Ask HN: Internet/Video games ruined my ability to enjoy crafty hobbies. What do? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Internet/Video games ruined my ability to enjoy crafty hobbies. What do?

8 pointsnonameriot6 comments

How can I know if I'm getting bored of an hobby because I genuinely don't like it or because its my inability to deal with instant gratification? I've tried writing (I have an idea for a book that I think its cool) but after writing for more than 15 to 20 minutes, I get bored of it. I like playing guitar, and I have tried creating music, but I get bored of it: I much rather play other people's music. I like to read, but I cannot read longer than 30/40 minutes. I tried drawing, but since I don't know how to draw and I'm following along tutorials, I'm not creating anything of my own so I get bored of it quickly as well.

On the other hand, put me playing rocket league with friends (or even alone), or watching a TV show, or running/biking/soccer, and I can do that just fine without getting bored

How do I change this? Any strategies that I can follow? Or is it just a matter of grinding/pushing through it?

The following was just my experience.

My suggestion is you read about self-efficacy[0] and do small things which lead to bigger success.

The concept of self-efficacy was a huge eye opener for me.

Maybe for you as well.

When you like to write a book try writing one paragraph now. Do things you can do 100% and do it. Daily something. Tomorrow you you maybe read one article about a topic you find interesting. Then you bake something, cook something and join a class with people who also like to draw?

Try to give yourself time and don't try to do things you can't do yet. Focus on progress instead goals and see what happens.

I've built an app with a nocode tool for me in a afternoon exactly for this. Maybe this is helpful for you? focusonprogressnotgoals.250g.dev

You are on hackernews, so i guess you're interested in coding or tech. Write your own app to solve this or just use a nocode tool and click something together in an evening?

[0] https://positivepsychology.com/3-ways-build-self-efficacy/

You sound normal to me.

Depending on what I am reading, often 30 min is the limit. If its general SF, yeah maybe an hour or so.

I see in your writing a need to generate the UNIQUE. Playing music written by others, although providing joy to you, there is the need to create new music. I recommend, keep playing other music, when the time is right you will create your own.

You learn drawing by doing, until you master it, do not worry about creating something UNIQUE.

Since you like biking I recommend you take a 3 month journey by bicycle, it helped me a lot. But do not load your phone with games.

Go ride a bike and don’t come home until you’re hungry.

It’s kinda silly but you need to stretch your focus skills and putting yourself physically “out there” is a good place to start. Physical activity will help. These are habits and you need to exercise them the same as any thing. Self control is hard when we are distractible by the endless possibilities afforded by computers and the internet. Turn this off. Decide what’s important, plot out how to get there and turn this back on if you need to use it to get where you want to go.

You will eventually get bored of TV and movies and won't be able to watch a movie all the way through or you will fast forward half of it. Same things with video games. Eventually you will realize that boredom is just mental recognition that the activity, whatever it is, is not leading you towards your goals whether economic, spiritual, mental, etc. You need to figure out what you want in life and do activities that move in that direction.

Find something you enjoy that you can't abandon. For example,beekeeping. It doesn't require a lot of time, but it's rewarding.

Just accept that it's brain chemistry, and move on.

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