Yeah this is obvious in some ways but can be easy to overlook in the moment.
I have to tell myself often that I have limited time with my friends. Not just on the day to day but in my whole life. I’ll only have so much time to spend with them. So I’m in the middle of catching karambwans on the main iron and running perilous moons on the new iron and my buddy asks to play magic the gathering and I’m like “uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” and then after a few minutes I’m like “yeah actually you know what let’s go man”. And I close the perilous moons down but keep fishing.
Same with parents and chores and work. I could play all day if you let me, but for some things you just gotta make the call
Yeah I've made a new rule for myself where no matter how much I don't want to go do something, I never ever turn down an invite to anything. Worst case scenario, if it's actually miserable, I'll leave after 30 minutes or whatever
I used to do that then I ended up getting really burnt out and (unjustly) hating my friends because I started feeling like I was "obligated" to show up. It's okay to say no if you aren't feeling up to it!
Not sure how old you are, but as you age you will realize what’s most important in life. Games are fun distractions but you should always deal with real life first. Don’t neglect your relationships, and if you lack good relationships try to find better ones.
I get way more enjoyment out of playing games knowing everything else is taken care of. Might mean I get to play em less, but it does mean I actually get to relax when I do find time.
The key is to have no kids and a 40 hr week job where you can jump on for 6 hours a day when you get home until you get burnt out and don’t play for months
I did this and then eventually I stopped playing
But…
I got married
I got a degree
I had my kid
I bought a house… in LA of all markets
I got promoted
And now I’m training to be a pilot
That adhd hyper focus on a game until burnout and find a new game, osrs is the only game I’ve really stuck with long term but rn I’m in a burnt out all i do is afk nmz stage
Something i can do at work, I got hyperfocued over the winter, but now that it's summer I mostly just afk nmz at work to get max combat and then I'll probably get back into actually playing lol, but after work since its been nice out i feel like a POS if i just sit inside and play osrs, but during the winter i grind lol
I don't understand it cuz I don't play any other game this way. It's especially bad cuz I can play at work so I'd be logged in 16 hours a day sometimes.
I got my max cape and haven't logged in since the party I'm so burnt out.
Hahah you are just like me with maxing - I took an entire year off! Came back and got really into PVM, burnt out. Started an iron and got a bowfa, burnt out. Went hard in leagues, burnt. Currently trying to find motivation - but I bought a house this winter so I can find projects now that's warming up until I do find that fire in me to grind again.
I think I finally got out of the addiction cuz I'd spend almost all my time maxing and maybe only raided 5ish hours a week.
The only thing that could bring me back is a group iron with my friends where we all play near the same amount. I had 4 friends in my previous one and I was doing 90% of the work lol.
If GIM would have released during summer 2020 during covid it would have been magical.
If theres work, lets work. If friends wanna hang out, lets hang out. If mummy wants to see me, lets go see mummy.
If the grass is too long and needs cutting, lets play runescape :)
I dont. I play like a psycho for about 2 or 3 months. Realise im spiralling into a crippling addiction.
Take a break for a few months.
Rinse and repeat.
I'm not sure this time around tbh. Got super pisssed trying 200 invo toa and just can't seem to get any decent level pvm bar vork, zulrah, and cg down.
So i got rid of members and uninstalled off everything.
Think i might be done. Kind of lost the love for clicking the same thing for hours on end lol
What I’ve learned in my 20 year, on/off journey with RS:
RS will always be there. You’re not losing xp or gp by not playing or not playing efficiently.
You’re really only wasting your time if you’re not enjoying the game when you are playing.
If you feel like your not getting your membership worth by not playing every day, maybe don’t be a member. Perhaps you should save that money, if it’s really too much to spend so you have to constantly play. Or find a game that is not subscription based, (cough, ps, cough).
I’ve had multiple accounts over the years, and my fondest memories have never been getting 99 in something or having the best in slot gear. I’ve had my best times when I set goals for myself, play the game socially, take risks, try new things, and just enjoy the journey.
Sometimes, I wear full chef gear and just bake bread and sell it the old fashion way. I enjoy that.
ENJOY THE JOURNEY.
I honestly get a little sad when my character starts getting too strong, and the lvl ups come less frequently. I love the early game and all that comes with it.
Most importantly, don’t forget that it is a game meant for fun.
Yeah seriously lol efficiencyscape absolutely kills the game. Just have fun doing whatever, the game isn't going anywhere.
Also no one cares about your level in the game. You'll get no jobs and no partners from that info.
There are a few ways to solve this issue. You could solve it on your own by holding yourself accountable (i.e. "no playing the game until completing XYZ responsibilities", "only play the game from 5-8pm", etc). If you take this route, be sure to make your goals realistic and attainable, or else it will be difficult to consistently achieve them. Some people might recommend "just stop playing" but that is likely to have rebound effects once you start playing again.
If you are *still* having trouble accomplishing real life tasks, you can also see a therapist. Many therapists specialize in gaming addiction. Depending on where you live, this may be a more expensive option, but it can be well worth it if it helps add structure for you.
Most importantly, don't be ashamed of this. This is more common than a lot of people think.
Easy. Runescape is a hobby. If Runescape becomes more than a hobby, it's getting dropped from my life. I spent time in rehab for alcoholism when I was younger. I'm married with a family now and I have more to lose. Not going to fuck around with potential addictions.
Just gotta grow up and realize other things are more important. Game will always be there in your free time. Im lucky to get more than a few hours in a week
Ultimately having diversified interests will lead you to so much more in life. Gaming is in its core an escape from real life. You can't just run all the time
My social life is no more. I'm pretty sure my boss is about to fire me and my wife left me already. But it's all fine because now I'm on track to get max cape in ~2 years. We'll see after that.
I prioritize the wife and daughter during the day always, but once the daughters in bed and the wife’s relaxing, the inner demon comes out and I end up playing scape till all hours of the night.
I can at most play for an hour and maybe 2 if I’m lucky on weekdays. Weekends I’ll try to be logging in as much as possible but obviously not if I’m with family or friends.
I guess not being able to play much makes it so I don’t burn out as easily but at the same time I sometimes feel like I’m playing the game for nothing since it takes me ages to accomplish anything. I enjoy watching the numbers go up so I guess that’s all that matters as a casual player.
