We all love to take a break from hard work by playing our favorite video game. Games often develop concentration, logical thinking, and coordination. This is a great way to hang out with friends or family. But sometimes, losing can trigger strong negative emotions.
The number and level of rage very much depend on the genre of the game the player is playing. For example, those gamers who play strategic medieval video games are less stressed. But they can react violently to a loss too. In this regard, today, we will analyze the tips that can increase self-control while gaming.
Break Up Your Gaming Sessions
There are times when the game doesn’t go your way. You can’t complete the tasks that you were performing with ease yesterday. Constant defeat quickly leads to tilt and anger. It is especially important to take a break from the session at such times.
All you have to do is put down the joystick and move away from the monitor. Do something simple and useful. For example, grab a snack and watch a new episode of your favorite show. Or go for a walk and do sports.
A pause of 10-20 minutes will help you forget your worries and failures. Taking breaks not only relieves stress and anxiety but also allows the body and brain to reboot. You can achieve better performance with a new wave of energy. So, taking a break from the game session will be useful even if you don’t have any self-control problems.
Understand Other Players
When you are playing a competitive online game, you interact with other players. Sometimes, bad communication or poor performance may lead to a quarrel. This often happens because people have different end goals for the competition. Some players want to show their full potential and give their 100%. Some want to relax and have fun. And some are only interested in the victory.
People may not understand the motives of others. Often, they believe that their gaze is the only correct one. But this is not true. There is no need to get angry and quarrel with teammates or opponents just because you enjoy the competition in different ways.
When you start to lose self-control, stop and try to understand the other players and their motives. Most likely, they are different, and this fact annoys you.
You need to relax and accept the fact that you may not be able to get your friends to play the way you want. Try to explain your problem to them and find together a compromise that suits all participants of the process.
Use Breathing Technique
As you feel that you are about to lose self-control, try to use breathing techniques to stay calm. Slowly inhale through your nose. Do it as quietly as possible. Fill your lungs to the maximum. Then, exhale forcibly through your mouth till the end.
You can do it loudly if you want. Repeat that process until you will feel calm. This exercise is an alternative way to let your anxiety out. With its help, you can quickly and peacefully release the stress from your body. There are many similar breathing techniques that can increase your self-control.
Start Your Session with the Right Mindset
Finally, before the new game starts or when you are already in tilt, ask yourself one question: “How important will this game be for me in a year?“ Most likely the answer will be that the situation will only have effects on you for the next 10-30 minutes.
Such a mindset on the situation will help to correctly prioritize and to understand the insignificance of the problem. A good and easy mood will make the rest more enjoyable.
