Breakfast topic: Your priority list
by Amanda Dean 
May 14th 2009 at 8:00AM
We got an email from a reader concerned with the amount of time he spends playing WoW. It seems to be negatively impacting his school and social lives. Most of us manage to balance out WoW time with our real life obligations, but there is a strong possibility that addiction can set in. I cannot stress enough the importance of balance.I think that one of the keys to keeping both your WoW life and your real life balanced is by identifying your priority list. Every once in a while do a reality check and make sure you're keeping it in line. For me WoW sits somewhere between work and sleep (then again, I've never slept much). My guildies know that I will not be on on Friday nights, that's "sister time." I do play WoW when I'm on work trips, but I never go anywhere particularly exciting.
If you find that you're having trouble with focus on the real world, or your seriously considering making your own WoWPod, you may need to make some adjustments. You can try keeping a calendar to schedule your play time around your outside obligations. You may find that you need to drastically decrease your play time, you may even have to give up the game all together.
If you find you're seriously slipping, you can and should seek professional help. Ask your doctor or school counselor for a referral. Remember: don't replace WoW with another another unhealthy addiction. Keep in mind that there are some things that are more important than WoW.
Where does WoW fit on your priority list?
Filed under: Tips, Virtual selves, Breakfast Topics, Forums
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
eresin May 14th 2009 8:10AM
it is sad that these posts are even necessary. if you don't have enough self control to keep wow as the game that is is then simply don't play it.
Protroll May 14th 2009 8:16AM
Agreed.
Gaming (specially WoW) is often seen as "addictive", and a "bad" one just because a group of idiots said so. The worst though is that people keep mentioning over and over again.
Charlie May 14th 2009 8:19AM
Not necesarrily.
I went through a period in high school where all I wanted to do was play video games. It was at the point where I was introduced to wow and I was addicted immediatley. Even on non-raid nights, especially weekends, where i wasn't doing anything, I would play wow instead of going out with friends, etc. My grades fell alot during this time, as well as all of my relationships, teachers, parents, friends etc.
Turns out I had clincial depression. I got help, and now I'm fine and can control my wow play responsibly (when I actually have responsibilities, see my post below, lol)
Point is, addiction to wow is not always the problem in and of itself. It's usually a sign pointing to a larger problem. Seeing as there is a large portion of people who visit this site who are of the same age i was when i went through that period, I think its pretty good post to make.
happydays May 14th 2009 8:27AM
I don't give two cents for an addiction with no physical abstinences after you stop. It doesn't have much to do with self-control either because self-control is born out of the lust you have for something.
It's when you don't really want good grades you stop doing your homework, and it's when you don't really like your social situation you start prefering your online one. People who do either should really take their lives up to review because they're heading in a direction they don't want to take.
I knew a guy who dropped out of several majors and blamed it on world of warcraft, he talked about addiction and he honestly did nothing but play day and night for an entire year. Then he started a new major, Biology, and started playing less and less until he eventually stopped. Not because he wanted to stop playing but because his new major, and the likeminded people, were just more exciting.
Wall May 14th 2009 9:06AM
@happydays: I totally agree, with everything. I really don't think you can become "addicted" to a game, but then again I don't know that many gamers. Some people who play too much knows this and just needs a kick in the behind to get their gears going.
In the end, I'd like to point out that it's *very* important that you don't give credibility to problems that aren't really worth it. If you start thinking you have problems, when in actuality it's not that big of an issue, then they come alive.
Deb May 14th 2009 8:52AM
As a teacher and a parent I applaud this article because oftentimes there are younger folks playing who are wondering just how to regulate their playing time with their other activities. Reading about how others do so responsibly offers them some ideas on how to apply them to their lives. We read so much about how people are "addicted to Wow" that it does raise the question and concerns for many. It's refreshing to see information on organizational skills and many readers may just carry some of these ideas with them for a life time. Thank you.
kabshiel May 14th 2009 12:36PM
I'm going to agree with Charlie that WoW "addiction" is not a true addiction, but most likely a symptom of some other psychological issue, usually depression.
Schwiiing May 14th 2009 8:10AM
Our guild's only rule is 'real life comes first... no exceptions'. We still manage to have fun and get through loads of stuff. We won't be clearing Ulduar anytime soon, or Naxx for that matter... but we really don't give a toss. The moment this game feels like work is the time anyone with any sense should be running away from it.
Badtanc May 14th 2009 8:43AM
Atually, ive found (via a process of observation) that many raid guilds have a "better" Wow/rest of life balance (by better I mean less wow and more rest-of-life) than more casual guilds.
Simply - raids start at a defined time and end at a defined time.
