If I’m being honest, there are times when video games become misprioritized. As if playing them and writing about them is a part of my job. It’s not. I’ve struck a healthy balance with video games recently, but there have been seasons where priorities get totally out of whack.

So, when I finally wrapped up Chrono Trigger, I decided to take a break from games as a whole. I’m not sure what I expected. Part of me thought my brain would get rewired and suddenly find a new perspective on games. Another part thought I would extend the two weeks and walk away from gaming for a while because not gaming just felt better.

Straight up, I didn’t have a religious experience. In fact, I didn’t feel much of anything. I got a lot more reading done, which was nice, but there was no higher brain activation, no newfound energy. In fact, I slept in more often because usually mornings are for hanging out with baby and playing video games (when I can actually get out of bed; recently it’s been tough, ok?).

Video games are like everything else. They’re good, but can quickly become bad. Movies are good, but if you’re watching movies in excess, or binge-watching TV shows to the point of ignoring your responsibilities, then movies and TV are bad.

I recently talked with a friend who cut out video games completely because he felt it was enabling negative behaviors in his life. I think that’s awesome! The fact he was able to have that level of introspection and make the difficult choice to cut that out completely is very admirable. And it’s going well for him!

These two weeks taught me that I don’t need to cut video games out.

As I mentioned earlier, I have had seasons when video games became something that enabled a negative behavior. Most notably when I was waiting for my hernia surgery.

I couldn’t sit for long periods of time, so I’d lay down on the floor and play a game for a little bit. This extended into recovery as well. Picking up a game in between meetings only to play longer than expected.

However, these seasons are pretty extreme and tend to pass. Hernia pain and surgery recovery are not normal.

I’m in a place now where I’m not negatively affected by my video game consumption, and I think part of that is how I approach video games.

Video games should be a part of a healthy media diet. I got this idea from Chris Plante. Essentially, you shouldn’t just play video gams. You should be reading books, watching movies, going to the opera, y’know, getting a healthy dose of art from various directions.

I think this can extend into more than media. Are you going for walks? Are you spending time with family? Are video games just something you do? Or are you intentional about what you’re playing and why you play it?

For the last couple of years, I’ve been very intentional about what games I play, how I play them, and when I play them. Because I have to be. Dad life is too busy to not take stock of how I’m using my time.

I’ve mentioned this before, but if a game doesn’t fit into what I’m already doing, I won’t play it. I refuse to adjust my daily (or weekly) schedule to fit into what a game wants of me. That’s why I tend to stay away from multiplayer games.

I used to have time on the calendar to play online with friends every two weeks, but since the second baby, that had to be put on hold. It’s a bummer, but taking care of my kids takes priority.

My protecting of my time is also why I haven’t played Marathon since the first couple of weeks after launch, and also why I never tried Cryo. I don’t have that much time to play on the weekends.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with playing games to escape. 2020 and Animal Crossing were a prime example of how healthy it can actually be. I spent so much time in Animal Crossing talking with friends and doing things in that game to make them happy. We were apart, but Animal Crossing brought us together.

I also don’t think there’s never anything wrong with playing games to escape. Sometimes you’re needed, and spending more time working on your Stardew Valley farm than applying for jobs is not healthy. The friend I mentioned cited escapism as being one of the negatives of his gaming habits.

When I play games, I’m not doing it to escape, but to appreciate.

The idea of homework games has been tossed around for a while now. It’s the idea that there are games that feel like homework, but they can help you better understand the art form. Some people don’t like them; others do.

I, for one, really enjoy a good homework game. I like the idea that I’m not just playing a game for entertainment, but to better understand something.

That’s up to you. Maybe consider staying away from games for a couple of weeks and seeing what happens? If you react negatively, maybe step away for longer.

However, I can happily say that as long as video games fit snugly in between diaper changes, yard work, time with my wife, cleaning, and roughhousing, I won’t be stepping away from gaming any time soon.