Becoming a professional gamer was incredibly difficult to achieve a few years ago. With the advent of streaming sites such as Twitch, there is now a chance for anyone to become a pro gamer or at least make money playing games.
However, becoming a gaming pro is not easy in the slightest. It requires dedication, patience, time, and obviously some luck thrown in. Here is how to become a better gamer and move closer to going pro.
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Steps to Being a Better Gamer
There are some steps you can take to improve your schedule and ability when playing any game. Here are the steps to take to transform how well you perform when playing.
Sleep Schedule
One thing that many gamers always seem to lack is sleep. Sleep is needed to recharge the body and mind, allow your reflexes to perform as well as possible, and improve your sight and ability to see small details in-game.
It is essential to devise a sleep schedule that allows you to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. It is far too easy to say “one more game,” and you go to bed later and later. Having a set time you shut everything down and head to bed is a must.
Meals
Eating is essential, but convenience always seems to be substituted for quality, especially when you don’t want to end a practice session, or you’ve been playing well, and you don’t want to break the streak.
Preparing homemade meals isn’t as challenging as some people think, and it doesn’t take as long as you think either. Take the time to make yourself some good food, and eat it at the appropriate times. Don’t shovel dinner down just before bed; eat when you should.
Practice Schedule
A practice schedule is needed to ensure your day isn’t consumed with just gaming. Setting times for when you start playing and when you switch off for the day will allow you to maintain a healthy routine.
A schedule will also allow you to make time for making food and the next to essentials on this list, breaks, and exercise.
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Breaks
The busiest workers on the planet still take breaks, and therefore there is no reason you shouldn’t either. Spending your whole day playing for hours on end, going to bed, and waking up and doing it again will only lead to burnout.
The perfect break would be 30 minutes away from all screens, whether that means going for a walk, making some food, reading, it doesn’t matter. As old as it might sound, going outside and getting some fresh air will make you feel a hundred times better almost instantly.
Exercise
Exercise, to some degree, is a must. Sitting for hours on end is certainly not good for your body and will lead to long-term problems. Getting up and exercising will allow your muscles to stretch, your blood to flow, and make your body feel rejuvenated.
Even something as simple as a stretching routine or yoga is enough. There’s no need to hit the bench press and treadmill; a 20 to 30-minute stretching or yoga routine is more than sufficient to keep your body loose and healthy.
Take Some Time Off
Some gamers think that taking an extended break is enough to end their chances of going pro or reaching the top; this couldn’t be further from the truth. Any pro-gamer or streamer will tell you that taking a few days off is the best thing you can do.
While doing the other things on this list will help, sometimes taking a week off away from your screen is enough to revitalize you, refresh your body and mind, and allow you to perform at your very best when you come back again.
Signs of Burnout
There may be another reason why your gaming routine is failing, and that could be down to burnout. Burnout can be a killer and can also be the sole cause of derailing your entire pro-gamer journey. These are the signs of burnout.
Mental and Physical Exhaustion
The first sign of burnout is usually just being physically and mentally tired. No matter how much sleep you get, you still feel exhausted every day. This can be caused by not taking breaks or getting enough sleep.
Going back to a sleep schedule, taking some time off from playing, and getting enough sleep is the first and probably best step to fixing this exhaustion. How long it takes to fix the problem depends on you as an individual, but it’s an excellent place to start.
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Disinterest in Enjoyable Activities
Losing interest in things outside of gaming that you once enjoyed is another tell-tale sign of burnout. Not getting the same joy or excitement when doing the activity is further proof of mental exhaustion.
Going back to having a practice schedule and taking breaks, make time for the things you like doing outside of gaming; it gives your brain a chance to reset and break the monotony of repeatedly playing the same game.
Reduced Performance
It should be easy to spot when you aren’t playing as well as you usually do. Reduced performance is a sign of mental and physical exhaustion, and this aspect is often more reliable as a sign of burnout, as you will notice that you aren’t playing well sooner than seeing that you’re tired.
Not having the same reflexes, making stupid mistakes that you don’t usually make, lagging behind the competition or teammates are all signs that you are probably mentally tired and need a break.