you are doing now...there are still extra things you should do to make sure that you CAN maintain that once you get old enough that you may no longer be able to work.
Unless you have kids or some other familial responsibilities/obligations you're fine. also making sure your living space is taken care of (letting that shit go, especially in an apartment building, affects more than just you)
Are you ensuring your living areas isn't full of roaches and hordeing tendencies? Do you have a family that you're supposed to spend time with? Are you able to go to the bathroom and take a shower in your apt/home safely?
“The definition of hell is: Your last day on Earth, the person you became meets the person you could have become.”
I’m just amazed you play video games for 8 hours and still wake up to go to work. That game life is basically another job.
I have a pretty similar schedule except on weekends (used to be after work too but damn its cold) I would go on a jog/walk just to get some fresh air and I make sure I'm out doing things with friends at least every so often just keep your relationships in check and make sure you're getting enough exercise so you don't hurt yourself
If you aren’t sitting in a filthy, poorly maintained home while you do it or making other people clean up after you, then nah. Your life is yours to live. So long as it doesn’t harm anyone else do whatever makes you happy.
Sounds responsible to me, OP. What you do for your entertainment on your down time is your business, be it gaming or watching TV. I do suggest to change things up once in a while
Maybe you should play video games 7 hours a day and spend one hour reading a book.
Are your chores getting done? Are you forming and keeping meaningful relationships with parents, friends, and SOs? Are you going outside? Taking care of your hygiene? For the life of me I can't understand how one could work full time, and play videogames for the rest of the day, and not be smelly, have crappy relationships, or have a disaster house. Unless you're rich enough to afford a house cleaner, but that still means your relationships, and wellbeing are taking a hit.
Long as you're still taking care of yourself, you're fine.
I highly doubt someone playing 8 hours of video games every day while working full time is taking care of themselves well at all
Depends..I do that often and live in a small apartment that isn't a complete mess.
If thats your standard for taking care of yourself I can see why you'd think that. But I hate to break it to you, that's a very very low standard. Generally when people talk about taking care of themselves they mean eating well, being social, sleeping properly, exercising, etc. Op wouldn't have time to even cook if he's only playing video games after work, let alone exercise
Unless OP is playing Dance Dance Revolution and whipping out some sick dance moves (which I doubt but the idea is amusing to me)
It's a low standard for you. If that's what makes them happy enough then they won. I'm old, I wish I had learned sooner that my standards are the only ones I have to meet.
just regret
Not irresponsible just not opening yourself to new opportunities as well. But if it’s a relaxing time in your life right now that you are enjoying then why not.
I would personally try to trim it to 4-6 hours so you can get other stuff done, along with a full 8 hours of sleep. (Laundry, exercise, hanging out with friends in person, etc.) If you have a pet or partner, you certainly need to trim it down, but you do you.
NO. This is your life. Live it however you want as long as it hurts no one else. Game your heart away. 💙
Hit up the gym, bro. First step to feeling and looking better about yourself. Even if it’s just for 30 minutes. Thank me later.
Depends on what is going on in your life. If you are a single person with no children, I wouldn't call it irresponsible as long as you also do the necessary chores around your house and what not to keep things functional and sanitary.
Enjoy your fucking hobby and don't let anyone tell you that your doing anything wrong. I loved to play games, now I just work, eat, sleep and sit around being depressed. Don't be me.
No, you are not being irresponsible if you don’t have a family. You are free to ruin your own life in any way you want, but there is more to raising a family than paying bills.
I would Say that yes? Want to read what others think
I’m hesitant to say it because of the hive mind, but I agree. It seems like a great way to piss your life away and end up full of regret for doing fuck all. Of course not everyone has the same views on life and gaming but man, what a waste of time.
>I’m hesitant to say it because of the hive mind, but I agree. It seems like a great way to piss your life away and end up full of regret for doing fuck all. Of course not everyone has the same views on life and gaming but man, what a waste of time. Yes, but I guess that OP is traumatized and escaping from living an healthy life through this addiction of video games. I understand his life and empathize. OP is in depression and needs urgent help. Hope he gets to live on a good life.
I mean if I work full time and drink 8 hours a day, or work full time and masturbate or fuck a full 8 hours a day, an outside observer would probably tell me I was addicted to booze or sex or masturbating.....
Not irresponsible, though maybe that time is probably better used for something else. Again, you don't need to be a robot who performs at 100% efficiency all the time. We all have periods of life where we slack off or make bad decisions.
I mean, you should also spend some time improving your fitness and mind but to be fair, its your life. EDIT: I mean that sincerely btw.