Raiders do not need to log much before the scheduled start time, are going to get two hours of solid content done, and thus not feel they have to stay on much longer when the raid is called for the night.
Casual players on the other hand - because their goals are less defined and theres no guarantee that other casuals are going to be on, get sucked in into logging on early "to see if anyone is on" - hanging around "in case someone logs on" and so on.
Greg May 14th 2009 8:41AM
One of the things I value most in my life is the ability to get up at a moment's notice and do something else—go to dinner with a friend who happened to call, head out to a show I found out about that afternoon, or even go to bed early if I'm exhausted. This is exactly why I don't raid. I would like to see more of the endgame content, but I know that if I want to keep living my life the way I want to, I'd wind up letting down 24 of my closest digital friends to hang out with my real life ones.
tyler May 14th 2009 8:47AM
awesome!
Wall May 14th 2009 9:06AM
I think this is true as well, Badtanc. Personally I'm in a pretty casual guild. We have cleared Naxx, and have downed a few bosses in Ulduar, but have gone back to Naxx for the last few weeks (gearing up alt, other mains...). Since we have Naxx on farm, I don't feel there's any real point in playing anymore, except on the rare occasions we're doing Ulduar. If I could spend four-five hours per week in progression I'd be happy, and my gaming needs would be fulfilled. As it stands however, I've begun leveling alts instead because I really like the game.
Maybe it has got to do with the attitude. Hardcore raiders focuses on progression and getting better, while casuals mostly seem to play only because it's fun. I think it's a lot more healthy to have a professional standpoint towards the game, at least a little.
Otis May 14th 2009 10:18AM
Ahhhhhhh!
Omestes May 14th 2009 12:27PM
@wall
That always got me, work, 99% of the time, is not fun. So why would I want to approach my hobby as work? I tried being a hardcore raider, it was tedious and far to much like having a second job.
When it boils down to it, I really don't give a toss if I'm more geared than anyone else, or if I'm the best, or 1337, or any of that. Its a game, to approach it in any other way (unless you somehow find a way to make your living off of it) is rather unhealthy. Nothing in this game matters one bit, except, maybe, the people you interact with.
Chirri May 14th 2009 2:26PM
I raid two nights a week, at three hours per raid night. We're a progression guild, which means we focus on learning new fights more than farming older instances.
For me, the learning curve of learning a new fight is what entertains me. I have a pretty big stable of alts I can play, but I've reached the point where re-playing content just puts me to sleep (which makes me very sad, because I'd like to try the newer content from a perspective OTHER than as a healer...).
Friends of mine are in a casual guild, and raid for nearly 5 hours every night of the week. The raiding isn't required, for their guild, but for whatever reason more people are needed, or they're trying to gear up new members or alts, or a scheduled raid needs another XX or YY. As Badtanc mentioned, at least in some cases, the flexibility of the Casual guild can snowball into an unwieldy mess of "We have people online, let's do something together!" that winds up happening every night of the week and gets totally out of hand.
I don't raid for gear. I don't raid for bragging rights (I don't talk to a lot of people). I raid to experience something new and exciting, and I hold a mean grudge against bosses in general. That final success is what keeps me playing right now.
In the end, "raider" or "casual" or "hardcore" depends on who's talking and who's listening. I almost feel my guild is "casual raider," and my friend's guild is "hardcore casual." My schedule feels a lot less demanding and stressful than theirs.
Lios May 14th 2009 8:14AM
For me WoW replaces TV time and TV time used to be the last thing I did when I had nothing else to do. Other hobbies, work, pets, husband, etc. all come before WoW. I still play a lot (few hours every day at least), but I just as easily don't play for a month if other things come along.
Freak Mojo May 14th 2009 10:51AM
This!
I'm not a huge TV watcher, so while the wife does that, I play WoW on my laptop and we can still chat and have fun doing our own thing.
And never will I let WoW interfere with my pups :P
Warren May 14th 2009 11:20AM
I agree here.
Others watch TV or sit and read a book. Base line is my time is my time.
Charlie May 14th 2009 8:14AM
Raid Nights (tues, thurs, sun) its #1, offnights its #2 (behind hanging out with friends).
Granted i'm not taking classes atm and i dont have a job, both due to medical reasons. Come this summer/fall it will slip to #3/4 when i get a job and am taking classes again.
Sleep is way down on the list, like always. Lol.
WoWie Zowie May 14th 2009 8:14AM
its really hard because my guild chooses who will go with them to ulduar based on ability, attitude, and ATTENDANCE.
/sigh work and girls come first, and between those two, its just very hard to get to raid =(