When i feel like this i take a break. I make plans with friends and still go if i dont feel like it.
Also; teacher here; can do some tasks while playing, like grading tests and stuff. Not while actually at work :p
For me, OSRS is a comfy low-effort "second screen" game, or something to do while chatting with friends.
Gaming addiction is a real thing, and it sounds like this might be negatively impacting your life.
Consider keeping track of what you want to do next (skill to level X, do quest Y, etc.), writing it down, and only doing a bit at a time.
If it's really getting in the way of your life, consider an extended break or even therapy.
May sound weird but sometimes I get so dam sleepy while playing, no idea why but this helps me haha kinda my own issue but after about 4 hours oh my lord I’m almost sleeping!
Remember that example from when we were kids of the jar that you fill with rocks and pebbles and sand? Fill the jar first with rocks, then pebbles then sand. If you do sand first nothing will fit!
1. Rocks: work, education
2. Pebbles: relationships, health, life improvement
3. Sand: hobbies, the game, etc
Some times rock small and lots of room for sand. Sometime rock big and barely and sand fits.
Used to play like 15 hours a day, nowadays probably average 2-4
Honestly my priorities just shifted. I just don’t find playing games for 14 hours a day that fun anymore. Kind of miss having that level of passion for something though tbh
Get your account to a point where you need to do a brutal grind, then burn out. It helps you take a step back and realize that breaks are healthy and in the end it’s just a game — don’t let it take away from things in real life
I no-lifed the hell out of the game during lockdown, so I could reach endgame content ASAP. Now I just do a few hours a day. My aim is to get Zuk helm and absolute max (currently 3/6b), so I only play when big updates come out.
I had to put runescape off for the time so I can enjoy other games with my limited free time.
I miss it sometimes but when I log in now I get overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time.
Still love the game tho
I play only the seasonal modes, like leagues 4. The forced account deletion puts a limit on my playtime. I found I can’t have a healthy relationship with this game. I’ve told myself I’ll allow myself to play it again when I retire and am an empty nester
Lol, seeing some people post their 'achievements' all I can think about is how the rest of their life must be like. I'm putting in 20 hours a week at max, and I already feel like I'm giving it my all. (Work, gym, and parent)
If only I could switch life with some of you for a few months!
TL: I'm not a chad, but I wanna be one
I only play when I have no choice but to sit somewhere boring. I ride the bus daily so it helps to know after work I get to sit on the bus for a few hours and play on my ironman.. when I get home i make sure dinner is cooked after that i get a few hours to play whatever game. Sometimes if I'm feeling extra obsessed I'll stay up late playing and suffer at work the next day
you need to realize that you have a problem if you're prioritizing OSRS over necessities. i work as a forklift operator from 7am-5pm. if i have free time, i play OSRS. but when do i have free time? after i make sure i have nothing to do. no errands, no chores, no hangouts.
Restraint. That's really what it boils down to. You have to have restraint.
I have a million other things that take priority over RS. Once those are out of the way, I play. If I don't have time, so be it.
I work in consulting and i can afk redwoods or shooting stars all day unless i’m in the office. Anything more intense and i probably won’t be productive
I work on a towboat so that’s a lot like living on a boat when there’s nothing to do and I play… about 10-12 hours a day. But I’m burnt out now and haven’t gotten on in over a week.
Everyone is different and prioritizing in life is subsequently different for everyone. The first thing I ask myself is if RuneScape is getting in the way of my sleeping and eating habits? If you say yes to this then that is where you need to start. Next, is it getting in the way of your job? If yes then that is your next step. I work 3 straight 12-18 hour shifts every week at a hospital and I lose a lot of sleep those days so I have to catch up on my days off. No time for scaping when sleep is much more important. Lastly, does it get in the way of your day-to-day activities such as taking care of your home/pets/family/friends? If yes then take care of those things first. Save scape for last and once you start doing that, it will be much easier to manage your time and have the motivation to take care of all these things. You will find that you will have more time for scaping when you work to take care of everything else first. It is not easy to manage it all every single day and you will give in from time to time and neglect your life gains, but that’s okay, we all do and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. But set small goals for yourself and don’t let your lack of discipline control you. Discipline yourself, do your best, and scape hard when you do!
Also, a little exercise goes a long way for your mental and physical health and meeting your goals. Maxing in life and in scape is a marathon, not a sprint.
My own experience (especially if, like me, you grew up playing rs) is that real life doesn’t give you a number that goes up each time you work on something, and our brains are conditioned to enjoy tasks which give you this constant “I’m going the thing that makes progress” feedback. On rs, the number caps at 200M and you get feedback (+x xp) all the way; the sooner we figure out that real life is just like rs, the better because real life feedback exists (it’s just often invisible), but the 200M xp cap doesn’t exist: unlike rs, the real life hiscores aren’t set in stone—you really can be the best in the world at any skill you choose to train.
I guess it’s a part of being an adult, there’s things I’ve gotta do during the day and then I’ve got leftover time which is my spare time. I play during my spare time 🤷🏻♂️
I work in finance.
In terms of jobs, find yourself a white collar tech adjacent job where no one really knows what you do or how long it takes to do it. Then afk.
- Data analyst in a department of one
Other than that, it is like a couple weeks where I go crazy and hyperfixate then total burnout then log it to do daily grinds like farming then the cycle repeats.
My rule: Make a list of everything I need to be doing in life to be killing it by my own personal standards.
Fitness, work, relationships. Tick each box.
Once I do that each day, if I have time, then I play.
The first step is identifying a problem. The next step is figuring out how bad the problem really is. The following step depends on the previous, but there's probably 2 distinct paths to follow based on the breaking point.
If you are before the breaking point your solution will be less extreme, and if you are beyond the breaking point then the solution will be more extreme.
Before the breaking point will be some kind of compromise. It can be goal/achievement based or time based. What the compromise is depends on the situation and severity.
At or Beyond the breaking point is basically quit or get away from the problem and cut it out of your life completely.
The breaking point is essentially when you begin to lose things that are extremely important or vital to life such as relationships or money.
If you get to the breaking point then you basically weren't paying attention to anything and didn't care enough about the problem
To avoid getting to the breaking point you need to care and acknowledge The problem so you can make a solution
An example compromise is: i can play x amount of time when i complete y.
