Usually, when players choose a game, they have a rough estimate of how long it will take them to finish it. However, when it comes to online multiplayer games like League of Legends, time can become a vague concept. You don’t know for sure how long you’ll be in the queue.
Indeed, there are single-player games that require you to invest a significant amount of time. For instance, The Witcher 3’s gameplay can stretch up to 200 hours long. Meanwhile, on average, a game of League of Legends can last for 30 minutes. Even so, if you’re not careful, the number of hours you play can add up.
From time to time, you might wonder, “How many hours have I played League of Legends?” If everything has been a blur for you, then it’s likely that you’ve spent too much time on the game.
Is League of Legends a Waste of Time?
According to a 2019 study from The NPD Group, 73% of Americans aged 2 years and older play video games. In reality, having fun is not a waste of time. Dr. Laura Kuzbansky of the Harvard School of Public Health mentioned that fun can be good for your health. She added that happiness can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other ailments related to inflammation and stress. Now, League of Legends is popular for a reason—it is fun to play.
Of course, there is a small population of players who are addicted to video games. However, let us set that percentage aside for a moment. We should not vilify a virtually universal activity just because of the outliers. If we’re choosing that path, then we have to condemn alcohol, sports, luxury cars, and cats, too. A 2019 eSports study revealed that 95% of video game players led healthy and productive lives. This can be great news, especially since we’ve gone through so much suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic. League of Legends is a great way to have fun and connect with others without the risk of getting infected.
Time Wasted on LOL: It’s a Matter of Values
Unfortunately, for some people, League of Legends can become too much fun. They end up spending hours and hours playing this game while dismissing other edifying or more “productive” activities. An example here is people who spend 12 hours a day playing video games. These are players who do not get enough sleep, fail their classes, refuse to interact with other people, and never leave the house. This is a perfect illustration of how some video games can be a waste of time.
Spending 12 hours a day on a hobby can be problematic. Of course, let’s not forget that there are people who make a living out of eSports. Some players need the extra hours to be skilled enough to become a professional gamer. So, time spent on League of Legends can be either productive or wasted. It all depends on how you look at it.
Do Employees Waste Time Playing Video Games at Work?
A study by World.tips revealed that 80% of employees played games during work hours at least 2.5 times a week. On average, these workers lose about 50 minutes of productive work. What’s more, managers had more gaming time per week. Almost one in ten said that they had played a game while in a face-to-face meeting.
According to the study, 86% of those who played are millennials, 76% are from Generation X, and 64% are Baby Boomers. Moreover, 23% admitted that they played games in the office while 34% did the same remotely. Of course, wasting an average of 50 minutes on games can be detrimental to the productivity of an employee.
How to Prevent League of Legends from Becoming a Source of Addiction
If you aren’t disciplined enough to know when to stop, you may end up playing League of Legends for hours and hours every day. While video games are a good source of fun, you must still take measures to avoid becoming addicted to them. Here are some tips you can follow:
Be Honest with Yourself
You must first take a long pause and ask yourself, “How long have I played League of Legends?” You must look at the situation objectively and assess whether you have been spending too much time on the game. Once you realize that League of Legends is indeed affecting your health, work, and life, then it’s time to take a step back.
You should also discuss this step with your friends and let them know why you’re doing this. Tell them that you won’t stop being friends with them and that you can hit up the occasional session during the weekends.
Try New Hobbies
There’s a whole world of fun activities outside League of Legends. You may feel hesitant to pick up new hobbies, but don’t worry because this is perfectly normal. Since you’re trying new experiences, you may feel anxious at the beginning. You don’t have to go big. Try committing to a single thing at first. If you don’t enjoy it, you can let it go and try a new one. There are always plenty of productive hobbies that will improve your life.
Take This Step Seriously
You’re about to make a big mindset shift. As someone who will take a step back from a beloved activity, you’re essentially becoming a new person. Many believe that playing video games is a lazy person’s activity. However, that is far from the truth. Some gamers play for hours to end without getting distracted—that’s a serious skill. Imagine what will happen if you channel that energy into elevating your life. Within a few months, you will become a whole new person who has achieved a lot of things.
Monitor How You Spend Time
Playing League of Legends is not a bad thing as long as you do it in moderation. However, from time to time, you must ask yourself, “How much have I spent on League of Legends?” Now, this can be difficult to answer if you do not have a proper monitoring system in place. As such, we recommend that you use a time tracker like Traqq.
Once you run this tool, it will start recording the time you spend on apps and websites. It also has a reporting function that shows you the activities that eat up most of your time. So, if you are spending an alarming number of hours on League of Legends, Traqq will easily identify it.
You can download and use Traqq for free, meaning you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
