Long read alert: Brace yourselves!

Since we've touched on the topic of well-being, I wanted to give you all an update about myself. (This is a sequel to this status of mine.)

TL;DR: I quit my job and discovered a new perspective on gaming, distinguishing between healthy enjoyment and using games as an escape. With the help of a therapist, I've found a balance between productivity and gaming, realizing that life is about more than just playing. Now, I embrace games as a rewarding break rather than feeling pressured to play all the time.

Full:
Last summer, I used to complain about burnout from my job, but I quit my job last October (around 7-8 months ago), and things have been good so far. I'm enjoying the opportunity to not work, thanks to the salary I had and my relatively frugal lifestyle.

One interesting thing I've learned since quitting my full-time job is about my relationship with video games. I've always bounced between "I just love video games because they're cool" and "I'm addicted, and this is no better than any other addiction." However, I've now managed to clarify this relationship for myself.

After quitting my job, I made a new friend who referred me to a therapist. This is the first therapist who has been effective/helpful for me. I had tried twice before but didn't get past the first meeting. With the help of this therapist, I've learned to spot the difference between "I've done all the things I need to and have spare time to play some games for fun" and "I'm craving video games because I want to escape stress or am driven by perfectionism, completionism, or addictive game mechanics."

I know this may sound obvious to others, but it took me a while to realize that using games as a coping mechanism to escape the real world and briefly escape from anxious thoughts and stress isn't as effective as I believed.

In fact, I think it added a lot to my burnout because I used to try to play games for at least 2 hours almost every day, even after an exhausting 8-hour workday as a programmer. And when I did manage to stop myself from playing and let my mind and body rest, I would feel quite upset about the fact that days were passing by without experiencing the amazing stories and experiences that video games could provide. I felt like I was wasting my life if I wasn't playing.

Nowadays, my approach to gaming has shifted. I find myself playing mostly when I know I've been productive and deserve a well-earned break. That feeling of anxiety, thinking I'm wasting time if I don't play for days, has transformed into a sense of comfort, knowing that games will always be there, patiently waiting for me to return. I've come to understand that life is about balance, and enjoying games is just one part of the journey. It's a refreshing perspective that has brought me a newfound sense of contentment and flexibility in my gaming habits.