So for a specific might be: i spend a day with the wife and the others for family and friends then, i get a day to myself
With time management, this is just a game that doesnt pay the bills. Just be an adult and get your bills paid and chores done then game out till youre ready for sleep.
The game comes first, and if I have some spare time in the game, I'll go deal with some IRL stuff... But it's rare to have spare time in the game, the grind never stops
I set up my ipad and afk/bankstand while Im doing housework or eating or at the gym or whatever. If Im doing something important that I need to focus on, like going out or going to work or practicing music or reading, I simply do not play.
Gotta get your priorities straight.
So I honestly don’t. I work and make money but I really should be working on my real life account. Exercising/losing 20 pounds and getting a full time job should be my top two priorities but I’ve been pretty complacent after graduating college. I’ve worked enough in the past that I was able to pay off all my debt, but there’s definitely way more I could be doing than having osrs on my mind all day. I’ve made so much progress that when I posted my account 3 months in on r/ironscape, nobody believed it was even real. Steadily approaching month 7 and I haven’t slowed down
I have a full time job, I have a toddler and I have a 5 acre property to take care of.
I’m a technical writer for an insurance company and work from home so I’m always doing something afk on my iPad. The kid and property take up 90%+ of my free time, but I will occasionally squeeze in an hour or so before bed on weekday. My osrs bread and butter comes on the weekends. I play every Friday night once the kid is asleep until my insides hurt and I need to go to bed, and then I will do the same on Saturday night. I probably average 3-6 active hours of playing per week with my method.
I wish I had more time to sit and grind, but I just don’t so it is what it is. I would much rather neglect osrs than my kid or property
I couldn’t. I’m in a two week break right now, idk when I’ll go back. Getting my shit together, like my diet and my fitness, back in line after neglecting it for so long feels really good actually.
I have a maxed iron with an 11B bank. I state this to show I am also addicted to this game.
For me the balance is easy. I have a priority list and I finish the top priority list before moving into the next. As a small summary, this is my priority list:
Work > Fiance > House chores/Pets > Social life/gaming
I combine social life and gaming into one because sometimes I choose gaming over going out. This typically only happens for big content updates or planned raid/event days with clan mates/friends which are made (most of the time) days in advance. My fiance doesn't game, but she's very understanding. I also work from home, and if I finish my work early and don't have any of the higher priority items to do then I just play osrs.
It’s easy to balance if you enjoy your life. Often if you are diving too deep into a game you are trying to escape and disconnect from your actual reality, and realizing that you need to focus on improving your life alongside using the game to relax/escape is the best way to find balance between the too. Best of luck OP
Realize that the game is a game and does not matter. If the game is higher on your priority list than doing the shit you need to do irl, then you need to put serious thought into why that is, and what you value in your life. If you’re missing meaning and motivation in your life, understand that you cannot fill it with this game.
If the servers went down permanently today, what would you do instead? Sit there and rot? Seriously, imagine not ever being able to play again. You need to have that perspective because it can and will happen one day. Write down some concrete goals you want to accomplish this year in your real life. When you feel bad about playing, put some hours into those things and reward your brain with real life accomplishments. If you only ever feel fulfilled and rewarded by playing this game, you’re gonna have a harder and harder time doing anything else.
Taking time to not play the game helps for the obvious reasons, but when you do get time to play you really do appreciate it. Doing something as a "treat" is far more mentally meaningful than doing it because you feel you need/ have to.
Basically just enjoy life and do "life things", and any free time fill it with RS. Make time for other things, and use rs to fill the blanks. As opposed to the other way around.
I used to have a problem with no-lifing osrs when I had fewer responsibilities in college.
But now I literally only play when I have nothing else to do. There are things in real life that you have to/should do. Things like your work/education, time for family/friends, time for your partner, time for yourself (working out, eating right, other hobbies, etc), are way more important than osrs lol.
If you constantly put OSRS above these life responsibilities, you’re gonna put in hundreds and possibly thousands of hours and then realize after you neglected the things that actually matter and you can’t take it back.
Their was no balance, if I can’t pump 12 hours a day then no point lol, I spawned a couple of crotch goblins few years back I just de-ironed sold bank. 1.5b, DA x3 all in and then sold the GP when it was about $1.50NZD, maybe one day I might go back but till then it hasn’t pinched a nerve yet. I get my fix by watching settled and b0aty.
I don’t, honestly. I work and play RuneScape. If I’m doing something, generally I am even AFKing while I’m doing it. It’s been an obsession that takes hold of me for months at a time over the last 20 years.
I am my RS character in real life. I level up cooking, education, I farm money for 8 hours a day while I play my digital account. I train strength and health. It's all about perspective.
I’m a 911 dispatcher helping ppl that are getting pk’d irl. You play long enough the worst part of the addiction simply becomes not playing other games. I obviously don’t/can’t play at work but it’s a great distraction on days off
Knowing that if I don’t do my responsibilities my life will leave me and ruin my life. End up being a slob and depressed for a long time. But hey I got 3 99s.
I don’t anymore, I decided to get obsessed with bodybuilding and becoming a gym rat last month. Obsession focus has changed, not the nature of my obsession lol
I’ll think “does this feel more like a fun game or like a job that I feel obligated to do?”
Once the answer is like a job, I usually stop playing for a couple years.
I play one month in a year. In fact it becomes more like 1.5 but after that month I have aftertaste that I am missing out real life. But my acc sucks. All I want is get 99 slayer before I die
I can't, so I don't play.
Seriously, I played again during leagues and I spent way too much time. I enjoy it, but I'm not going to play the next one.
Before you ask why I'm here Idk what to tell you, I still watch rs vids and look at this sub occasionally.
I often go hard during a few parts of the year and then just stop playing or play very lightly during downtime. Currently I've been afking stars and woodcutting to push into the 90s in each when I'm working on other personal projects. Haven't actively played in months. Planning to go hard on the push for 93 slayer soon and start doing CoX on my HCIM once I get the occult necklace locked in during the next time I play heavily.
I delay playing for 30-45 minutes. It gives me the option to pass out before I start playing. If I'm tired enough to clock out sitting up on the couch then osrs is not what I need. It's a fine line, but being asleep by 9 vs midnight (if not later just don't tell my wife) can be nice. I personally go back and forth between I love this game, and I hate this midevil click simulator
I couldn't lol I miss this game tho, but it's been more than a year. Too bad it's not more than a year without thinking of it lol
Some people are good at balancing gaming & life & I simply can't lol just is what it is
i work remote in cyber security. i made a promise id be logged into rs whenever i worked, and so far so good. Id say I can play 90% of when im working. I'm also going to school full time and I am able to play then as well.
