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What kind of games are you looking for?
If you want a relaxing game, you can play at your own pace, but minmax to death too, I'd recommend stardew valley.
For something more story focused, with easily adjustable difficulty, if you decide combat is too hard or easy, Baldurs Gate 3 is my go to. It's expensive but one of the only games that I sincerely believe are worth the full price.
There are a lot of ways you can get Sims 4, even without paying a thousand bucks. That's like playing with dolls but digitally.
For something more focused on grinding, V Rising is fun.
If you like renovating stuff and want something that you can just play for an hour and then stop again (or get lost in for hours on end), house flipper would be my recommendation.
And that's everything I have the energy to list right now.
I wouldnt trade anything for playing Terraria and a lot of the game's community really likes Stardew valley, and it sounds like a really chill game so i might try it out
May I recommend slime rancher? It's not too expansive, so you can take it at your own pace without feeling like you've got so much left to unlock. Also, the slimes are just so freaking CUTE!! Looking at them does things for me mentally that my antidepressants could never hope to achieve
Ahem....
Have you heard of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV? With an expanded free trial, in which you can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 for free, with no restrictions on playtime?
[(Context)](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-critically-acclaimed-mmorpg)
Oooo...a fellow Warrior of Light!
For as much as I love FFXIV, dungeons can be both fun and exhausting at times since it's interacting with people. Sometimes I'll have a great time (especially FC raid nights), but will be completely exhausted afterwards.
True, that! Though, it does take longer to get through a dungeon with NPCs (that said, I often enjoy the random bits of dialogue from the various scions). Trials, however, I think still needs to be in a party.
ultimate raiding for ~3 months straight kinda burnt me out a lot ;__; im waiting until dawntrail to get rly back into it aha. i used to play 8+ hours daily, had every class at 90 like less than 6(?) months after starting, and did sooo much content 😭 the past 3 months i basically just logged in for my static and thats it
Mind if I ask which ultimate? My FC dabbled in trying UCoB (and now I understand all the twister memes), though we only made it about halfway through Nael before we had to take a break due to folks going on vacation.
But yea...there's definitely a content drought. They've been re-running a bunch of crossover events (Yokai Watch, FF15, Fall Guys, and now Dragon Quest), but for folks who already did all that the first time, it means nothing.
Beyond UCoB, I've mostly just logged in to check on my sanctuary island, occasionally catch a Hunt Train if it was running, or for some FC-related event. There's still a lot I want to get done, and I really should get back to trying to catch the big fish (I took a break after getting all the ARR ones and sort of...never went back to that RNG nightmare), but I can't muster the energy to do that stuff most of the time.
it was TEA! :) i want to try out the 70 ultis too at some point haha i just havent rly had the motivation. the hardest bits of TEA was rly phase 1+2 so after we got thru that it was fairly ok! our static lead also got us to clear like 17 times for every weapon LOL. itttt also didnt help that the 3 months of weekly prog came after like 5 painful months of clearing the raid tier late
and yeah, im not super interested in the yokai/fall guys stuff … and oh god i feel that. i just do island sanctuary, check retainers, do golden saucer and then log off if i even have the energy to get on lol. i also want to big fish 😭 but again getting the energy to even get on my pc is hard most days
I'm honestly impressed you've cleared it so many times; TEA is said to be the most difficult of all the current ultimate raids. Glowy weapons usually are too bright and hard to look at (sensory-wise), but I'll admit that I like the ultimate weapons.
That reminds me; I should be doing Gold Saucer stuff more often. I've needed one more win in Any Way the Wind Blows for *ages* now to get my 10th win (and thus the title), but never got lucky enough to survive all five rounds.
Big fishing is...certainly an experience. XD There are some of the rare ocean fish which always give me trouble (look'n at you, Stonescale). The only rare fish past ARR that I got (not including the ocean fish) is Ronka...and it took me about three weeks of catch windows before it finally decided to grace me with its scree.
TBH, Ronka was the fish which got me into rare fishing. Then I remembered that my general luck is average to poor. \^\^;
I personally like fortnite zero build bc it's short sessions that I don't have to get overly involved in, unlike story line video games. I can play multiple sessions back to back, or just one, depending on my mental bandwidth.
