How Can Gamblers Spend Less Time at the Computer and Improve Their Health

September 18, 2023 |
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With many people now working from home a lot more due to the coronavirus, many people see health-related issues associated with sitting inactive for extended periods of time.

While sitting at a computer all day has often been linked to sight issues, neck pain, and damage to the back muscles, the health risks are actually much more severe. There are a number of other health issues that can be caused or aggravated by spending too long sitting at a computer, including:

  • blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes
  • increase in weight, leading to obesity
  • increased risk of heart disease
  • increased risk of cancer
  • higher cholesterol levels.

Whether you are sitting at your computer working or playing casino games, it is better to take regular breaks away from the screen to minimize the potential risks. This may mean you need to log out of an online casino, but you must try and fit regular intervals into your computing time. You can achieve this by doing simple things such as planning your computer schedule, making changes to your gambling habits, and asking others for help.

Keep Track of How Much Time You Spend on Your Computer

It is very easy to spend countless hours sitting at a computer, especially if you are on a winning streak at an online casino. One of the easiest ways to remedy this issue is to record how long you have been at the computer. Keep a diary of all computer activity, whether it is for work, chatting online, or playing casino games. You can do this on a word document, spreadsheet, or even in a paper notebook using a pen. The important things to note down are:

  • What activity are you doing?
  • How long you spend doing that activity?
  • Whether the activity is mandatory or not?

Some activities will be necessary, such as checking emails for work, but for others, this technique will allow you to set a length of time for each activity. Once you can see how long you’re spending there, you can look to see if you actually need to be in front of the computer.

The most important thing about this exercise is honesty. You are not going to show this to anyone, so if you are not honest about the time you spend on a computer, the only person you are lying to is yourself. You are doing this to understand how you spend your time. It may be shocking at first to learn how long you spend on social media or playing online casino games. However, once you know these figures, you can set goals to cut down on certain activities.

Schedule Some Pauses for Your Gambling

Consider setting regular intervals to pause your casino game activity or take a break from your computer altogether. This does not mean swapping one device for another, like logging off from an online casino on your computer, only to log back in on your phone. It means doing something non-screen related, like going for a short walk, relaxing to some music, or even stimulating your body with a quick workout session.

A good ratio to aim for is that for every 50 minutes you spend looking at a screen, you take 10 minutes off.

If you want to be scientific about it, research carried out by the Draugiem Group found that the most productive combination was to work for 52 minutes and then enjoy a 17-minute break. The logic behind short breaks is that people will be completely separated from their work or on-screen activity, thus coming back refreshed and eager for more. With online casino games, taking a break also allows you time to take a step back and assess if your gambling strategy is working.

Spend Time Without a Computer Every Day

Scheduling breaks can benefit online casino players to help them focus and enjoy the experience better. However, it is equally important to spend time away from technology altogether. Technology has become a part of our lives, and we can often feel anxious or compulsively driven to check Facebook or Twitter on our phones. It can be very easy to lose ourselves in these digital worlds, so it is vital to have a technology break away from your computer and phone.

The easiest way to do this is, like with breaks, to schedule a specific window during your daily routine where you will not use your computer. For example, if you finish work at 5 pm, you could mark out the next two hours to do something else. You may find it difficult at first, especially with more of our lives revolving around online activities – friends, news, shopping, and entertainment. However, here are some things you can do to pass the time productively:

  • cook a meal
  • bake a cake
  • go for a long walk
  • read a book
  • complete a jigsaw puzzle
  • call a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time.

You can do different activities on different days, but the important thing is to be consistent as you try to claim your life back from your computer.

Limit Your Time on Gambling Sites

Gambling, like any form of gameplay, can be both exhilarating and satisfying. This is something we will want to come back and experience time and again, especially if we feel bored or isolated like many have during the coronavirus. Many countries sought to limit the time, or amounts players could spend at online casinos during the lockdown.

Gambling sites will entice you in with a wide range of games and offers, making it easy to spend entire days playing casino games.

To limit the time spent on online casinos, you can take the tracking techniques and apply them specifically to gambling sites.

Instead of limiting your time on online casinos, you can choose another limit, such as the number of spins, number of bets, or the amount you bet on any specific day.

Should you wish to take an extended break from gambling sites, many online casinos allow members to exclude themselves for a set period of time, be it weeks or months. There are also online apps that serve this function but for all gambling-related websites.

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