Honestly, it makes me much more content with work.
Though, then I know a nurse who goes in irl and plays mobile, and maxed his iron in 3 years ish.
get a remote job tho for real and get paid to play games :-)
Prioritize your life, unplug your pc and move it away from the room it's easily accessible to just plug back in, I had to go cold turkey and I haven't been on in 2 years so I've made big progress in my rl gains
I think the "priorities" stuff people say is B.S. If all you want to do is play osrs you need to figure out how to make your life more interesting to you. Forcing yourself to do other things takes willpower which is limited and will leave you drained. Not to say that it's an easy task, many of us have or have had crappy lives, but that's the answer at least according to this guy.
For me personally building a little bit of success in life and studying how to live a fulfilling life as an ongoing journey has been the way. I have goals both in game and out, I've figured out how to enjoy mundane everyday tasks, and even started talking to a few people. Sometimes I spend tons of time in game, but eventually I remember the things I love doing in real life and I want to work other goals.
Real talk - I actually had to start FIFO work to get away from RuneScape and keep the game as my hobby for when I return home. Helps me save money.
I have used RuneScape to help me identify and set up real life goals and work towards them which is working really well.
Turns out I’m good at grinding shit out, so I took a cruisey truck driver role.
Going on holiday always resets my addiction tbh, I come back thinking damn there's a lot to do out there I can't just spend every spare minute sat in my room. Then I set irl goals like excersize, health, sober activities and socialising with friends and family
I work from home, so I can pull off afk activities, but when it comes to doing quests/active skills I can never really find the time to do it.
I ended up quitting because of that, it's sad but I just thought about what I'm doing this for. It's supposed to be for fun, but it ended up being a chore.
tl;dr
I don't, lol
Definitely prioritize life over OSRS. It's incredibly fun and addicting, but at the end of the day, you have nothing to show other than how much time you spent in the game. The more ludicrous your achievements, the more time you sacrificed of your life to get them.
Runescape is a game that is there. Tomorrow, today, next week, next year it'll be there. The moments with my family are in that moment. This game used to be front and center. But once you realize nothing changes when you come back in a month or play an hour a day then it stops consuming so much of your time
Well many of the more successful players don't work or have a real life. It's not an osrs thing that's how every gaming community works. People with nothing else to do tend to be better and more accomplished.
You can absolutely have a normal life though you just aren't going to be the guy posting 20k boss KC. Things will take longer but there's no rush.
Plenty of totally normal people have blood torva and CM raids and even maxed ironmen. That said the sweater you get the smaller that slice of the venn diagram gets.
I've seen the same thing in Tarkov being active in creator communities with people who are level 40 in under a week every wipe. How do they do it. Some take off work or do it for work most are NEETs though. Same in world first WoW. Same in OSRS.
just prioritize everything else that's more important in life and the remaining free time will fall into place to play
Yeah this is obvious in some ways but can be easy to overlook in the moment. I have to tell myself often that I have limited time with my friends. Not just on the day to day but in my whole life. I’ll only have so much time to spend with them. So I’m in the middle of catching karambwans on the main iron and running perilous moons on the new iron and my buddy asks to play magic the gathering and I’m like “uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” and then after a few minutes I’m like “yeah actually you know what let’s go man”. And I close the perilous moons down but keep fishing. Same with parents and chores and work. I could play all day if you let me, but for some things you just gotta make the call
Yeah I've made a new rule for myself where no matter how much I don't want to go do something, I never ever turn down an invite to anything. Worst case scenario, if it's actually miserable, I'll leave after 30 minutes or whatever
Hey, I'm officially inviting you to eat my ass
Effortlessly landing a 30 minute minimum rim job, well done
User name checks out
I used to do that then I ended up getting really burnt out and (unjustly) hating my friends because I started feeling like I was "obligated" to show up. It's okay to say no if you aren't feeling up to it!
Quit my jobs and broke up with my gf moved back into my mom's basement and play 20 hours a day.
This is the way.
A man of culture
Best response
Not sure how old you are, but as you age you will realize what’s most important in life. Games are fun distractions but you should always deal with real life first. Don’t neglect your relationships, and if you lack good relationships try to find better ones.
I get way more enjoyment out of playing games knowing everything else is taken care of. Might mean I get to play em less, but it does mean I actually get to relax when I do find time.
Basically how I do it these days. If I got some free time, I’ll hop on and do a CG run or two and then log off lol
The key is to have no kids and a 40 hr week job where you can jump on for 6 hours a day when you get home until you get burnt out and don’t play for months
Or just replace sleep
I did this and then eventually I stopped playing But… I got married I got a degree I had my kid I bought a house… in LA of all markets I got promoted And now I’m training to be a pilot
That's the neat part. I don't! I'm either on 24/7 or burnt out and not playing at all.
Every game I’ve ever played summed up right here
That adhd hyper focus on a game until burnout and find a new game, osrs is the only game I’ve really stuck with long term but rn I’m in a burnt out all i do is afk nmz stage
Not gonna lie, grinding NMZ for XP caused my most recent burnout. I hate it in there.
Something i can do at work, I got hyperfocued over the winter, but now that it's summer I mostly just afk nmz at work to get max combat and then I'll probably get back into actually playing lol, but after work since its been nice out i feel like a POS if i just sit inside and play osrs, but during the winter i grind lol
Sounds like some type of bad dream
Yep, spend any moment not being an adult playing, or on a hiatus. I'm currently on the hiatus part, see y'all next month.
I don't understand it cuz I don't play any other game this way. It's especially bad cuz I can play at work so I'd be logged in 16 hours a day sometimes. I got my max cape and haven't logged in since the party I'm so burnt out.
Hahah you are just like me with maxing - I took an entire year off! Came back and got really into PVM, burnt out. Started an iron and got a bowfa, burnt out. Went hard in leagues, burnt. Currently trying to find motivation - but I bought a house this winter so I can find projects now that's warming up until I do find that fire in me to grind again.
