Don’t get me wrong, I love video games. I never have fewer than three games on the go at any one time, and I have a Minecraft moment every six months when I spend two weeks in the blocky, nostalgic sandbox.
I’ve written previously about the important role video games have in my personal connections. I am a gamer and I always will be.
Sometimes though, you have to do something that is not in front of a screen. During Covid lockdowns, I quickly realised that I was spending 14 hours a day in front of a computer, TV, or phone, between work, video games, and the inevitable doomscrolling.
Perhaps unsurprisingly this was leading to headaches, trouble sleeping, and a general sense of melancholy (over and above the obvious lockdown blues).
Initially I really struggled with this. I’ve always loved reading but lockdown times were not conducive to the kind of focus required to get through a novel.
I tried yoga, but it was quite annoying to have to move the sofa and coffee table every time I wanted to do yoga in our tiny one-bedroom Edinburgh flat. I know enough about myself to know that the sourdough trend was not for me.
Then for my birthday I received the thoughtful gift of some Minecraft Lego, and that really unlocked something for me.
Sitting at the table with some music playing and looking at something 3D and tangibly there in front of me, rather than through an eye-strain inducing digital filter, was exactly what I needed.
I built my Lego deliberately slowly. I opened up a single bag and sorted the pieces out (I later learned this practice of laying items out in an organised, aesthetic way is called knolling) before starting to put the pieces together.
There is something deeply satisfying to the feeling that you are building something with your own hands, even though Lego is the most controlled environment wherein the creativity has been outsourced.
That curation does not diminish the experience. Looking at the instructions, gathering the pieces, and fitting them together is immensely satisfying, and then when you’re done, you’ve got a neat little (or sometimes large) decorative object to put on a shelf and admire fondly.
This was the start of an exploration of offline hobbies that really carried me through Covid and is still a part of my life to this day. Do I want to disconnect from the world for a few hours, zone out while still doing something that keeps me occupied? Time to bust out a Lego set.
Do I need to keep my mind active but have spent a little bit too long at the computer? I’ve got some jigsaws and some crossword books. Gathering with some friends? I’ve got a selection of board games for any occasion.
All these activities are fun and enjoyable in their own rights, and are extremely complimentary to video gaming.
Sometimes after working on an assignment for 10 hours, I just need to step away from my computer and do something in the real world for a while. I can’t recommend enough taking the time to do something joyful, peaceful, and offline.
Feature Image Credit: Ali Rees
Student journalist & freelance writer. Check out Quick Play, where I review video games that are 10 hours or less.
