Please help me make a list of 101 things we can do instead of gaming. This question has come up a couple of time. I will start it off. Lets see if we can get up to 101.
1. Post on Olganon
2. Get a recovery buddy on Olganon
3. Keep a daily diary (paper of blog)
4. Help other recovering gaming addicts who are new to this forum.
5. Go to www.meetup.com
5.5 Addition by lizwool: Join Toastmasters to learn how to communicate with the help of peers: https://www.toastmasters.org This is a very good, worthwhile organiztion that can be of benefit to you.
Over to you guys. Thanks.
- pete
—
Olga/non member since Dec. 2008 Check out my latest video on Gaming Addiction and public awareness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-6JZLnQ29o
6. join OLGA chat meetings
7. join Narcotics Anonymous f2f meeting group
I am interupting this list by sharing a letter from a recovering gamer, saying what he did to get off of the games. Hope this helps:
Hi
I had played more than 3000 video games on 8bits machines (Thomson MO6, Amstrad CPC), 16 bits machines (Atari 520 ST, Amiga 500 and 1200), and PC (mostly emulators) + arcade. It all ended when I started going to the gym: the seated position of video gaming keeps the body in a very low vibration and thus low energy, useless challenges and purpose of games and 'social' interaction keeps those trapped in compliance through group think which keeps the psychology complex and sophisticated. Whereas the gym makes you move, clearing your thoughts, having an excellent food hygiene and being clear about what you want and don't want. This is self respect in essence. And this self respect makes you analyze what games truly are: pavlovian and skinnerian conditionning. As soon as you substitute to all those ersatz of life a true life, the addiction ends. You may go back but quickly you recognize how shallow it all is and you end up going back to the gym, walking in nature, enjoying true food, having genuine relationships face to face, true things.
That's as simple as that. Please put this testimonial on your website.
8. start a garden
9. get a puppy
10. start a new relationship or "restart" the one you're in but this time try to serve the partner just short of annoyance, hehe.
11. Write a book
12. take a class
13. take college (nightschool)
14. get a 2nd job
15. join a book club
16. start a business
17. join a health club
18. take up biking or jogging or fishing
19. join a lodge
20. join a church and go daily
21. have kids
22. practice trying to have kids
23. Get New Friends to replace the former ones still stuck gaming...
24. go to a weekend marriage workshop with your spouse, like Retrouvaille, then go to the follow up weekly sessions, then join the core group for your area...
25. institute date night with your spouse and stick to it
26. get Netflix and fill your movie cue to the max
OLGA Home Page: "We advocate and provide a 12-Step Program of recovery. For those who are interested in a formalized meeting approach, we provide both a traditional 12-step program and a modified program for atheists and agnostics." I advocate and use the 12 steps programs, which have helped tens of millions of addicts of all kinds recover.
27. Paint something
28. Do that thing you've been putting off
29. Hit the beach
Game free since 3/20/2012
30. go to Senior Citizen Center
31. read
32. play with kids/grandkids
33. take cooking class
34. take up walking
35. lose some weight
36. take a vacation
37. Re-new old friendships
38. Get to know your kids/grandkids
39. Take Music Lessons
40. Write lyrics to a Song
41. restore order to your house (clean it)
42. get to know your neighbors.
43. block online games
44. get a pet
45. Clean a closet (babysteps on the cleaning up)
46. Go shopping
47. Digitize all those old photos that are only on paper
48. Start a memory box for your kids
49. If you already have a memory box, scrapbook it
50. Write your life story
51. Write stories of things you did as a kid.
52. Write stories about things your kids done for your grandkids (even if you don't have any yet)
53: take a college level course online: e.g. https://www.coursera.org/ or high school level at the Khan academy: http://www.khanacademy.org/
54: gather all the books you haven't read in a pile next to your bed, start from the top
55: go on a day trip with your family, real life friends, or by yourself
56: meditate (if you don't know how, find the nearest zen/meditation center and learn)
57: sleep
58: make a paper list of some real life "quests" like changing lightbulbs, putting out the garbage, doing dishes. Do one, strikethrough, imagine your real life experience counter going up, repeat.
59: hug yourself at night, congratulate yourself on another day free from gaming
60: hug yourself first thing in the morning, for courage
Perhaps a man who is worthy of the name should put aside this question of how long he will live ..., and turn his attention to this instead, to how he can live the best life possible in the time that is granted to him
Marcus Aurelius
66. Make a "bucket list" and get started on it.
61. learn another language
62. call someone you've not talked to in a long time.
63. invite a friend to lunch or dinner
64. think of 5 impossible things before breakfast (Alice in Wonderland)
65. take a hot bath
67. Sit at the table to take breakfast, lunch and/or dinner with your family or friends instead of in front of the computer
"Take what you need and leave the rest." I got nothing but moments to live.
68. Write a letter.
69. smile at people and say hi
70. do something for the sake of being nice
71. Visit a Museum
72. Visit a Zoo (or open farm)
73. Go long distance hiking
74. Practice Tai Chi
75. Practice Yoga ( for the shoulders and mouse arm)
76, Listen to Music
77. Take a Tan(sit in Sun)
78. Water the Planys
79. Make Sudoko Puzzles
80. Watch game of Thrones;-D ( or a TV show)
81. bring the kids to School, walking - or biking
82. Make a special meal
83. Go to the Cinema or watch a DVD
pre- diagnosed with Autism.
