Distraction Depletion
As I started to avoid particular types of computer games, and also played games less in general, it was often tempting to replace gaming with other types of distractions; some more senseless than others.
One time I remember I started overeating and put on a lot of weight in just a few months. Another time, I started smoking. Another time I drank too much alcohol. Another time I binged on TV shows and sci-fi/fantasy movies, and then later, fantasy novels. There was always something else ready to provide a pleasurable distraction, to the detriment of one’s wallet, health, time, energy, focus, and/or general well-being.
Some of those distractions were admittedly not terrible, and quite socially acceptable, such as reading fantasy novels. However, if I was going to spend all of my free time on consuming other people’s products or content, then exactly when was I going to have time to create something myself?
I believe that it’s important to be creative and to express yourself. It’s certainly not a crime if you never do, but there’s something about the creative process which can make a person feel truly human. If I don’t create something, even if it’s just a short piece of writing once a week, then I feel like some kind of pointless robot: A robot that does the bidding of others from Monday to Friday, so it can have just enough time to recharge at the weekend; rinse and repeat, week after week.
It took time before I started to create anything, and I also went through a process of learning new skills, and doing some volunteering. I think those three things might just be the holy trinity of distraction depletion, as the more time I spent on them, the less I squandered.
* Volunteering
* Learning
* Creating
Whenever I do one of those three things, it typically takes effort, and it doesn’t provide immediate pleasure, but the process and the results are often fulfilling. You could also add exercising to that list too, and I’m sure there are plenty of other “realms of fulfillment” to draw from, such as spending time with loved ones, animals, nature and all that other good stuff.