What do you do if you're struggling with procrastination in the gaming industry?

If I want to contribute? Sure! Why not? Just have to keep eating those baby carrots and avoid helping AI. That's my motto. :)

What makes you ditch your work and reach for the controller? Is it social media notifications, a messy workspace, or fatigue? Recognizing your procrastination triggers is the first step to avoiding them.

Data folk in the gaming industry deal with huge tasks and tricky problems all the time. When I start feeling stuck, I just dive in with something easy, like organizing my data or sketching out a model. It's like warming up before the main game. This small start keeps me moving, and I mix it up with different tasks during the day. One simple task and a bit of the bigger project daily keep me on track without feeling overwhelmed. It's like making sure I score a little each day, so I'm always moving forward.

Working related to gaming industry is awesome, but sometimes it feels like the fun monster gets scared away. Maybe it's the fear of messing up. What if it's not good enough? But hey, even the coolest games team production weren't perfect at first. We can fix stuff later. Feeling burnt out? Yeah, every related job to gaming has their unique marathons and always tough. Take breaks, for sure, but don't let the fire die out completely! Maybe work on a smaller part, to get that spark back.

I like to tackle procrastination by breaking down the big picture into bite-sized pieces. It's like creating a mini-game within the larger game. I use a tools Jira to set up smaller tasks, making sure each one is a step I can actually finish or make progress on in a day. This way, even on days when I can't do it all, I still end the day a step ahead. For me, It's about making sure every day counts, turning those huge, scary tasks into a series of small, manageable wins.

Vague goals like "work on the game" are procrastination magnets. Get specific! Break down projects into actionable steps with deadlines.

Quando penso em desenvolvimento de jogos, costumo identificar as principais características que devem ser entregues. Com ajuda de uma EAP (Estrutura Analítica de Projeto) e Mapa Mental consigo dimensionar holisticamente a quantidade de coisas que devem ser pensadas para ser entregue, se elas tem dependências e a prioridade de cada uma; com isso posso dividir em tarefas menores e ter êxito na produção.

I've found that managing my time wisely is key to beating procrastination. Our CEO is big on deep work, so I've been blocking off chunks of time (2-3 hour stretches) in my schedule, away from meetings, to dive deep into complex tasks. I even set aside a no-meeting day to tackle the toughest challenges head-on. It's about making sure I have that uninterrupted time to level up on my projects.

Master your schedule. Use timeboxing to dedicate focused periods to specific tasks, minimizing distractions. Tools like the Pomodoro Technique can be your allies.

Figuring out my peak creative hours—am I an early bird or a night owl?—has been a game-changer. I do my deep, focused work during these prime times, saving meetings for later. This way, by the time I'm dialing into calls, I've already scored a win with solid progress or a completed task. It's all about setting up each day for that sense of achievement, keeping the motivation high and the procrastination low.

Structure helps combat procrastination. Establish a regular work schedule, even if you work remotely. Treat your workday like you would a gaming session – with dedication and focus.

Ter disciplina através de constância é mais importante do que picos de produção com grandes latências. É essencial que a disciplina faça parte do dia-a-dia do desenvolvedor como um balizador de trabalho. Quando mais vezes você se dedicar ao trabalho, melhor vai ser a visão de construção do jogo, mesmo que seja um curto espaço de tempo dedicado diariamente no desenvolvimento.

In our team-centric gaming industry, leaning on each other for accountability has been a real eye-opener for me. Knowing that my teammates are relying on me adds an extra layer of motivation to beat procrastination. We have our daily stand-ups where we share our progress, and I've found that being transparent about where I'm at—no sugarcoating if I'm behind—really helps. And I'm all for cutting down on meeting time. If I'm not essential to the discussion, I'll ask if I can skip it to focus on my tasks. It's about finding that balance between staying in the loop and having the time to actually get things done.

Find Accountability: Share your goals with a colleague or friend. Regular check-ins create a sense of responsibility and keep you motivated.

É muito importante que você consiga entender que o seu trabalho deve ser recompensador. Não basta ficar horas desenvolvendo sem descanso e construindo algo que vai afetar seu estado mental de forma a retirar o prazer em ver as obras de suas mãos sendo concretizadas. Você é seu maior ativo e precisa de uma autoavaliação periódica, com benefícios bem definidos por si mesmo quando conseguir realizar um objetivo ou atingir uma meta.

É fundamental que você tenha um grupo de amigos da área perto de você. Mesmo que eles trabalhem em projetos distintos, ter alguém com que compartilhar suas conquistas pessoais, assim como seus problemas se preconceitos e respeito, faz sua carga mental diminuir e poder ver que você não está sozinho nessa carreira. Isso ajuda a continuar realizando o que você seus sonhos. Assim como o ferro afia o próprio ferro, as pessoas aprendem umas com as outras.