84. buy and play board games
85. join a chess or bridge Society( or team)
86. Watch your favorite sport ( on TV or at a local field)
87. Go to the pub to play pub games.
88. help the children with Homework
89. join a volunteer organisation ( ie to find missing pets, cook for olderly people, or a team that vist isolated people)
90 Join the neighbourhood watch.
91. spend quality time with the pet
92. Take the kids to the playground ( and when no one watches - have fun too ;-D)
93. Teach the children new hobbies and games
94. Terminate your cable television subscirption ( only watch target programs onlines or DVD)
95. Try to make photography a hobby, or simple go make pictures outside of everything that looks nice
96. before going to sleep, thank god for the beautiful day it was.
97. When waking up, say : Thy Will be done!
98. Invite your neighbours you have only met in the hallway
99. feed the ducks in the park ( or other birds)
100. Gather fallen leaves, and try to figure out the names of the trees you have seen.
101. Tell Olga people what they can do besides gaming :-D
pre- diagnosed with Autism.
164. Have the kids help wash the car.
165. Work jigsaw puzzles.
166. Work cross word puzzles.
167. Work find a word puzzles.
168. add to this list of things to do instead of gaming.
169. paint a room
102. keep a diary
103. At work, try only to be helpful to others and work as a team
104. Find a job when in between jobs
105. try ice skating or skeelers.
106. Make a snowman(sculpture)
107. make a sculpture ( any material or Sand)
108. Make a joke
109. Make a logical puzzles
110. read a comic book
111. Gove someone a positive remark at least once a day
112. Tell spouses you love them(and children)
113. call parents/children
114. go visit parents/children
115. go out to dance
116. Go on Dance classes
117. Go at night to the astronomy club and watch the stars and planets
118. Go to the townhall and make your family tree.(or find about your ancestors)
119. Become member of the library
120. Go to a heavy metal concert(or any concert that gives energy)
121. Go to church to listen to a Bach performance
122. Go out at Sunday to listen "chamber music "concert
123. try to write a poet
124. Read poetry
125. try to push negeative thoughts away and embrace positive ones.(STOP method)
126. Do easy meditation. So when peeling patatoes, only think of the patatoe..when walk in the forst , think of the nearest tree, etc etc.
127 Go to A fun park - like Disney worl like. and ride rollercosters
128. take the kids to fairy tale park
129. Go to an aqua resort
130. go to a health resort for massage and mud baths
131. Go ski-ing
132. try langLauf
133. Clean the car or bike
134. Do the administration
135. Keep an income/expenditure balance sheet at home
136. Write a shopping list before going to the supermarket ( and stick to that)
137. pay Bills in time
138. read stories to children
139. Go out raising funds for the once in need ( needs permission from the major in most countries)
140 design a web page or learn how
141. Follow a course in IT - Clouds
142. Learn a new profession
143. Join a motor or motorcycle or scooter club
144. Become actor or join a theatre group.
145. Go out kayaking or hire a boat or water bike(or rafting)
146. Or take a (1 day) boat cruise on a local ferry like vessel.
147. Take a nature guide with the local forester or nature expert
148. Apply for a new job
149. Set up your own business, but before, write a sounding business plan!
150 try to fill your savings account
151. make a 10.000 pieces jigsaw puzzle
152. make your own clothes
153 make a 3d model or village from scrap metal, scrap wood, paper or matches.
154. Wallpaper the living room with Art deco wallpaper ( or nice colors)
155. Practice to change a tire on a bike, or mend it
156. book a bus trip. ie.one day trip with a group of people to a nice spot or museum
157 go Sightseeing a place of choice
158 take the train and talk to other people
159 Go Fun Shopping
160 Go to a restaurant to have lunch or dinner with Family, or alone.
161. go to buy a big Italian Ice cream.
162. vist a war memorial
163. take a survival weekend
pre- diagnosed with Autism.
170. Join a choir of church
171. Visit a play
172. go fishing
173, go to a board game - event
174. Visit a miniature railroad hall
175. Make a light using a bulb and a patatoe and figure out how to make it work
176, Make a radio from an iron bar, a magnet, a long wire and streaming water
177. Do scientific experiements from scrap stuff and other household aparatus
178, make a miniature steam engine, and fuel it with peet.
179 make clay sculptures and paint them
180 buy a box of a WWII tank or ship and build it from parts...then try to place in some engine,
181 Make a small steam turbine and use it for practical stuff at home.
182. grow your own herbs
183. practice magic tricks to perform for the children
184. visit a sea aqua- world or watch fish
pre- diagnosed with Autism.
185. Walk around in the nude and pretend you're on the beach.
186. Talk to imaginary friends until they introduce you to real ones.
187. Revisit your life's plan.
188. Talk to your spouse, loved one, significant other, boyfriend, girlfriend, therapist.
189. Really talk to the above about real things like your lives & how to reconnect & stay connected.
190. Kiss & hug to say good morning for at least 60 seconds and again at night for at least 60 seconds until it becomes second nature with your loved ones. We miss that affection & undivided attention!