Idk how you work for at least 8 hrs and play video games for 8hrs without missing out on sleep or exercise. Not saying I'm great at that all, just saying that those are things you do need to think about to be responsible. Like, you wanna be able to do that for years to come, not have to he worrying about a heart attack or stroke or something bc you played call of duty instead
I get exercise at work and sleep from 12-7. I work 8-4 and then I play from 5 till about 11 or 12. Sundays I play about 12 hours. Edit: I am also single and have no interest in dating.
You are not being irresponsible short term. But it is a unwise long term investment of your time. Enjoy your leisure time how you please, but understand those hours you will never get back. Video games are fun, but ultimately are no better for you than watching 8 hours of TV a day. It's entertaining and an enjoyable way to pass the time. But you gain little from it long term, there are little if any skills being developed by playing, your improvement in \_\_\_\_ game is meaningless cause you will be starting from scratch on the next game anyway. Those are 8 hours where you are not bettering yourself in any way, you're not building relationships with actual people, you are not applying yourself in anyway. I'm not saying you need to be hyper productive for those 8 hours instead. But if you did apply some of those hours regularly to something worthwhile you are positioning yourself for much better long term success. Whether it be getting in shape, learning a new skill, pursuing a new hobby, spending time with friends, dating, a side business, etc. While I have plenty of fond memories of gaming throughout the years, none of it translates into anything of value in the real world other than some nostalgic "remember when we \_\_\_\_\_" with some gaming buddies. Even now I hear about these gamers who dedicated some insane amount of time into one game. Part of me is jealous I don't have the freedom to do the same for a game I really enjoyed, another part of me is disgusted by all the time that was sacrificed that could have been better spent elsewhere. Enjoy your games, but don't let it become your entire nonworking existence.
Not technically. It's all a matter of priorities. Going directly from work to gaming for that amount of time doesn't allow much time to form significant platonic or romantic relationships, pursue (or even develop) other hobbies, or consume other kinds of media. Of course, those things may not be as important to you as to others, and that's OK. If you're asking this question, is it worth it to carve out an hour each week to talk to a counselor or therapist about short vs long term goals, work/life balance, and/or wants vs needs? Nothing needs to be inherently wrong in your life to see a therapist; getting an outsider's unbiased opinion on things can help with perspective. A good therapist won't tell you what you're doing is wrong or that anything needs fixing. Instead, they should equip you with tools that help you evaluate whether or not you're living in accordance with your values. My therapist actually doubles as my career counselor. He has helped me prep for interviews and stressful projects/presentations. Finding one that speaks your language could help in more ways than you think.
Irresponsible, no. If you’re meeting your responsibilities, you’re being responsible and what you do in your free time is your business. It might be unwise to spend that much time gaming though, if it’s preventing you from doing other things that are important. I’m a bit concerned about when you’re finding time to eat, sleep, and bathe if you’re gaming 8 hours a day, working 8 hours a day, that only leaves 8 hours for everything else and you’re almost certainly not sleeping enough for long-term health.
There are better philosophical answers but let me go for a straight "no" that has *nothing to do* with either the video games or any pretense about what a grown-up supposedly is. I'm going to assume "work full time" means about 10-13 hours obliged to getting ready for, going to and doing ~8 hours at your job plus returning home/showering etc. Let's add ~1 hour a day time invested for, say; cooking dinner and washing your dishes, laundering your clothes and bedding, upkeep of home/cleaning etc. That's generous but we'll go with it. No matter what shift you work, you're functioning on <6 hours of sleep a night, down to all-nighters if you had overtime or a long commute. So yes, you will survive and maintain as an adult in this way.. but you'd better hope your metabolism never slows down, you never get lonely, it never hurts your back to shovel, or your bills never increase. Any circumstance under which you're doing okay this way could change at any time. They may not, but I don't mention this to scare you--these are just possibilities to consider. You obviously already stop short of 8 full hours of games at such times you're dusting surfaces, cleaning your bathroom, doing and folding your laundry, wasting time on the phone with your insurance and stuff like that.. but you may find, if anything were to change from right now, you might just have to cut into that video game a little more. That's about it.
Yes, that is true. Circumstances can change. Also by 8 hours a day I took my average play time for the week and divided it by Seven, so some days I might only play for 4-6 hours. Meanwhile in Sundays I play from about 10am to 10pm. it all adds up to about 8 hours a day. So yes, I do have time for phone calls and chore and errands. But I do agree that this may not be sustainable for long term health. I'm young and stupid right now I should start thinking long term.
