Don’t feel bad for doing something that brings you joy, whether that’s playing video games, reading, etc. I used to feel guilty for the time I put into my hobbies. I finally took a step back and realized that guilt was a result of constantly being told productivity was the most important thing (thanks grad school). We’re often made to feel guilty for simply doing things for ourselves.

Since you’re questioning time spent gaming, it may help to consider why you play video games. Do you play games to relax? To relieve stress? To socialize? To feel like you’re making progress? There is value in each of these motivations. Of course, moderation is important too.