What some people don’t realize is that when you gamble and you’re having fun, you tend to lost track of time. You suddenly find out when you look at your watch that you’ve been pulling that lever for more than a few hours. Losing track of time when gambling is not that rare.
If you don’t want to be one of those who suddenly find themselves missing one day of the week because of gambling, here are some tips you can follow for gambling time management:
Plot your gambling schedule before you sit down – With the advent of gadgets that can do everything (think smartphone), you can easily set a timer for when you start and stop playing anything. Set a limit for your slot machine time, set a limit for your table time, and follow these strictly. Even when you feel like you’re on a winning streak, don’t go beyond your allocated time for your gaming.
One example of this is when you spend more time on a slot machine because you feel that it’s going to give you the jackpot on the next spin, and the next spin, and the next. To stop this from happening, set a timer on your phone and place it on vibrate. Place it in your pants pocket or your shirt pocket (somewhere where you can feel it vibrate) and get up as soon as it goes off, regardless of whether you feel you are about to win or not.
Stick to your bankroll – Always set a bankroll limit when you gamble. This way, if you run out of money while gambling, you know that it’s time to stop. Never run after your losses by adding to your bankroll when it runs out. The moment you are out of money, stop. This way, you not only save yourself from losing more than you should but you also end up with more time you can do other things with.
To set a bankroll, you either choose to stop when you reach a specific amount of money in losses or you set a limit for each gambling trip. The best option is the former since it stops you from losing more than you’re comfortable with when it comes to losses. The latter is for when you are actually gambling professionally or gamble regularly. With a set budget for each gambling day or trip, and following the guidelines you set for your bankroll, you won’t use up more time than you should.
It’s also worth noting that when you stick to your bankroll, you also end up getting used to gambling only what you can readily afford. Going beyond what you’ve allocated for the day will not only make you lose time but also money. If you depend on gambling as your source of income, or even if it’s only a pastime, losing more than you can readily afford is never a good thing.
Stay in control – One of the mistakes people make when they gamble is that they let the urge to win take control of them and their time. YOU are in control, not your winning streak and not your urge to continue gambling. Always keep in mind that you are there to make money and not to lose money. When you start to hemorrhage your bankroll beyond your set limits, you know you’re no longer in the driver’s seat of your gambling. Always ensure that you are the one controlling what you are doing and not the other way around.
How do you ensure that you are always in control when you gamble? One is you never let the urge to win more become a driving force in what you do. Sure, everyone wants to win more but if you do this beyond your allocated time, you are essentially courting more than just monetary losses. You may find yourself losing a lot of time as well.
Staying in control means sticking to your gambling schedule and sticking to your bankroll limits, regardless of whether you are winning big or not. Don’t be a slave to your gambling. It should always be under your control and not the other way around.
Allocate time for other things – When you schedule your gambling trips or gambling days, always intersperse these with other things. Round out your schedule to ensure that you don’t end up pulling that lever all day or pushing that button for hours on end. If you’re gambling online, as mentioned earlier, set an alarm so you know when to stop.
Plot other things to do during your day or schedule breaks that allow you to take care of other things. For those who gamble at home, set a timer for when you have to prepare dinner, have to go out to buy groceries, have to read a book, or even to watch a movie or two on your TV. Divide your time and do other things with it so you don’t end up gambling your entire day away.
If you have family, it is even more important for you to allocate time for other stuff, particularly time for them and the things that you do together. Remember that these online casinos and landbased gambling outlets will always be there when you get back but members of your family won’t be there all the time. Children grow up, the elderly get older, and you may soon find yourself alone if you don’t keep careful track of time.
Conclusion
Always remember that there should be time for everything in your life. Whether you are gambling for a living or enjoying it as a pastime, always manage your time properly to ensure it doesn’t get away from you. Would you spend all your time at work? Would you spend all your time doing nothing at home? The same goes for gambling. Should you spend all your time gambling?
The answer to all of these is NO and you should remember that. Proper time management will give you a full life – one that lets you do everything you want without skirting on obligations and other activities that you should always have in your life. And that includes time for family, time for self, and of course, time for gambling.