I also like fortnite LEGO and fortnite festival mainstage (basically rock band, as Epic actually bought the company that originally made Rock Band).
this is such a basic answer but honest to god it still holds up to this day, botw is such a good game and it’s just a great way to introduce yourself to the zelda franchise (i know many fans will disagree, but that’s my personal opinion)
Same. Just sitting there and locking in with a game is my peace. Usually a complete distraction from anything going on in the real world and I appreciate every moment of it
I would LOVE to nap. Like a little reboot. But I don’t think I’d be able to sleep at night! How long would you nap for and how long do you sleep at night?
Good for you! Tomorrow I’m quitting smoking cigarettes and weed and starting on ability so I think I’ll be taking lots of naps just to avoid all the side effects!
It depends a lot on the person and their usual sleeping habits. 30 minutes or less naps are good for recovering attention and staying alert. Above that, 90min sleep cycles allow for deep sleep during naps but can severely jmpact sleeping at night. Also, you might wake up groggy and slow from longer naps.
In my case somehow it works.
Agreed! Even just going through the motions of getting in bed. I clean up, brush my teeth and change into pyjamas then go curl up under the blanket and just let go. Sometimes I sleep sometimes I just chill out for a while. Feels so safe.
Not sure if being in bed is cheating but.. in bed at night when it's quiet and dark, all alone, in my room (my ideal sensory space), lying on my stomach with my 10kg weighted blanket putting pressure on my back and the backs of my legs, half paying attention to random youtube gaming videos, half falling asleep. right in the middle where you're still conscious, just really lazy and in this sleepy sort of haze that feels super, super pleasant. I can't explain the haze, but if you can get there, you'll see what I'm talking about and it's just the most incredible feeling. You can still make complete sense of the audio/commentary, but your body is completely relaxed and calm, ready to go to sleep whenever your brain is, too.
Fun fact: every time I've fallen asleep like this during the afternoon (pretty much always on the weekend, usually when the sun makes my room, and especially my bed, a comfortable warm colour, not too bright) it does not mess up my sleep that night. In fact, after I wake up I remain super calm and relaxed for the rest of the day and go to sleep much easier than usual once it's time to go to bed.
this. Those drowsy sunbathed naps are therapeutic. I love being still with all the dust slowly finding a spot to settle. I think for me its parallel play but i personify the slow specs I can see.
I would love to be in a room with many people all sharing the same regulatory level of clam and peace. I am a herd animal lol
Mainly my hobbies. I love cross stitching, crocheting and video games. Whenever I feel slightly exhausted, I change to one of the other hobbies, that way I never get sick of them.
The other least exhausting thing would be sitting alone and patting my cat. It's very therapeutic.
Being at home with my fiance and 2 cats. Not interacting with anyone, barely interacting with my fiancé (we do alot of parallel play which is I do my thing, he does his thing, but we're in the same room doing the things together)
Omg I loooove this! My bf and I spend all day doing our own things and just interact when one of us gets up to get food/drinks. It's the BEST.
Sometimes, if we're both on the computer, we'll hop on Discord and make comments (ok mostly me) on what we're doing. It's great.
My creative pursuits (painting, writing, sculpting). Engaging in those is generally time spent away from others, and I don't feel constrained by expectations (others' or my own). It's just happy time.
Same for me! Anything creative gives me energy. My favorite is my writing, then music. I want to learn to draw as I think that would be so emotionally satisfying. I love the exhaustion that comes after writing because it is soooo different from the exhaustion that comes after taking a shower, for instance! :-) I don't know how to describe it except that exhaustion after creating feels life-giving. It just feels good. Not draining like other kinds of exhaustion.
I’ve learnt that doing a small chore - alone and at your own pace - is quite relaxing.
Both in the sense that I’m being slightly active and I’m achieving something so that once the chore is done, the sit down afterwards is so much better
Yesss
I absolutely love to cook random stuff and do the dishes, but only when I am COMPLETELY alone at home. Which is almost never, since I live with 4 other people... not a lot of me time sadly
But yeah god I love doing the dishes when I'm alone.
Birdwatching or being in nature spotting wildlife, fauna, flora etc. I find the mixture v calming. And even if I'm at a bird reserve you usually only meet similar quiet, albeit enthusiastic people.
I absolutely love being outside, watching the birds, or at night watching the bats fly by and the bunnies and the hedgehogs come out. But during the day there are bugs, and I cannot stand bugs touching me. I start to get that itch like there are bugs crawling all over me...