191. Be honest about everything! It's liberating!
192. Learn to love yourself again by surrounding & paying attention to the people that STILL love you.
193. Therapy & OLGA...confronting the problems is the best way to recover from them.
aint life grand!!
Good post Pete and great replies.
Lol, Skopos, I've missed your humor.
194. Learn to breathe properly. (slowing down breathing slows down the mind).
195. Become mindful when doing an activity.
196. Learn to cook
197. Be kind.
Nice work, team! Can't wait to get started with #185 & 186!
Acceptance. When I am disturbed, it is because a person, place, thing, or situation is unacceptable to me. I find no serenity until I accept my life as being exactly the way it is meant to be. Nothing happens in God’s world by mistake. Acknowledge the problem, but live the solution!
198. Learn to code
199. Think up for coding projects and do them
200. Read manga or comics
201. Learn a sport
202. If you know a sport think about competitive level
203. Get into radio controlled heli's
204. Finally finish those prolonged Game of Thrones books (or another series of books)
205. Go out more often with friends
206. Find more friends by going out
207. Make amv's (anime music videos)
208. Learn photoshop
209. Discover new music with youtube, last.fm. spotify, 8tracks, pandora, soundcloud, friends
210. Go on a snowboarding trip (if you have the money)
211. Make a europe trip (if you have the money again)
212. If you are a student, attend more study association nights
213. Volunteer to tutor children at your local school(s).
214. Volunteer to plant tress in your local public park.
215. Go to a local farmer's market and pick fresh food to eat.
216. Visit your local conservatory and enjoy the soothing smell of plants.
217. Go deep into the woods and breathe in the life of things.
218. Go on Goodreads.com and find books that you'd love to read.
219. Go to Barnes and Nobles or another local bookstore and browse the books.
220. Go to a yard sale and find some trinkets.
221. Travel to another city or country to experience new cultures and meet new friends.
222. Decide what your purpose in real life is, and think about how you can achieve your purpose.
"The trouble--it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found." - Home
223. Walk the dog
224. Go along with your partner to do the weekly grocery shop
225. Run some errands instead of your partner doing them
226. Take some driving lessons or refresher lessons
227. Get into geocaching
228. Plan an activity some nights, like board games night, cinema night, date night, movie night, try a new recipe night
229. Make a roast dinner on a Sunday
230. Do a body weight exercise workout (you need nothing but your body)
231. Read the bible or look more into your religion/spirituality
232. Write some haikus
233. Join postcrossing.com and send postcards to people all over the world
234. Check the bank and make sure everything is in order
235. Find a way to do online banking if you don't already do it, so that you can keep a better track of your money
236. Remodel your finances so they work for you e.g. keeping bills in their own separate account and paying into that account to cover your bills as soon as you get paid
237. Find some things you used to want to do as a kid but never did and do them. E.g. crystal growing kits, sand sculptures, meccano, etc.
238. Buy things you are in need of
239. Enter competitions on a daily basis and wait for a win. Find forums for it
240. Do online surveys for a little money
241. Write articles online for money. Find some trustworthy sites for it
242. Go to counselling and work through things that you haven't worked through in life yet
243. Play with your pets
244. Write a private blog for your future children/ children to read when they are older, about your life and philosophies and the things you used to enjoy as a kid as well as the things you enjoy now. Add those recipes that have stayed in the family for ages to it, or your own personal favourites
245. Start creating traditions now for your children to follow
246. Go on allrecipes.com and bookmark the ones that make your tummy rumble and your mouth water
247. Check if there are any birthdays this month and send cards out
248. Buy pampering beauty products and have a pamper session
249. Paint your nails.
250. Brush your kids hair
251. Give your partner a shoulder massage. Learn how to do it properly online
252. Buy some nice dinnerware and get into the habit of setting the table before dinner or if no table, set the coffee table and sit together on the couch
253. Make a snack or sandwich for your partner for when they get home from work.
254. Leave a message in your partners or kids bag letting them know how much you love them
255. Make a control journal for the house (like Flylady's)
256. Go to town, look around and have a coffee or lunch on your own or with a friend
257. Throw out old/unwanted stuff. Give it to charity
258. Play with your children.
259. Learn to identify the types of bird that sing outside your window every morning just from their song. Research online and memorise them.
260. Make your house a homelier home by adding candles, houseplants, photos, nice art, having the washing on, and doing from scratch cooking/baking more so that you fill it with beautiful smells
261. Learn the skill of foraging (safely!)
262. Try extreme couponing.
263. Find new ways to wear/style your hair that increase your confidence with little effort.
264. Skate boarding
265. Roller skating.
Thank you. I have lost too much time gaming downloads
1) Read books 2) gluing models 3) collect lego 4) collect puzzles 5) solve crossword puzzles 6) go out with friends 7) jump from a parachute 8) do sky diving 9) plant a plant 10) go to pilot courses