Gaming Schedule

This guide helps manage gaming platform access with reasonable limits while still allowing enjoyment.

Overview

Goal: Enjoy gaming without it taking over

Strategy:

Block gaming during work/school hours
Allow evenings and weekends
Moderate friction to prevent binges
Special allowances for multiplayer sessions

Configuration

Complete Example

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "settings": {
    "timezone": "America/New_York",
    "editor": null
  },
  "blocklist": [
    {
      "domain": "store.steampowered.com",
      "description": "Steam store - prevent impulse purchases",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "19:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "23:59"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "10:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "epicgames.com",
      "description": "Epic Games store",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "19:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "23:59"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "10:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "twitch.tv",
      "description": "Game streaming",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "20:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "19:00", "end": "23:59"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "12:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "discord.com",
      "description": "Gaming chat",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "17:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "09:00", "end": "23:59"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "reddit.com",
      "description": "Gaming subreddits temptation",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "10:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "youtube.com",
      "description": "Gaming videos",
      "unblock_delay": "0",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "12:00", "end": "13:00"},
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "09:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "origin.com",
      "description": "EA launcher",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["friday", "saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "17:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "battle.net",
      "description": "Blizzard launcher",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["friday", "saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "17:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ],
  "allowlist": []
}

Understanding the Schedule

Weekday Gaming

00:00 ─────────────────────────────────────────────── 23:59
      BLOCKED     │     GAMING     │    BLOCKED
      ────────────┼────────────────┼────────────
         00-19:00 │    19:00-22:00 │    22:00-24

Why stop at 10 PM?

Sleep is important
Prevents “just one more game” at midnight
Fresh for next day

Friday Night Special

00:00 ─────────────────────────────────────────────── 23:59
      BLOCKED     │        LATE GAMING
      ────────────┼─────────────────────────────────
         00-18:00 │           18:00-23:59

Extended hours to reward week completion.

Weekend Freedom

00:00 ─────────────────────────────────────────────── 23:59
 SLEEP │            GAMING ALL DAY            │ SLEEP
 ──────┼──────────────────────────────────────┼──────
 00-10 │              10:00-23:00             │ 23-24

Platform-Specific Notes

Steam

Why block the store?

Prevents impulse purchases
Limits browsing when you should work
4h delay = time to reconsider purchases

Note: Games you own still work locally.

Discord

More lenient because:

Friends communication
Coordination for multiplayer
30m delay = quick friction

Twitch

Why shorter hours weekdays?

Passive consumption
Easy to binge
Limited to after dinner

Multiplayer Sessions

Scheduled Raid Nights

If your guild/clan has scheduled events:

// Add specific times
{
  "days": ["wednesday"],  // Raid night
  "time_ranges": [
    {"start": "20:00", "end": "23:00"}
  ]
}

Spontaneous Gaming

For unplanned sessions with friends:

# If Discord is blocked, start the delay
nextdns-blocker unblock discord.com
# Wait for delay to complete, then coordinate

Or add to allowlist temporarily:

nextdns-blocker allow discord.com
# After session:
nextdns-blocker disallow discord.com

New Game Releases

Launch Day Strategy

When a new game releases:

Option 1: Plan ahead

Schedule vacation day
Weekend release = normal weekend access

Option 2: Temporary adjustment

nextdns-blocker config edit
# Increase hours temporarily
# Revert after launch week

Option 3: Accept the delay

4h delay means you can still play
Just can’t impulse-buy immediately

Preventing Binges

Hard Stop Times

Schedules end at specific times:

Weekdays: 10 PM
Weekends: 11 PM

After that, blocking resumes automatically.

Morning Protection

No gaming until after 10 AM weekends:

Ensures breakfast
Prevents all-day sessions starting at 6 AM

The 4-Hour Delay

For game stores:

Can’t impulse-buy at 2 AM
Time to research reviews
Price comparisons
Sleep on it

Adjusting for Life Changes

During Busy Periods

Exams, deadlines, etc.:

# Use panic mode
nextdns-blocker panic 8h  # Full day focus

# Or reduce schedule
nextdns-blocker config edit
# Limit to weekends only temporarily

During Vacations

More relaxed:

nextdns-blocker config edit
# Increase available hours temporarily

Permanent Changes

If schedule doesn’t fit life:

Track which times you want access
Adjust config to match actual needs
Keep some friction (delays)

Tips for Healthy Gaming

Set Session Limits

Even when available:

Set phone timer for breaks
Hydrate and stretch
2-hour max sessions

Prioritize:

Multiplayer with friends
Co-op experiences
Community events

Over:

Solo grinding
Endless open-world roaming
Autoplayed content

Quality Over Quantity

Use blocked time to:

Research games you actually want
Read reviews thoughtfully
Maintain a backlog (not buy everything)

Troubleshooting

”I missed guild raid”

Add raid times to schedule:

nextdns-blocker config edit

“Friend invited me to play”

Quick options:

# If discord blocked, start the delay timer
nextdns-blocker unblock discord.com

# Or add to allowlist temporarily
nextdns-blocker allow discord.com

“4h delay is too long”

For casual gamers, reduce:

"unblock_delay": "30m"

But keep some friction for stores to prevent impulse purchases.