While participating in Club Penguin armies can be thrilling and engaging, it can also be easy to get carried away and lose track of time. We will look into how to manage time efficiently and how you can look after yourselves by doing so.
Designed by Wynn
Managing time is an important skill in both real life and Club Penguin armies. Getting swept up in the excitement and camaraderie of war and events can come at the cost of time, which is taken away from a person’s responsibilities. It is important to have a plan set in place to manage your time to prevent this from happening. In addition to managing your time wisely, building in much-needed breaks is also important. One helpful solution is taking a break from the screen every so often. Taking breaks will not only improve your mood, but they will also help with focus.
Whilst armies can be fun, they also are very time-consuming, especially for those with responsibilities. An average event lasts 30 minutes, but troops are asked to log on 30 minutes before. This brings the total up to an hour for the average troop. However, if you factor in hyping the pre-event build-up then that brings it up to an hour and a half per event. Now, for those with more responsibilities, planning, writing event posts, taking on army duties, managing staff, making guides, helping people create accounts, recruiting, hosting game nights and more must be factored in. Factoring all of this in, armies can take several hours from a person’s schedule.
It’s important to acknowledge that while people participate in armies, they must also fulfil their daily duties and responsibilities. These can include work/school, planning and preparing for the next day, shopping, a person’s routine (including eating/sleeping), taking care of others, travel, etc. Not to mention any family time that a younger person may have or the breaks that they have to factor into their schedule for themselves. With this in mind, it seems almost impossible to be able to factor in all army responsibilities.
However, when war season comes around, the impossible schedule becomes extremely impossible. During 1v1 wars, four battles could take place per day. These battles could feature two battles, one after the other, or they could be spread throughout the day. Either one of these can make a person’s life even more difficult, especially for staff/leaders. As battles take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes, four can take up six hours of a person’s time. It’s also important to bear in mind that at least one leader must be at each battle. Some take it upon themselves to try and be at every battle. Therefore, some people may try to pull all-nighters to make their schedule work. Some even skip out on their daily duties too. But, this is extremely unhealthy and produces risks to a person’s life and career.
The long hours put into wars and setting up battles can take a toll on a person, as well as drain them of any time for activities in real life. Being engaged in war can also take a toll on a person emotionally as they can get caught up in the drama that comes with war. A person could become infuriated with losses, be offended by jabs (tactics) more easily, and become more on edge. This is why it becomes crucial to look after yourself and others in armies. Managing time is just one part of that.
Spending too much time online can lead to a decrease in productivity and motivation. It can even have an impact on mental health, leading to anxiety and stress. This may not only affect a person but also how that person acts towards other people. Many people suffer from stress during these times but fail to get help.
Putting screen time limits on a device can help create a balance between Club Penguin armies and real life to manage your time more efficiently. Setting up a screen time tracker or app like OffScreen or using the default IOS app can help manage your time online and help decrease stress over online responsibilities. Both apps also offer the option of sending push notification reminders with the latter having built-in timers and pick-up tracking.
Keeping a schedule may also help with separating real life from armies. While certain things cannot be scheduled for specific times, it’s crucial to carefully plan out the day. If a person has school or is working they may want to schedule that in for those days. They may also want to set out a time for food breaks including breakfast. Also, it’s important to have downtime factored into a schedule to take time for yourself and destress.
Alongside all of this, it is important to have someone who you can talk to and confide in. While we all like to keep any negatives private, it is important that you are able to vent to someone either in real life or anonymously. Being able to share any worries can help a person destress and consider things in a more open-minded way. But what else can we do to help manage our time and stay safe online?
To help us understand more about the importance of taking breaks and managing time, Club Penguin Armies obtained an interview with Water Vikings HCOM, Meii. This is what they had to say:
How do you balance out attending battles and real life?
I’m pretty good at balancing things out. When I know there’s an event at the same time as something I already have planned, I usually try to finish what I have planned before or after the event. Sometimes, of course, it’s impossible, but I do try my best to keep everything balanced.
How do you keep yourself motivated and focused during times of immense stress?
It’s very hard sometimes, but I remind myself that stress is temporary and won’t last forever. I know how destructive stress can be, so I always do my best to calm down. I thank my friends for helping me with that. They give me that “kick” that I need to keep going!
Do you find that taking regular breaks can help to improve your performance and effectiveness?
Yes! For me, breaks help clear my mind so I can look at tasks with a better mindset and new ideas. However, I often keep pushing myself even when I know I need a break. I’m working on it as I know it will help a lot with my focus and ability to complete tasks.
It seems like Meii likes to plan the things they’re going to do before they do them. It’s important to remember that while Club Penguin armies are fun, staying healthy is important. It’s essential to maintain boundaries and limits to continue having fun both online and in real life. But what do you think? Would any of these suggestions be helpful for you? What helps you maintain a good balance between armies and real life?
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Mchappy is interning at Club Penguin Armies as the Chief Executive Producer. Max held him at gunpoint to finish his biography.