Images Credits: Pixabay CC0 License
Living a Balanced Nerd Life
When it comes to having some fun and keeping everyday life lighthearted and interesting, there are plenty of different nerdy hobbies that can be really enjoyable and uplifting.
Today, more and more people take pride in traditionally nerdy pastimes, ranging from things like gaming, to finding and reading the most obscure fantasy novels on the market, or creating a comprehensive collection of boardgames.
The thing is, as fun as they can be, many nerdy hobbies are also associated with some significant potential downsides – including things like addictive tendencies, and an imbalanced lifestyle in which the hobby ends up taking over everything else.
Here are just a few useful tips for living a balanced nerd life.
Nerdy Nutrition
One area in which many people of whom are traditionally nerdy (and even non-nerds) often fall into trouble, is in regard to nutrition. Specifically, there are stereotypes about gamers subsisting on unhealthy snacks and soft drinks.
If you can get your nutrition on point, however, and can keep up a habit of regularly home cooking delicious meals, all sorts of other things will tend to fall into place – ranging from you enjoying better health on a daily basis, to having more consistent and stable energy levels, and having better emotional regulation.
Look for manageable and streamlined tips and techniques that can help to simplify the process of cooking, so that you can always have a wholesome meal at home, even when you are completely absorbed in a hobby of yours for a whole weekend at a stretch. Looking up the easiest recipe for instant pot risotto could be a great place to start. Any one-pot meal, slow cooker meal, or sheet pan dinner can also be great, simple balanced nerd life options.
Using Resources That “Gamify” Productivity
The same design choices that make video games highly fun, engaging, and motivating have also been applied in recent years to a variety of other apps and tools in order to improve peoples’ lives in a variety of different ways.
Specifically, you can find many productivity-focused apps and programs that utilize “gamified” elements to make using them really compelling, in the same way as you would feel compelled to complete a quest in a great RPG.
Habitica is perhaps the clearest example of an app that puts a gaming spin on habit and task management, but you can find many other examples out there.
By using apps and tools that “gamify” productive tasks, you can more easily stay on top of your everyday chores and responsibilities, courtesy of the same motifs and elements that you find appealing in other areas. Yet another way to live a balanced nerd life.
Be Wary of Game/Hobby Addiction
Some games and activities simply have a much higher likelihood of hijacking your attention or causing you issues when it comes to your ability to live a balanced nerd life. It’s important to be aware of these games and activities and to know which ones you’d be better off avoiding in your own life.
Many people, for example, find that playing MMOs can be a highly addictive process, and this isn’t by accident. The developers of these games often implement many features taken directly from the gambling industry to make it harder to drag your attention away. On the other hand, not many people experience the same problem when it comes to playing board games. Playing games involved with other people can also help to keep you accountable and less likely to develop depression-like symptoms associated with isolation.
What are some ways that you can ensure that you are living your best, balanced nerd life?
Stay Curious!