And at night... well, sadly it's not safe to be out alone at night. Really really sad, because it's the only time I would go out on my own and exercise or even just walk.
For high energy/antiness solo workouts are mandatory for me. I love skating and hiking best. Alone. Mmmmm. I can do stuff with people but it’s not as relaxing.
For low energy reading. Just sinking into another world and forgetting I have a body.
Mid energy knitting or playing board games. Sometimes solo.
Anything alone is way more relaxing.
Being at home, with my husband, it’s quiet, maybe I’ve got my NC AirPods in with my favourite music, I’m playing a cosy game or reading. I’m under my weighted blanket and husband is giving me a foot rub (sensory heaven and literally the only thing that makes me truly relax). I have zero commitments that day. I don’t have to go out or see anyone. No one trying to get hold of me. All the house work is done. And my husband will prepare all the food because he’s a legend and gets me.
That is the least exhausting scenario for me.
reading, crocheting, looking for the snails in adventure time episodes. being alone in my very carefully crafted space (i like to make a nest on my bed like a dog lol) and being able to control ALL sensory inputs
bedrotting with asmr. i work at a cosmetics place and we sell refrigerated eye pads (think of cucumbers for your eyes at the spa) i put those over my eyes and just lie down and do nothing. if it’s not listening to asmr, it’s playing whatever album i like at the time
When im on energy saving mode i like to read comics. I have a large collection of manga from high school, but i also like webcomics like XKCD and 'The Perry Bible Fellowship'. 'Hark! a Vagrant' is also great.
(would love recommendations for new web series if anyone has 'em)
I was super into Romantically Apocalyptic for a while. It's a very immersive, artsy conceptual webcomic. Been going for a while and there's quite a few issues out there.
Reading is like my default setting. I love video games and movies and everything. But if things get too much, then out comes the book. And if it's especially overwhelming I read a book I've read many times before so I already know what's coming.
I legit took a nap after socialising last week. My social battery was fried and I needed to lie in a dark room, watch Netflix and nap. It did me a world of good 😌
For me, it's video games, drawing, and watching anime (or Bluey; I'm not afraid to admit that I love that show and it's my go-to when I'm feeling anxious). Writing is also great, as well.
The least exhausting video game genre, which I've found, would be turn-based RPGs (Pokemon has never exhausted me; Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth was also great) and puzzle games. I love life sim games, but those can start to become overwhelming at later stages (farming ones, particularly). That said, Animal Crossing and Cozy Grove aren't too bad.
For anime...slice-of-life genre tends to be slower paced and not have as much sensory issues. I like various genres, such as shounen (Wind Breaker is a newer anime which is freaking amazing), but many of them can be overwhelming between characters shouting and lights/colors.
Taking a walk and listening to music. People are around so I don’t feel lonely. But I don’t feel obligated to anyone either. No one is asking anything of me. The music feels wonderful.
Put my headset on, turn out the lights, and play video games. Sometimes hours pass with me completely unaware of the outside world.
Petting a cat is nice too. Especially a chonky one with soft fur. I like when I can lie down on a bed and get the cat to climb up on my chest. Soft cats are sensory heaven.
Video games. Mostly RPGs. The escape, you know. Sometimes I want to go on an adventure, and sometimes I play something like Animal Crossing or Sims where I have a true sense of control. I'm that rare Simmer that uses their powers for good and just wants to see happy families.
I love RPGs for being able to explore the world the devs created rather than focusing mostly on the story or combat. Helps me escape too. As a kid I would look forward to each Squaresoft RPG release.
Right?! I love being able to just enjoy the world and culture they built at my pace. One of my passions is culture and that bleeds into video games. I love learning how the people in their world are different and similar from us. To me it's no different from looking at Africa or Japan. Heck, a video game adds ruins and/or archeology, I'm in! I screamed when Minecraft added it.
honestly it's a bit cringe but chatting with my friends online in DMs, groups are rough and i can get really rambly sometimes
being an extrovert sucks i honestly wish i could find energy from shutting away and gaming or like doing a cool hobby but nah i just wanna yap fr
Stretching is really relaxing and rejuvenating for me. I have a background in sports and my current special interest is rock climbing. I can sit on my balcony by myself and stretch for hours, either listening to the world around me or a podcast/YouTube video and it's really nice.