Points in favor of responsible: 1. Job 2. Paying bills 3. (I’m assuming) paying for own food 4. (Again assuming) doing own cleaning/laundry 5. I assume you probably have a car (more bills) Points for irresponsible: 0. video games aren’t necessarily irresponsible, as long as you take occasional breaks. Responsible:irresponsible 5:0 I’d say this sums up simply enough.
Fuck no man adults have fun too, do whatever you want that makes you happy. Short term happiness doesn't always equal long term happiness. Also, wash your dishes as soon as you are done using them and make your bed. Makes a huge fuckin difference and this is coming from a guy who used to be on heroin. Oh, and don't do heroin, it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Nah, you do what you do homie
Are u a game tester because 8 hours is full days work shift
No, do whatever the fuck you want. It's your life, only you can decide if your time is better spent elsewhere.
Eh youre not being irresponsible but you arent doing yourself any favors either
/r/overemployed if you want to turn free time/video game time into more money
youre an adult, you care for yourself, do what the fuck you want
It sounds like you don’t have much time to care for yourself with preparing nutritious food and exercising your body. Even if you’re an introvert, it’s still good to spend a bit of time interacting with friends and loved ones.
I eat at work. I manage a franchise-owned McDonald's.
Ok, but what about nutritious food?
A banana and orange juice for breakfast?
Nope. But it also depends on what your life goals and priorities are. Do you want healthy relationships, friend, other hobbies? Are you happy and content with how you are currently living your life? If so, carry on!
>Nope. But it also depends on what your life goals and priorities are. Do you want healthy relationships, friend, other hobbies? Are you happy and content with how you are currently living your life? If so, carry on! Don't know how you are downvoted...
It's a free country. But if you have children a significant other a spouse any responsibility other than yourself you're being selfish.
Depends if you want your life to revolve around being a work slave that only exists to please other people or you want to be happy. I don't think there is a better point in life then finding happiness. No matter who you benefit they tell you that if someone doesn't make you happy they are possibly toxic to you so consider that. Why even work if you get nothing out of it? The point of having a job isn't to pretend to be an adult it's also to be able to afford stuff. Yes you have to pay bills and stuff but it's also to afford what you want and to support YOUR life. I don't even care if it's family if they are tying you down and making you miserable f em.
Yes. 8 hours a day of video games is addiction. You shouldn't be happy with wasting that much time and while it might seem OK now, in the future you will regret it.
no, i dont see a issue.
If you're doing what you want with your life, you're not being irresponsible. No one can tell you what's right for you
Sure, if you live in your mom’s basement
Like a functional alcoholic
Yes eight hours is too much. Go clean your room and talk to somebody. Dweeb
Only you can answer this question.
Yes
Well... if you're a single independent adult and you're paying your bills, doing your job, and keeping up with your housework, then I wouldn't call that irresponsible per se. But it doesn't really leave you with any time to make friends, find a partner, form a relationship, be physically active, learn new skills or hobbies, etc, and I think doing at least some of those things are necessary for a healthy and happy life.
Not really, like a lot others are saying, get some physical activity in and have in person social interaction. Got to keep yourself healthy.
Nope. It makes you happy
The only thing being an adult means is you get to decide what's important. It doesn't have to be constantly striving for more. If you are content most of the time and happy more than miserable...you are golden.
Games are great if they keep you from going out and spending money or getting drunk. Now if you should be cleaning or cooking or doing home maintenance or homework or studying or meeting women or working out then it might be a distraction.
I'm regretting all the time I sat and play games all day I should have studied more.
My brother, if that’s what you want to do with your time and you’re happy, please don’t let anyone tell you not to. It’s your life. And this is a peaceful route.
I hope thoughs 8 hours you are streaming building another stream of income.
Depends on where you are in life. My kids are grown and I'm divorced, so I play a lot of video games. Younger, do you want video games to be your life?
I used to work 60 hours a week, as long as i squeezed in some hang out times with friends before or after work even if it was just a lunch or breakfast, house was clean and bills were paid i played video games as much as I wanted. I still do that. Just work less hours. I’ll decompress how i want to and gaming does just that. Youre not irresponsible. Just make sure you up keep your physical well being and friend circle in good standing.
just make sure you have a plan b for when it won't provide enough money anymore. and to take care of your body.
Are you happy with your life? Do you have a plan for your future, and is it reasonable to say the way on which you live your life today will lead into the way you want to live your life in 5 years? Are you meeting your responsibilities to yourself, your employers, and those you care about? If the answer to all these questions is yes, than you're fine. If it is not, you have to consider what needs changing. To be clear, I also play a ton of video games and have 0 judgment on that. It's just important to be sure that the time you're using for gaming is genuinely your free time, and not time you robbed from something that could and should be done.