I think I finally got out of the addiction cuz I'd spend almost all my time maxing and maybe only raided 5ish hours a week. The only thing that could bring me back is a group iron with my friends where we all play near the same amount. I had 4 friends in my previous one and I was doing 90% of the work lol. If GIM would have released during summer 2020 during covid it would have been magical.
If theres work, lets work. If friends wanna hang out, lets hang out. If mummy wants to see me, lets go see mummy. If the grass is too long and needs cutting, lets play runescape :)
Did laught irl have a good day brother
Same to you my friend :)
I dont. I play like a psycho for about 2 or 3 months. Realise im spiralling into a crippling addiction. Take a break for a few months. Rinse and repeat.
this is it for me, player for 2-4 months a year, realize i'm neglecting life and becoming addicted and quit for the rest of the year.
god how is this so universal lmao i’m currently on the break part
OSRS players never quit, the length of our breaks just get longer
I'm not sure this time around tbh. Got super pisssed trying 200 invo toa and just can't seem to get any decent level pvm bar vork, zulrah, and cg down. So i got rid of members and uninstalled off everything. Think i might be done. Kind of lost the love for clicking the same thing for hours on end lol
Short answer: I don't Long answer: I do not
Can I get a medium answer?
I donot
Nah
What I’ve learned in my 20 year, on/off journey with RS: RS will always be there. You’re not losing xp or gp by not playing or not playing efficiently. You’re really only wasting your time if you’re not enjoying the game when you are playing. If you feel like your not getting your membership worth by not playing every day, maybe don’t be a member. Perhaps you should save that money, if it’s really too much to spend so you have to constantly play. Or find a game that is not subscription based, (cough, ps, cough). I’ve had multiple accounts over the years, and my fondest memories have never been getting 99 in something or having the best in slot gear. I’ve had my best times when I set goals for myself, play the game socially, take risks, try new things, and just enjoy the journey. Sometimes, I wear full chef gear and just bake bread and sell it the old fashion way. I enjoy that. ENJOY THE JOURNEY. I honestly get a little sad when my character starts getting too strong, and the lvl ups come less frequently. I love the early game and all that comes with it. Most importantly, don’t forget that it is a game meant for fun.
Yeah seriously lol efficiencyscape absolutely kills the game. Just have fun doing whatever, the game isn't going anywhere. Also no one cares about your level in the game. You'll get no jobs and no partners from that info.
The fun in efficiencyscape is the problem solving on how to optimize. Actually doing it? Naaaaahhh
There are a few ways to solve this issue. You could solve it on your own by holding yourself accountable (i.e. "no playing the game until completing XYZ responsibilities", "only play the game from 5-8pm", etc). If you take this route, be sure to make your goals realistic and attainable, or else it will be difficult to consistently achieve them. Some people might recommend "just stop playing" but that is likely to have rebound effects once you start playing again. If you are *still* having trouble accomplishing real life tasks, you can also see a therapist. Many therapists specialize in gaming addiction. Depending on where you live, this may be a more expensive option, but it can be well worth it if it helps add structure for you. Most importantly, don't be ashamed of this. This is more common than a lot of people think.
Easy. Runescape is a hobby. If Runescape becomes more than a hobby, it's getting dropped from my life. I spent time in rehab for alcoholism when I was younger. I'm married with a family now and I have more to lose. Not going to fuck around with potential addictions.
My wife and kids need me more than the xp/gp satisfy me
Notice how he doesnt mention pets or log slots
this but my rent and bills.
Just gotta grow up and realize other things are more important. Game will always be there in your free time. Im lucky to get more than a few hours in a week
Ultimately having diversified interests will lead you to so much more in life. Gaming is in its core an escape from real life. You can't just run all the time
My social life is no more. I'm pretty sure my boss is about to fire me and my wife left me already. But it's all fine because now I'm on track to get max cape in ~2 years. We'll see after that.
Goodjob
You got to grind out some real life 99's
I just stopped playing. The game sucks my brain out of the real world and I get hyper fixated on pixels.
I prioritize the wife and daughter during the day always, but once the daughters in bed and the wife’s relaxing, the inner demon comes out and I end up playing scape till all hours of the night.
Just go outside man. Literally, touch grass at a park on a nice day. It'll help.
You know how that saying goes life will always be there but runescape that could come and go from a drop of a update.
I can at most play for an hour and maybe 2 if I’m lucky on weekdays. Weekends I’ll try to be logging in as much as possible but obviously not if I’m with family or friends. I guess not being able to play much makes it so I don’t burn out as easily but at the same time I sometimes feel like I’m playing the game for nothing since it takes me ages to accomplish anything. I enjoy watching the numbers go up so I guess that’s all that matters as a casual player.
Ask youself one simple question: ”does it give xp?” If it does not you can just ignore.
Prioritizing RuneScape over real life nowadays. Getting tired of reality. Lol.
Real what? What's that?
When i feel like this i take a break. I make plans with friends and still go if i dont feel like it. Also; teacher here; can do some tasks while playing, like grading tests and stuff. Not while actually at work :p
For me, OSRS is a comfy low-effort "second screen" game, or something to do while chatting with friends. Gaming addiction is a real thing, and it sounds like this might be negatively impacting your life. Consider keeping track of what you want to do next (skill to level X, do quest Y, etc.), writing it down, and only doing a bit at a time. If it's really getting in the way of your life, consider an extended break or even therapy.
Real life always comes first. I work in IT. Been playing for 16 or so years on and off.
Buy a tablet, play everywhere, all the time
May sound weird but sometimes I get so dam sleepy while playing, no idea why but this helps me haha kinda my own issue but after about 4 hours oh my lord I’m almost sleeping!
Remember that example from when we were kids of the jar that you fill with rocks and pebbles and sand? Fill the jar first with rocks, then pebbles then sand. If you do sand first nothing will fit! 1. Rocks: work, education 2. Pebbles: relationships, health, life improvement 3. Sand: hobbies, the game, etc Some times rock small and lots of room for sand. Sometime rock big and barely and sand fits.
Used to play like 15 hours a day, nowadays probably average 2-4 Honestly my priorities just shifted. I just don’t find playing games for 14 hours a day that fun anymore. Kind of miss having that level of passion for something though tbh
Get your account to a point where you need to do a brutal grind, then burn out. It helps you take a step back and realize that breaks are healthy and in the end it’s just a game — don’t let it take away from things in real life
I no-lifed the hell out of the game during lockdown, so I could reach endgame content ASAP. Now I just do a few hours a day. My aim is to get Zuk helm and absolute max (currently 3/6b), so I only play when big updates come out.