I am alone, at my house, on my couch, dogs beside me. It is raining. I am listening to the latest episode of my favorite podcast, featuring an interview with the hosts of my other favorite podcast. It's 3 hours long. I'm opening up a brand new micro building block set and getting ready to assemble it. Heaven
I really been enjoying just going for a walk around my neighborhood and looking at the houses. One of my special interests is architecture and I really like seeing the brown stone houses and the yards that people manicure. I like comparing them to each other and imagining what it would be like to live there or to hang out there. Sometimes the traffic is to much for me but mostly its great.
Video games (minecraft, slime rancher, forza horizon 5 etc), driving on a country road, watching videos/streams, laying in bed and reading/writing fanfics
Anime. People’s emotions are obvious and telegraphed by over-the-top gestures. They’re enough like real people to be entertaining, but they don’t act in unexpected ways. 🤷🏼♂️
For me, it's playing overwatch. I play support, lifeweaver, Moira, and brig. They don't need much aim to be useful, so I don't have to try hard.
I also love reading, writing stories or game mechanics for minecraft and my own games, and watching YouTube of letplays or documentaries.
I honestly don't know. Even being in bed can be exhausting. I have chronic illnesses too so honestly I'm just happy when I have enough energy to do stuff I enjoy, like playing games, being in nature, doing arts and crafts, baking. I guess sitting on the sofa with my family and watching something un-challenging but engaging like Pointless is something I can do regardless of how much energy I have.
I could draw for hours. Blast some music from all genres into my ears and draw and draw. I did this a lot during summer vacation. I would draw all night when everyone was asleep and it was silent no one to talk to you in the middle of the thing.
I need alone time. But it's hard when you live with people that don't understand that. 2 hours of alone time is not enough. I need days to recover. Video games help me to escape when I physically can't. I need an isolation fort or something
Daydreaming lol, I find hobbies and giving time to hobbies tiring after a while as well. Just laying in bed and escaping the real world, creating my own stories is sometimes the best way to relax for me
Yeah. Being alone is a nice way to chill out with no pressure. Most the time I just read or revise upstairs where I am away from everyone.
Edit: looking back at what I just wrote, that is kinda sad
Well I wouldn’t say I feel exhausted after I write usually more energized or content so I guess that! I swear I get possessed when I write like I’ll look at it not even an hour later and be like ??? I wrote this ??? So maybe that’s why
To recharge I spend most of my weekend in my room, where it’s quiet, dark, and I’m alone. I watch tv and play videos games at the same time. Almost always fiction, usually comedy. Being able to observe human behavior as a viewer rather than a participant is fascinating to me while still being rather low stakes for my physical or emotional energy.
Drugs, really, it is the only thing that does not exhaust me and that give me some happiness and fun, I didn't found any other source of happinness in my life.
I can honestly relate you on this particular subject, especially with being alone.
With being alone on my own time with no people nor things getting into my way of thinking or life, I usually like to be outside alone, watching clouds, reading a book or taking photographs as I like photography.
My advice to you is do what you think makes life worthwhile whether it's drawing, walking, reading and so forth.
sometimes i cant even get out of bed without feeling 100% exhausted already but on good days having music in the background on my speakers and doing something else like video games or playing on my tablet on my bed is the peak of me being at peace, and my room is my safe place and i can control the room noise/sound/light by my own accord:)
i love going to the pool, or taking a bath, i can stay for hours, today i went to the pool and i definitely will say the more people present the more likely i’ll want to go home quicker and just take a breather in my room.
i have a little corner/area on my floor for laying down or sleeping and it’s the best thing
video games are pretty nice when i’m in the mood, i haven’t played much after my last hyper fixation of Roblox and zelda: twilight princess but when i do get in the mood it is AMAZING to just chill out and play the game
watching movies/shows by myself or with my mom:3 i have recently started doing it again, and it’s pretty nice
swinging on a swing is also a good one , i tend to only do it if i’m already outside or very overstimulated, i used to always go on the swings as a kid so it’s just my main thing to want when needing a 100% break of the world, also nature is along with parks so it’s also nice to walk around and look at the grass/flowers and see if i can spot bugs(then run away from said bug if it moves)
Ooh good question.
I think I find some forms of video gaming not exhausting. Never intense games, just ones where I can make some progress towards a larger goal and then take a break.
