Here's how you can effectively manage stress and protect your personal life as a game developer.

One of the biggest traps in prioritizing tasks is feeling like everything is urgent and critical. Writing out all the tasks somewhere has helped me visualize all the tasks I have to complete. I rank each task by importance, deadlines, and who the request came from. The important thing here is that no two tasks can share the same importance. This helps me focus on one task at a time and concentrate on important tasks first. One important thing is that it is completely okay to push back and ask for help. Asking for support is the best way to avoid burnout and multitasking. Set calendar reminders to take breaks and go for walks. Prioritize yourself so you can keep going!

A lot of stressed is caused by doing tasks and requests on which you have little influence or control. This can be conscious, a deadline you cannot move , or the lack of support in doing say making you feel like you are swimming against the current. It's not the 'load' it's the lack of control that upsets your nerves. This can be subconscious like letting social media waste your energy by tricking you into endorsing their AI generated listicles with comments in order to win a stupid badge.

You can follow these steps, because for me these are few important and effective points: 1. Take Breaks: Regular short breaks help refresh your mind. 2. Set Boundaries: Keep work and personal life separate. Don't take work home. 3. Exercise: Physical activity reduces stress and improves mood. 4. Stay Organized: Use tools and schedules to manage your tasks efficiently. 5. Talk to Someone: Share your feelings with friends, family, or anyone you feel comfortable. 6. Pursue Hobbies: Engage in activities you enjoy outside of work. 7. Sleep Well: Make sure to get enough rest each night.

Often when I feel overwhelmed by a large work load or a tough problem, there are a few things I do: 1. Go and make a cup of tea (everything is better with tea) or coffee 2. Start from the very beginning and focus on one task at a time. Its very easy to look at the entire work load and feel overwhelmed, so why not break that work load down. Make a To Do list (highest priority first) and work your way down it, focusing on ONE task at a time. Slowly but surely it will get shorter. 3. If I need help I ask. Never be afraid to ask for an extra pair of eyes or hands when working through a lot of work. Remember you are part of a team and often its easier and more fun to get through tasks collaborating and sharing ideas than on your own.

This is what I personally do: - -Set Boundaries: Clearly define work hours and stick to them. Avoid overworking by setting limits on your availability. -Prioritize Tasks: focusing on high-impact activities first. -Hobbies and Interests: Dedicate time to hobbies like cooking or football to unwind and enjoy personal time. -Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if stress becomes overwhelming. Therapy or counseling can provide valuable support.

Its very easy to get entirely consumed in a project/game especially when you are having fun and enjoying the work that you are doing on it. But with that, it is very easy to become burnt-out and tired. Someone once told me "Every line of code or thing that you do/add is a promise to the game and yourself". After hearing this I realized that I couldn't fulfill that promise if I was tired, burnt-out and not happy. Burn out and tiredness leads to mistakes and unhappiness (effecting not only you but also your team), so always make sure to spend as much time taking care of yourself as you do working on the games that you love.

We GameDevs have a knack for turning our favourite pastime into our 9-to-5? But the twist is, setting boundaries becomes trickier than implementing water physics. So here is something we all can do 1. Think of your day job as a paid tutorial level. You're in a constant cycle of learn>experiment>fail>produce and you're the one getting the money! 2. Start personal projects that aren't necessarily Unity-based. It's like cross-class training in an RPG. Apply skills from your day job and level up even further 3. Use those side quest experiences to approach day job problems with fresh eyes 4. Try to stick to defined work hours. Watch the senior devs – they're the speedrunners of this challenge. But no need to ragequit if you cant perfect it!

Many of us probably turned their hobby into their job. Eventually your main source of relaxation will feel like work. Do not try to constantly analyze games in your free-time. That feature would be cool in your game? Take notes and research it the following day. (Optionally you can also try out some new hobbies)

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is a priority for me. Transitioning from a beloved hobby like game development into a professional role has taught me the importance of setting aside time for personal interests beyond work. By dedicating time to relaxing hobbies after work, I recharge my creativity and maintain a fulfilling life outside of professional commitments.

> Put notifications on silent > (Ideally) have a separate work phone > Have friends or a family (so that you don't get "bored" and start scrolling work-related conversations) > Hang in there, and stick to the boundaries - it's not going to be easy as most of our life is, strangely, related to the work we do

As someone who works in Games Development with ADHD (non-medicated), it can be difficult to focus. But It is not just people like me that experience this. Everyone can benefit from having healthy habits to keep them ahead of schedule and stop the dreaded feeling of crunch before a deadline. So without further ado here are my tips: - Tea Breaks: It doesn't have to be tea but taking time every now and then to grab a drink and separating yourself from your work station is healthy, for your eyes and your mind. - No work days & cut-off point: If you manage your own schedule do not work specific days of the week and finish at a set time, for me that's weekends I give myself the weekends to do things I enjoy to reset mentally and creatively.

