What do you do if your game development career is taking a toll on your personal life?

1 Set realistic goals

One of the most common sources of stress for game developers is setting unrealistic or vague goals for their projects. You may have a grand vision for your game, but you also need to consider your resources, skills, time, and budget. If you try to do too much, too fast, or too perfect, you may end up feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or burned out. To avoid this, you need to set SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART goals help you break down your project into manageable tasks, prioritize your work, track your progress, and celebrate your achievements.

2 Manage your time

Another key skill for game developers is time management. You need to plan your work schedule, allocate your hours, and stick to your deadlines. You also need to balance your work time with your personal time, and make sure you have enough rest, leisure, and social activities. A good way to manage your time is to use a calendar, a timer, or a productivity app to organize your tasks, set reminders, and limit distractions. You can also use the Pomodoro technique, which involves working in short bursts of 25 minutes, followed by 5-minute breaks. This can help you stay focused, motivated, and energized.

3 Communicate effectively

Communication is essential for game development, whether you work alone or with a team. You need to communicate your ideas, feedback, expectations, and issues with your colleagues, clients, or players. You also need to communicate your needs, feelings, and boundaries with your family, friends, or partners. Effective communication can help you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and resentment. It can also help you build trust, collaboration, and support. To communicate effectively, you need to listen actively, speak clearly, ask questions, and use empathy.

4 Seek help

Game development can be a lonely and isolating career, especially if you work from home or on your own. You may feel like you have to figure everything out by yourself, or that no one understands your challenges. However, you don't have to suffer in silence. You can seek help from various sources, such as mentors, coaches, peers, online communities, or professional services. Seeking help can help you learn new skills, solve problems, get feedback, or find resources. It can also help you cope with stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues.

5 Have fun

Last but not least, game development should be fun. After all, you are making games because you love them, right? You should enjoy the process of creating, testing, and playing your games. You should also have fun outside of work, by pursuing your hobbies, interests, or passions. Having fun can help you relax, recharge, and reconnect with yourself and others. It can also help you boost your creativity, motivation, and happiness. So, don't forget to have fun, and remember why you started game development in the first place.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?