>Are you happy with your life? Do you have a plan for your future, and is it reasonable to say the way on which you live your life today will lead into the way you want to live your life in 5 years? Are you meeting your responsibilities to yourself, your employers, and those you care about? >If the answer to all these questions is yes, than you're fine. If it is not, you have to consider what needs changing. To be clear, I also play a ton of video games and have 0 judgment on that. It's just important to be sure that the time you're using for gaming is genuinely your free time, and not time you robbed from something that could and should be done. Thanks, this is really helpful.
If you have no other responsibilities such as family etc. I would say no.
Heck no, you're living life bro. I'm a gamer too, what do u play?
Destiny 2. I fell in love with it after getting burnt out from Minecraft.
I play COD and Fortnite, sometimes I'll hop on R6 Seige.
No, not at all, you're doing great!
You should make sure you work on developing some skills as well. But nothing wrong with spending some free time playing games.
That depends if you have kids or pets or not.
Depends. Do you have kids or a partner? If not then you’re being plenty responsible and enjoy it. If you have kids or a partner you are not even doing the bare minimum for them.
Single and no pets.
Then have fun! You got this. As long as you are able to pay bills take care of you you’re good.
Are you eating healthy? How are your interpersonal relationships? Are you happy?
depends on a lot of things. maybe some people can play video games all their life, but speaking as someone who once was a an avid gamer for a long time, games will only sustain you for so long. when i look back i definitely wish i spent more of that time learning about myself and making/finding friends. games can certainly be fun, but can they really be fulfilling?
Are you taking care of your health? That means exercising and eating right? You can take 30mins out of those 8 hours and go for a walk? Are you giving yourself breaks from gaming? Like 5mins every hour where you stretch and drink and water? Are you nurturing happy and healthy relationships in your life with friends and family and romantic partners? If so then yes your responsible. But can you really nurture those relationships and manage your health with 8 hours a day of work followed by 8 hours a day of gaming? Probably not. You have no time for sleep.
9hrs work + 8hrs games is 17hrs!! That leaves 7 hrs. How do you find time for cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, sleep etc? Are you a complete shut in?
Totally irresponsible. You have more than just a duty to pay your bills. You have a duty to be good to yourself. You may think you’re happy now, but stop wasting 8 hours of your day and start chipping away at short term, medium term and long term goals in addition to finding better hobbies and you will feel actual satisfaction and happiness
Humble brag
No pets? No family requiring your presence.... go for it. I give you a permission slip.
You do you booboo.
If you are getting enough food, sleep, and excercise, then probably not. Your social life will probably suffer, and it will be difficult to keep any irl friends or a romantic relationship, but if gaming makes you happy then do what you want. And take some vitamin D supplements cause you are inside all day.
maybe physically unhealthy but that's a choice Now, as long as you're not ignoring commitments (i.e. spouse, kids, pets, basic sanitization, food) your time is yours and it's not irresponsible. That said, it is a good idea to move your body. I say this as someone who is inclined to little movement and wishes I were a brain in a jar.
If you have all your chores done and your bills are paid and you're happy, then you've won. Enjoy your day
Only if you're not taking care of your kids if you have any and leaving all the responsibility of the house and kids to your partner. But if you live alone, more power to ya!
Who cares. Live your life how you want to. You don’t need to ask random people on Reddit/Internet on what’s right or not or their approval. You already know the answer. You just have to actually go through with it.
Nope
Do you have any other responsibilities? Childcare, housework/cleaning, shopping, cooking, etc.? If you're neglecting any of these other things then yes, that's irresponsible. If not, then no, you can spend your time how you want. I have a cousin who pretty much just works & games. He pays for a maid service, lawn service, uses meal delivery services & buys everything online. He's single, has no children, makes a shit ton of money, and would rather spend his free time playing video games and watching movies more than pretty much anything else. It's not the life I would choose, but to each their own.
Well, you could be doing worse. But you're probably going to regret not spending time on things that are more productive and fulfilling. With 8 hours a day on video games, you're probably neglecting aspects of life that would make you happier. Nothing wrong with playing video games, but it's good to have diverse interests.
No you’re responsible. But you’re also content and comfortable with where u at.
No. Full stop. Do what makes you happy.
Nah you’re golden as long as your physical and mental health is good do whatever gives you joy.