Find out what brand and model of messed up you are. There are millions of others like you, and you are not a unique beautiful snowflake. You are a dirty, smelly, slug-eating ape. Fortunately, in the year of our Lord 2024, there are scientific names for your condition, and people that spend their entire lives researching and studying your brain chemistry specifically. Loosen your grip, stop being so serious, and start being sincere instead. The two are mutually exclusive. The only game worth playing, is one where the objective is the enjoyment of your existence. Everything else is finite, and the game goes back into the box at the end, as if nothing ever happened.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, I have made it a habit to exercise regularly. I strive to participate in social activities at least once or twice a week, which helps keep both my body and mind active. Engaging in various hobbies outside of work is essential for me to distance myself from work-related stress. Activities such as brisk walks, reading books, and working on creative projects allow me to break free from the monotony of daily life. I also prioritize getting good quality sleep, as it is crucial for my overall health and well-being. All these healthy habits nourish both my body and soul, significantly enhancing my overall quality of life.

Just try to eat healthy, but if you cant then maybe something less unhealthy. Try making your own food. I usually cut up all veggies and meat and cook them in one pot and make some kind of a stew: visually questionable, but is sure healthy af. As for exercise, try to hit the gym religiously 4-5 days a week. Keeping it simple, I do push-pull-leg-rest. I walk to my office (takes me 15-20min to reach since its not very far from where I live). Taking a short walk/stroll after lunch and dinner if possible. And most important of all, sleep. Try to keep a routine if possible, but nonetheless, get at least a solid un-interrupted sleep(could be 5 hours, could be 8 - you do you). May your frame rates be high and your loading times low

Developers use to understimate the importance to eat with quality, sleep well and do some exercises. In a company or a project, it is not uncommon to handle urgencies, tight schedules, pressure and the usually extremely unecessarly high self demand (impostor syndrome). This inevitably leads to anxiety which can result in bad performance and other life problems. Keep a balanced life is even harder when you do not dedicate appropriate time and energy to other aspects related to your social and health things.

I believe that close friends and family are our true assets in life. When they listen to you without judgment, it creates the most valuable and cherished moments.

Identifying a supportive colleague within the company who values your experiences during stressful moments is essential. Equally important is having friends and family who genuinely listen and empathize. Embrace the opportunity to openly discuss your challenges with them.

I am a father of five, and taking breaks and just playing with them and talking to them gives me a massive break from the stress of game development, and sometimes, it even leads to very creative thoughts about features to include. You would be surprised what kids can come up with sometimes. Even if it is something silly, it is worth the laugh. A support system is essential even if they don't understand the technical parts.

Game programming and development can be incredibly stressful. It's common to get stuck on problems and find yourself unable to sleep until you find a solution. I've experienced this many times myself. When you're having trouble solving a problem, take a break and try again later. Additionally, it's important to accurately estimate the time required for tasks. Sometimes managers might expect a task to be completed in one day, even though it realistically takes two. Never succumb to pressure and commit to an unrealistic deadline. Doing so can harm your mental health and result in poor output. Instead, take the time to assess how long you need to deliver a polished and high-quality product. By managing your time wisely

Managing time properly is crucial, especially when working with deadlines and strict time constraints. Using your time wisely is important because there is only so much you can do in a day, and planning sets you up to succeed. Additionally, it will allow you to spread your workload over time.

Adopting a flexible approach has been crucial in managing the dynamic landscape of game development. It’s not just about meeting deadlines but also about maintaining a balance that fosters creativity and innovation. By adjusting the schedules and expectations, we can navigate the challenges more effectively and continue to deliver high-quality work without burning out.

Be a generalist in an industry that pushes you towards specializing. Go against the grain, don't believe what billionaires tell you, start listening to seven year old autistic kids instead. They are the future, and don't you wanna be part of it?

It's funny to hear advice like "don't bring your work home." Well, I work remotely or hybrid, so part of my work is always here at home with me. Prioritizing work varies depending on: > Your professional experience > Your craft > The team’s ways of working This might oversimplify things, but I believe the most valuable approach is: > Understanding the project’s purpose and goals > Clarifying with the team what you’re expected to deliver > Estimating the effort (considering both best and worst cases) > Breaking down the work into smaller tasks (using bullet points, for example) > Identifying priorities and clarifying uncertainties as you dig into the work Communication is the core - talk to the team to ensure the right work happens!

Its very easy to read other's advice and feel the need to apply it to the way you work and the way you do things. But just remember that if something applies to someone else, it may not apply to you. Find what works best for you. Once you do, not only will your work become more enjoyable and fun but so will your personal life. I like to believe that there is always a balance and it depends on the individual on how far this balance sways between work and what they do outside of work.

There's no one-size-fits-all configuration. So try your style, find your own meta: Beware of the "Apply All" button for others' advice - Remember: What works for the raid boss might not work for the NPC The Work-Life Balance Slider: Some devs thrive with it at 50/50, others at 70/30 or even 30/70 - The "right" balance is the one that doesn't make you want to rage-quit life The "Don't Bring Work Home" Myth: For remote/hybrid devs, work is always in your base.