Instead of binging a game over an entire weekend and burning yourself out.. slow down, just play for an hour a week. Treat it like a weekly TV episode of a currently airing show. I follow a couple television series weekly and don't fret myself for wasted time because I only spend 2 hours a week watching them.

Life is all about experiences. I am sad for those who go through life without experiencing video games in moderation. They provide one of a kind interactive experiences that you won't find anywhere else in life.

> slow down, just play for an hour a week.

Some games really reward spending more time with them, and getting into the "flow". I think playing Factorio for an hour and then stopping would just feel frustrating - like cooking up a delicious meal, eating a spoonful, and running out the door.

Maybe; I limit my gaming this way - to 40 minute increments, and then go do something else.

If anything I think it makes me prioritizes games where 40 minutes is a satisfying adventure and skip games where 40 minutes is just time-wasting.

Same. In my case I have real world problems that need my attention and I struggle to justify playing games while those problems loom. Only exception is playing games with my kid, but that is time boxed.

The time I put into Nintendo Switch with my kid in the last year is the most I've gamed since very early 2000s

I still play games but I lost my ability to “lost myself in time” while playing games, what you’re describing does not happen to me anymore. And I dearly miss it.

"lost a weekend" - it's called having fun. You loose a week if you work for someone else.