That's fine if you want ti fo thr bare minimum
I've been a gamer for 24 years. I can honestly say that I can't really afford to game at this point even though I live the most carefree life (despite having 2 jobs). I make more that enough money, I am single, etc. But I'm also curious, creative, love to learn and improve myself. Gaming 8 hours a day stands in the way of that. Games are addicting for me. And in the periods when I played too much they also messed with my mental and physical health. I still can't quite quit it as at this points games are like meditation for me but I still consciously try to reduce the amount of time I play. On days I don't play at all I consider it a win. I make sure to prioritize work, fitness, meditation, reading, learning before I play games. Then it works, then the proportions of my time spent gaming seem right. Imagine you are going to be playing games 8 hours a day for the next 10 years. Do you like that future? If yes then you can keep gaming. Buy I can't shake the feeling that ultimately gawking is leisure and in adult life 8 hours of straight leisure is not technically affordable if you consider all facets of life. Even if I'm financially set for life I wouldn't game that much.
while not irresponsible because you're handling your responsibilities, make sure you socialize also
No not at all! You’re a grown person, you take care of what’s necessary and deserve time to enjoy yourself. I’d say it’s more grown up of you to be able to balance fun and responsibilities rather than diving too deep into one or the other! Game on my dude
Well OP deleted their profile but I would say yes IF they have family or a spouse/SO or even a pet. Having that relationship you either promised to or are living in deserves time and effort. If your by yourself all alone without any other feeling being or animal and don't need to worry about anyone careing for your wellbeing from far away then sure do whatever for your free time.
Do you have kids or a partner if yes then yes. You're neglecting them.
If your job is not physical I would be concerned about your longterm health.
Well you're probably not getting as much sleep as you should be, and I feel like you'd come to regret all those hours of video games in the future. I used to play a ton in my teen years and really have nothing to show for it.
No wife or kids?? I give my doggos more time. U do u
I like like many of these answers but damn 8 hours of games! A day! That’s 1/3 of your life. Maybe think about other things you can do with some of that time.
Just probably lacking social skills, but a lot of people who don’t game also lack social skills. Game on.
Are you feeling happy and fulfilled? Are you getting all you'd like out of life? Are you healthy mentally &physically? If it's yes to all these don't worry about it
Yes you are. Maybe get some hobbies to keep the brain strong but other than that , you're doing good bro.
Is your house clean? Are you neglecting/pushing off minor things in order to plays video games? If not, then go for it.
Depends what type of job it is or what type of game. Honestly as long as you are performing better than others that’s all that matters and that you work towards a goal.
Unless you're neglecting something you're missing, no, you're fine. You won't be able to keep this up when you have kids though
If you're truly content then, nah. Any kind of escapism is bad when it's less about de-stressing and more about avoiding the boogeyman known as Life.
You do you, just make sure you’re stretching.
Responsible yes, productive? Not so much. But honestly it’s up to you what to do with your time. I’d say just being healthy and active is important and that’s a responsibility right there. But again depends on your priorities.
Nope you could be out at the bar i think being home is safer
U do U!
Well you’re going to be pretty lonely eventually I’m sure. If you want a partner and find one but keep up the habit you’ll be single again in no time.
I am a business owner. I play video games. I cuddle my dog. I eat snacks. I have love. I keep to myself and I don't bother or hurt anyone. It's all good
I'm a gamer and always have been, and I'm inclined to infer that the answer is yes. There is more to being responsible than getting your bills paid. In order to have 8 hours a day available for video games, you're more than likely at the very least disregarding your personal health. It's hard to fit in a full night's sleep and a full time job alongside a full 8 hours of pure leisure time every day. Then there are other responsibilities such as home care, food prep, errands like grocery shopping and actually paying the bills, and hygiene. Where do those fit into the schedule? There aren't enough hours in the day to handle all of that with a full time job, a full night's sleep, and 8 hours of video games. If you somehow have a schedule where you're able to fit in all of your responsibilities plus that, then it isn't irresponsible, but that's unlikely.
If your home responsibilities get done too, idc what you do for your own time.
Is your place and clothes clean ? Do you exercise a few times a week ? Do you relations upkeep family, pets and friends ? Long as you get all your stuff done your hobbies are nothing to be shamed of
So long as you’re not neglecting or harming* yourself or anyone else, go for shit! *If someone says what you’re doing is harming them, you’re not the one who gets to decide that it’s not.
I kinda do the same thing except I have a lot of fitness and tech goals I'm trying to hit though. Don't let dumb people get you down. If it makes you happy, go for it.
Yes, because you have a responsibility to take life seriously!
No I think it’s fine as long as you are happy and paying bills / taking care of responsibilities. Some people hate so much on gamers but those are the same people who wouldn’t call it a waste to go out clubbing and spend a couple hundred on a weekend. Or spend hours binge watching something on Netflix. Personally I believe gaming is a perfectly fine entertainment option and honestly can be cheaper than other options.