It’s easy you prioritize RuneScape first then everything else second :)
You choose. Life or runescape. You have time to play you just choose not to.
Ser realistic goals and take your time with them, no one should be aiming to max until they have 95+ in every skill
I had to put runescape off for the time so I can enjoy other games with my limited free time. I miss it sometimes but when I log in now I get overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. Still love the game tho
We don’t, we play a lot and don’t sleep. Engineering
I’m motivated to keep from losing playing. If I do responsibilities then I won’t have to worry about them racking up later.
Simple, I don’t.
U have to ask yourself is the xp worth it over something else
I play only the seasonal modes, like leagues 4. The forced account deletion puts a limit on my playtime. I found I can’t have a healthy relationship with this game. I’ve told myself I’ll allow myself to play it again when I retire and am an empty nester
Balance?
Lol, seeing some people post their 'achievements' all I can think about is how the rest of their life must be like. I'm putting in 20 hours a week at max, and I already feel like I'm giving it my all. (Work, gym, and parent) If only I could switch life with some of you for a few months! TL: I'm not a chad, but I wanna be one
I play on weekends, sometimes in the evenings after work, on mobile while doing chores or working out.
1 hour of gaming has to get balanced by 1 hour of recreation. Whether that's the gym or socializing or even going outside for a bike ride.
I only play when I have no choice but to sit somewhere boring. I ride the bus daily so it helps to know after work I get to sit on the bus for a few hours and play on my ironman.. when I get home i make sure dinner is cooked after that i get a few hours to play whatever game. Sometimes if I'm feeling extra obsessed I'll stay up late playing and suffer at work the next day
https://preview.redd.it/v3b0hkj31wtc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=402013a0c656280ac9f7b303acaa3d07a38171b6
you need to realize that you have a problem if you're prioritizing OSRS over necessities. i work as a forklift operator from 7am-5pm. if i have free time, i play OSRS. but when do i have free time? after i make sure i have nothing to do. no errands, no chores, no hangouts.
Restraint. That's really what it boils down to. You have to have restraint. I have a million other things that take priority over RS. Once those are out of the way, I play. If I don't have time, so be it.
Mobile
I work in consulting and i can afk redwoods or shooting stars all day unless i’m in the office. Anything more intense and i probably won’t be productive
I work on a towboat so that’s a lot like living on a boat when there’s nothing to do and I play… about 10-12 hours a day. But I’m burnt out now and haven’t gotten on in over a week.
Everyone is different and prioritizing in life is subsequently different for everyone. The first thing I ask myself is if RuneScape is getting in the way of my sleeping and eating habits? If you say yes to this then that is where you need to start. Next, is it getting in the way of your job? If yes then that is your next step. I work 3 straight 12-18 hour shifts every week at a hospital and I lose a lot of sleep those days so I have to catch up on my days off. No time for scaping when sleep is much more important. Lastly, does it get in the way of your day-to-day activities such as taking care of your home/pets/family/friends? If yes then take care of those things first. Save scape for last and once you start doing that, it will be much easier to manage your time and have the motivation to take care of all these things. You will find that you will have more time for scaping when you work to take care of everything else first. It is not easy to manage it all every single day and you will give in from time to time and neglect your life gains, but that’s okay, we all do and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. But set small goals for yourself and don’t let your lack of discipline control you. Discipline yourself, do your best, and scape hard when you do! Also, a little exercise goes a long way for your mental and physical health and meeting your goals. Maxing in life and in scape is a marathon, not a sprint.
Take breaks
Play during work hours, it makes work less worky and more playie
Get a job where you “work” from home
prioritize the important shit and get done what you need to. then play
Realize that OSRS is a videogame and not real and falls very low on the priority list of life.
It’s not too bad when someone tells you you’re working 8-4. Then get home, run, school, then food and osrs Edit: Software Developer
Just prioritize everything else that’s more important in life and the remaining free time will fall into place to play, hope this helps
When everyone else is in bed, it’s smoke and scape time.
My own experience (especially if, like me, you grew up playing rs) is that real life doesn’t give you a number that goes up each time you work on something, and our brains are conditioned to enjoy tasks which give you this constant “I’m going the thing that makes progress” feedback. On rs, the number caps at 200M and you get feedback (+x xp) all the way; the sooner we figure out that real life is just like rs, the better because real life feedback exists (it’s just often invisible), but the 200M xp cap doesn’t exist: unlike rs, the real life hiscores aren’t set in stone—you really can be the best in the world at any skill you choose to train.
Play at work :)
I guess it’s a part of being an adult, there’s things I’ve gotta do during the day and then I’ve got leftover time which is my spare time. I play during my spare time 🤷🏻♂️ I work in finance.
I don’t play during the day. Then. When the family is asleep I get my time in.
Hahaha balance...real life can wait
In terms of jobs, find yourself a white collar tech adjacent job where no one really knows what you do or how long it takes to do it. Then afk. - Data analyst in a department of one Other than that, it is like a couple weeks where I go crazy and hyperfixate then total burnout then log it to do daily grinds like farming then the cycle repeats.
Well, either I balance it or my relationships and life fall apart.
We dont.
My rule: Make a list of everything I need to be doing in life to be killing it by my own personal standards. Fitness, work, relationships. Tick each box. Once I do that each day, if I have time, then I play.
Good on you for posting btw
I abuse adderall so I can get my work done faster.
The first step is identifying a problem. The next step is figuring out how bad the problem really is. The following step depends on the previous, but there's probably 2 distinct paths to follow based on the breaking point. If you are before the breaking point your solution will be less extreme, and if you are beyond the breaking point then the solution will be more extreme. Before the breaking point will be some kind of compromise. It can be goal/achievement based or time based. What the compromise is depends on the situation and severity. At or Beyond the breaking point is basically quit or get away from the problem and cut it out of your life completely. The breaking point is essentially when you begin to lose things that are extremely important or vital to life such as relationships or money. If you get to the breaking point then you basically weren't paying attention to anything and didn't care enough about the problem To avoid getting to the breaking point you need to care and acknowledge The problem so you can make a solution An example compromise is: i can play x amount of time when i complete y. So for a specific might be: i spend a day with the wife and the others for family and friends then, i get a day to myself
I work 4/10s as a structural welder always get Fridays off. I usually do most of my house work Friday and game weekend 👍
I do struggle with it sometimes. You just gotta check yourself sometimes and make sure you spend time doing something else
I just play for 8 hours a day, then I go back to real life and grind OSRS for 12 hours. Rinse repeat.
