Playing Lifestyle - Should it carry a health warning?!

[sir ratholer]

For most of this year, I've been flat out on various stuff and done pretty well...however I feel that I've reached burnout now. I've done anything between 40-80 hours a week and I just feel completely ruined.

This started up a couple of weeks ago, just felt like I had zero energy and had a wierd tight chest sensation, this came back today and also I felt like my legs were gonna buckle (this was at 8pm after a 10am start).

It's made me think - this playing lifestyle isn't particularly ideal for those wanting a healthy life. Think about it, eating mostly junk food in pubs/services, drinking vast quantities of soft drinks which either contain sugar or aspartame, driving miles each day, staying on your feet playing stuff, the mental headaches which machines often cause, stress about people watching you, and eyesight issues which I remember being discussed before. I know it's a little thing too but my girlfriend mentioned tonight when I was talking to her about this, how I never ever have a lunch break when out playing - she said maybe I should have an hour off at lunchtime and eat in a non-pub environment, a really good idea I think.

So what issues have you got from this lifestyle?? I've got pretty much all the above, especially eyesight, junk food and the mental tiredness from stress/driving. I just wonder how many people can sustain this lifestyle for a long period of time, I've been doing it for 10 years now and I'm finding it tougher and tougher.

[Nixxy]

So what issues have you got from this lifestyle?? I've got pretty much all the above, especially eyesight, junk food and the mental tiredness from stress/driving. I just wonder how many people can sustain this lifestyle for a long period of time, I've been doing it for 10 years now and I'm finding it tougher and tougher.

Well, I did it for a couple of years and stopped. I for one cannot sustain it for more than a few days at a time now. Old age is setting in.

Fatigue is the main problem. It's not just the whole 'feeling tired' thing, it the 'permanently feeling tired' thing. And above all else, the novelty wears off - gambling is meant to be fun but you very quickly lose the entertainment value when you devote hour after hour, day after day to it. It's hard graft, even when you do make good money.

There're many people who're made for it though, and I wish them well too.

[CrosbyRules]

slow down a bit...i feel fine, i dont play every hour of every day.

[sir ratholer]

Fatigue is the main problem. It's not just the whole 'feeling tired' thing, it the 'permanently feeling tired' thing.

This is exactly what I was trying to describe when I talked about burnout - I know it sounds ridiculous but I'm fighting against falling asleep in my car on the way to the first game of the day.

[Matt Vinyl]

I've always made the point that I don't play 'pro'. After about 7-8 pubs of playing I start to get... ..."Yeah, I just wanna listen to the music and watch that blonde with the jugs..." attitude... Not that I'm generally that 'shallow'...

Edmonds can go and chew beard!

[Mattb]

I admire some peoples dedication, i just don't have it. Really can't be arsed most of the time, like you say it's long miles in the car (12000 in the last 6 months for me now....probably peanuts compared to some, but it feels like im forever on the bloody road). My eyes are ruined too now, i know i'm doing my long term health no good getting through buckets of sugar every day too. Today my route has been snapped clean in half too so i'm very sparse on stuff to play....could be a get out time perhaps.

[ob]

perhaps if you didn't work so hard you wouldn't experience these issues; it's the same with any job - if you did overtime every day in any job you'd get very fatigued etc....

[logopolis]

I've been playing for about 10 years now. The simple solution is don't play every day. If I'm out 8 hours on a certain day, its very rare that I put in those hours the next day.

[HorseRacingKing]

The games dead, some people have stopped convincing themselves which is for the best.

[thecannonball89]

The games dead, some people have stopped convincing themselves which is for the best.

Dead? i think not.

[GaryChandler]

The games dead, some people have stopped convincing themselves which is for the best.

You joking mate? its easy money down south at the moment

[gambogaz1]

Fatigue is the main problem. It's not just the whole 'feeling tired' thing, it the 'permanently feeling tired' thing.

This is exactly what I was trying to describe when I talked about burnout - I know it sounds ridiculous but I'm fighting against falling asleep in my car on the way to the first game of the day.

If that's how your feeling then it sounds to me like greed is ruining you not the lifestyle, You say your doing very well so why you putting in so many hours??
I know some machines need keeping on top of but your probably earning more an hour tax free than your average joe public so if your feeling run down take a few days off to refuel. If you can't bring yourself to do it then it's either greed or Addiction getting you up in the morning.
No point earning money mate if you can't enjoy it

[Spyder]

join a gym and do an hour each morning... nothing intense, just a few minutes on a bike/treadmill... watch the news on the tv while you do it,
then have a sauna and shower, eat a decent rounded breakfast...

have a proper dinner at some point in the day...

why not eat at one of your pub hits? instead of hitting and running...



getting up and just getting in the car to go on a run will fuck you up..

10 hours on ya feet shouldnt have you going crazy... imagine earning £5 an hour for those 10 hours... you'd feel even worse

[toby]

i have a decent job.. earning a decent wage... on my knees most of the day and driving.. play fruits of a night if i go out.. and at the weekend if im not doing private jobs.. used to be bang on them.. not just for fun if im up.. then its my round my health's good.. brek... lunch... home from work bout 6.. gym till 7.30 home shower dinner.. few pints down local.. then bed wake up @ 6.30. prety much every day.

[PMK]

Ahh the old gamblers life style or as a friend of mine put it, the life of a 'Freelance Investor In Gaming Technologies'!!

Yeah its not good. Sleeping patterns are often put way out, late night meals at silly o'clock in the morning which are usually unhealthy ones, the constant intake of beer and wine or coke and J2O for some. The green fingers, the constant travelling and location checking, the repetitive schedules etc etc etc.

I reckon its the lack of sleep that really does it, I now find myself goin to bed at 3-4am and then thanx to my dog mainly getting up at 7am, once she's been walked and fed the desire to go back to bed has gone, so its the 'might as well go out early' routine with just 3 hours sleep!! I try to eat a healthy breakfast now tho, and then wait till I get home to have a half decent meal, but so many times its just easier to grab a KFC or greasy pub meal along the way. Having a pet means I must go back at least a couple of times a day to walk/feed her so although a hinderance sometimes I guess its more like a help really, helps break the day down a bit.

A bit of exercise is the way forward me thinks.

Its the evenings which do me in, if I've been out most of the day, I still find it hard to sit at home doin f**k all or watchin telly. It really is quite dull. So its not unusual to head out again and go somewhere else even after a 9-5 stint.