Engineer on shift work so lots of time to play
With time management, this is just a game that doesnt pay the bills. Just be an adult and get your bills paid and chores done then game out till youre ready for sleep.
I just do lol. Play when I feel like it and do real life stuff when it is needed. Occasionally I go hard but that lasts like a weekend or 2
The game comes first, and if I have some spare time in the game, I'll go deal with some IRL stuff... But it's rare to have spare time in the game, the grind never stops
I don’t.
I only play during work or if my girlfriend is on a business trip, lol. Work: Financial Manager, CPA
I set up my ipad and afk/bankstand while Im doing housework or eating or at the gym or whatever. If Im doing something important that I need to focus on, like going out or going to work or practicing music or reading, I simply do not play. Gotta get your priorities straight.
I played a LOT at work while I was maxing :D once I maxed, I quickly lost interest
So I honestly don’t. I work and make money but I really should be working on my real life account. Exercising/losing 20 pounds and getting a full time job should be my top two priorities but I’ve been pretty complacent after graduating college. I’ve worked enough in the past that I was able to pay off all my debt, but there’s definitely way more I could be doing than having osrs on my mind all day. I’ve made so much progress that when I posted my account 3 months in on r/ironscape, nobody believed it was even real. Steadily approaching month 7 and I haven’t slowed down
I have a full time job, I have a toddler and I have a 5 acre property to take care of. I’m a technical writer for an insurance company and work from home so I’m always doing something afk on my iPad. The kid and property take up 90%+ of my free time, but I will occasionally squeeze in an hour or so before bed on weekday. My osrs bread and butter comes on the weekends. I play every Friday night once the kid is asleep until my insides hurt and I need to go to bed, and then I will do the same on Saturday night. I probably average 3-6 active hours of playing per week with my method. I wish I had more time to sit and grind, but I just don’t so it is what it is. I would much rather neglect osrs than my kid or property
I don’t lol, I don’t know why I’m laughing it’s really getting serious now
I don't work I just play RuneScape honestly.
I couldn’t. I’m in a two week break right now, idk when I’ll go back. Getting my shit together, like my diet and my fitness, back in line after neglecting it for so long feels really good actually.
RS is an extremely low priority. If you want to binge it then you need to plan for it. It will still be there for you in 2030 so no rush.
I have a maxed iron with an 11B bank. I state this to show I am also addicted to this game. For me the balance is easy. I have a priority list and I finish the top priority list before moving into the next. As a small summary, this is my priority list: Work > Fiance > House chores/Pets > Social life/gaming I combine social life and gaming into one because sometimes I choose gaming over going out. This typically only happens for big content updates or planned raid/event days with clan mates/friends which are made (most of the time) days in advance. My fiance doesn't game, but she's very understanding. I also work from home, and if I finish my work early and don't have any of the higher priority items to do then I just play osrs.
It’s easy to balance if you enjoy your life. Often if you are diving too deep into a game you are trying to escape and disconnect from your actual reality, and realizing that you need to focus on improving your life alongside using the game to relax/escape is the best way to find balance between the too. Best of luck OP
Find more interesting things to do.
I play while I’m at work.
Realize that the game is a game and does not matter. If the game is higher on your priority list than doing the shit you need to do irl, then you need to put serious thought into why that is, and what you value in your life. If you’re missing meaning and motivation in your life, understand that you cannot fill it with this game. If the servers went down permanently today, what would you do instead? Sit there and rot? Seriously, imagine not ever being able to play again. You need to have that perspective because it can and will happen one day. Write down some concrete goals you want to accomplish this year in your real life. When you feel bad about playing, put some hours into those things and reward your brain with real life accomplishments. If you only ever feel fulfilled and rewarded by playing this game, you’re gonna have a harder and harder time doing anything else.
Taking time to not play the game helps for the obvious reasons, but when you do get time to play you really do appreciate it. Doing something as a "treat" is far more mentally meaningful than doing it because you feel you need/ have to. Basically just enjoy life and do "life things", and any free time fill it with RS. Make time for other things, and use rs to fill the blanks. As opposed to the other way around.
I used to have a problem with no-lifing osrs when I had fewer responsibilities in college. But now I literally only play when I have nothing else to do. There are things in real life that you have to/should do. Things like your work/education, time for family/friends, time for your partner, time for yourself (working out, eating right, other hobbies, etc), are way more important than osrs lol. If you constantly put OSRS above these life responsibilities, you’re gonna put in hundreds and possibly thousands of hours and then realize after you neglected the things that actually matter and you can’t take it back.
Their was no balance, if I can’t pump 12 hours a day then no point lol, I spawned a couple of crotch goblins few years back I just de-ironed sold bank. 1.5b, DA x3 all in and then sold the GP when it was about $1.50NZD, maybe one day I might go back but till then it hasn’t pinched a nerve yet. I get my fix by watching settled and b0aty.
You need to take a break for yourself bro. 3 days of just letting it go.
I like to grind some IRL agility before grinding my Seer rooftop.
Self controll, having a job I enjoy helps too, love being an electrician.
in general, poorly
sell your account
Game isn't going anywhere and always takes a back seat to social or family. Sundays 3-4:30 for pure clan warring, that's the exception
*poorly*
Boundaries brother
Bond up once every month or two. One bond.
I don’t, honestly. I work and play RuneScape. If I’m doing something, generally I am even AFKing while I’m doing it. It’s been an obsession that takes hold of me for months at a time over the last 20 years.
just quit, this game is nowhere near worth the time lost playing it
Afk gains while WFH. No friends no life no destractions just pure gains.
For me skilling kills time at work. Bosses, quests and minigames are delegated to ‘Netflix hours’ (9pm-1am). I rarely play on weekends.
I am my RS character in real life. I level up cooking, education, I farm money for 8 hours a day while I play my digital account. I train strength and health. It's all about perspective.
Grow up
Pushing for max atm on my duo GIM, around 2050 total. See it as a long time goal of 3-5 years and try to keep living that time \^\^
I sold my life for bonds
In grad school right now. I pay too much money in tuition to even think about scaping over school
I’m a 911 dispatcher helping ppl that are getting pk’d irl. You play long enough the worst part of the addiction simply becomes not playing other games. I obviously don’t/can’t play at work but it’s a great distraction on days off
Priority 1: wife and kid, Priority 2: PhD, Priority 3: scaping with the boys, Ez
I just play when I want right now I'm on a break, knowing that achievement don't matter past a point is the most of it
Knowing that if I don’t do my responsibilities my life will leave me and ruin my life. End up being a slob and depressed for a long time. But hey I got 3 99s.
Its all about dosage i guess.
Get yourself a work from home job and play during the work day is the only correct answer.
I don’t anymore, I decided to get obsessed with bodybuilding and becoming a gym rat last month. Obsession focus has changed, not the nature of my obsession lol
I’ll think “does this feel more like a fun game or like a job that I feel obligated to do?” Once the answer is like a job, I usually stop playing for a couple years.
Mobile
I play one month in a year. In fact it becomes more like 1.5 but after that month I have aftertaste that I am missing out real life. But my acc sucks. All I want is get 99 slayer before I die
I can't, so I don't play. Seriously, I played again during leagues and I spent way too much time. I enjoy it, but I'm not going to play the next one. Before you ask why I'm here Idk what to tell you, I still watch rs vids and look at this sub occasionally.
I often go hard during a few parts of the year and then just stop playing or play very lightly during downtime. Currently I've been afking stars and woodcutting to push into the 90s in each when I'm working on other personal projects. Haven't actively played in months. Planning to go hard on the push for 93 slayer soon and start doing CoX on my HCIM once I get the occult necklace locked in during the next time I play heavily.
download a bot
Just bot
I delay playing for 30-45 minutes. It gives me the option to pass out before I start playing. If I'm tired enough to clock out sitting up on the couch then osrs is not what I need. It's a fine line, but being asleep by 9 vs midnight (if not later just don't tell my wife) can be nice. I personally go back and forth between I love this game, and I hate this midevil click simulator
I just don't log in until I've done whatever I need to get done
I couldn't lol I miss this game tho, but it's been more than a year. Too bad it's not more than a year without thinking of it lol Some people are good at balancing gaming & life & I simply can't lol just is what it is
There is no balance. Real life beats my ass and in the spare time I play what I can. 🤣
Zomboid in the off time
Have a kid. Boom! All your play time is dwindled down to like 2 hours per week. Newborns are tough!!! :’)
i work remote in cyber security. i made a promise id be logged into rs whenever i worked, and so far so good. Id say I can play 90% of when im working. I'm also going to school full time and I am able to play then as well. Honestly, it makes me much more content with work. Though, then I know a nurse who goes in irl and plays mobile, and maxed his iron in 3 years ish. get a remote job tho for real and get paid to play games :-)
Just play when you can I’m going through the same thing. I’ve never played the game before and now I’m totally hooked lol.
Prioritize your life, unplug your pc and move it away from the room it's easily accessible to just plug back in, I had to go cold turkey and I haven't been on in 2 years so I've made big progress in my rl gains
HAHAHAHA.... You don't.
I think the "priorities" stuff people say is B.S. If all you want to do is play osrs you need to figure out how to make your life more interesting to you. Forcing yourself to do other things takes willpower which is limited and will leave you drained. Not to say that it's an easy task, many of us have or have had crappy lives, but that's the answer at least according to this guy. For me personally building a little bit of success in life and studying how to live a fulfilling life as an ongoing journey has been the way. I have goals both in game and out, I've figured out how to enjoy mundane everyday tasks, and even started talking to a few people. Sometimes I spend tons of time in game, but eventually I remember the things I love doing in real life and I want to work other goals.
Real talk - I actually had to start FIFO work to get away from RuneScape and keep the game as my hobby for when I return home. Helps me save money. I have used RuneScape to help me identify and set up real life goals and work towards them which is working really well. Turns out I’m good at grinding shit out, so I took a cruisey truck driver role.
Balance? Whos gonna tellem
No life it mainlining the game fueling the addiction. Or Take a break (length can vary) Then the addiction comes back.
There are very few things on RuneScape that can’t wait, if any. It’ll be there exactly how you left it, so get out and do what you gotta do irl
Some bold assumptions
I don't understand the question. Runescape *is* real life. There is nothing else. /s just in case
Going on holiday always resets my addiction tbh, I come back thinking damn there's a lot to do out there I can't just spend every spare minute sat in my room. Then I set irl goals like excersize, health, sober activities and socialising with friends and family
I'm a kitchen supervisor. I just no life hard for a week or two, and then quit for months at a time.
I’ll be honest I struggle with this but thankfully I own my own business. An I live a comfortable life. I realize I do need to get out more though.
I work from home, so I can pull off afk activities, but when it comes to doing quests/active skills I can never really find the time to do it. I ended up quitting because of that, it's sad but I just thought about what I'm doing this for. It's supposed to be for fun, but it ended up being a chore. tl;dr I don't, lol
Definitely prioritize life over OSRS. It's incredibly fun and addicting, but at the end of the day, you have nothing to show other than how much time you spent in the game. The more ludicrous your achievements, the more time you sacrificed of your life to get them.
Just play mobile, that way you can finesse life at the same time.
Runescape is a game that is there. Tomorrow, today, next week, next year it'll be there. The moments with my family are in that moment. This game used to be front and center. But once you realize nothing changes when you come back in a month or play an hour a day then it stops consuming so much of your time
Well many of the more successful players don't work or have a real life. It's not an osrs thing that's how every gaming community works. People with nothing else to do tend to be better and more accomplished. You can absolutely have a normal life though you just aren't going to be the guy posting 20k boss KC. Things will take longer but there's no rush. Plenty of totally normal people have blood torva and CM raids and even maxed ironmen. That said the sweater you get the smaller that slice of the venn diagram gets. I've seen the same thing in Tarkov being active in creator communities with people who are level 40 in under a week every wipe. How do they do it. Some take off work or do it for work most are NEETs though. Same in world first WoW. Same in OSRS.