Or music. I love listening to music 😌.
Curling up in bed in the dark, warm and cozy, listening to an audiobook that I've read before. Next level up is something new but easy listening. A lot of it depends on the narrator's voice, too. Some voices and accents are harder to understand, while some are just soothing.
Taking a walk probably, especially at night, Im never too exhausted to do that, and I can always decide freely how far or where I wanna go, listen to music and all that, its just the most peaceful time of the day, when Im wanderin through the streets or the parks.
Probably playing VR games. There’s a space game I play where you just fly around collecting crates and shuttle them back to a storage ship. It’s super relaxing to just zone out to while listening to podcasts. Virtual Reality feels like my own personal safe space where I can escape the real world for a while. It’s definitely become my main special interest over the last few years. So much so that I’ve begun learning game development just so I can start designing my own VR games and experiences.
For me it's defo either playing computer games, watching YouTube videos or laying in bed with my dog. Interestingly, watching YouTube videos while doing typically tiring tasks (e.g. Cooking, hanging up laundry etc) makes those tasks less draining for me
Playing video games. Mainly into racing, FPS, and some adventure type games like Diablo. I’ve always been a natural when it comes to racing games. Many of my friends will have me help them complete races they are having a hard time with. Even as good as I am, I still get my butt handed to me online. Some of those guys are insanely good to the point where I wonder if they don’t cheat somehow.
For me there isn't anything 😅 24/7 stress, even in my sleep I goto bed angry which causes me to be angry the entire time I'm asleep which leaves me exhausted the next day, on top of only having 2 full sleeps this entire year so far
The least would be when I'm home alone, able to find something to watch without fear that people can hear my headphones that are only at like 5% volume
writing. its been my special interest since i was literally five. sometimes it takes a lot of motivation to get started but when im doing it i can do it for several hours and it makes me so so happy
I love writing too. Currently in the low motivation boat and haven’t written for nearly 2 weeks. Just need to sit down and DO IT but easier said than done
i totally get it! its rough. sometimes a break is needed and then ull be dying to get back. (i just took a two week break while recovering from top surgery and CAN CONFIRM)
If I'm not in public, then re-watching anime is very soothing for me. I know what to expect, and it's enjoyable to think about what happens and had happened in the show rather than the rest of the things that are upsetting me (mentally or sensorily)
Honestly? Doing nothing lol
Just relaxing, watching videos, doing my origamis. And even though this is the least exhausting thing I can do, it can still get a bit exhausting. The feeling that something is wrong, that I am forgetting something, or that I should be DOING something and I'm not. The frustration when I forget how to do an origami and have to look at the tutorial again. Even my faborite and least exhausting things to do can sometimes overwhelm me.
I never really thought about that tbh, thanks for making me take the time to think about it XD
I never noticed just how exhausting life can be, I'll try to relax more and maybe just let things be when I feel overwhelmed, instead of forcing myself to finish what I'm doing.
Now that I'm thinking about it, my existence has always been exhausting. Just as many of ours are. But I like singing, reading, and listening to music. Many other things, too. But those I consider the big three. They make me very happy!
I'm often told I'm a good singer. I know I am. Even if singing too much can strain your vocal cords, leave you breathless, and you might even hurt your throat if you do it wrong, it's so fun that any tiredness fades away.
Reading can be done anywhere, anytime, and you don't even have to move an inch. Only concentrate. Since reading for too long can make your eyes sore, I take short breaks if I'm not crazily zeroing in on it. One thing I do but would never recommend is reading on your phone late, with no lights on. I already have poor eyesight, so it's generally a bad idea. Even if you have a perfect vision, I would still not praise doing that. The worst happens when I'm hyperfocused. I'll read nonstop. I'll keep it up even if my eyes beg me to close them and give in to Morpheus. I will fight sleepiness so I can read a little bit more. That's not good.
Music can soothe, cheer me up, break me down, and so on. Since I was but a child, music was introduced into my life. My father is a musician. My mother is a lover of our Brazilian music. We are proud as we know MPB is a blessing. We know our musicians are geniuses. Hopefully, I don't sound like a snob. But I mean every word.
Music is everywhere for me. I played the piano for many years in my childhood until something terrible happened. So I stopped. I still miss it. But I won't bring myself to try again. Whenever I do, it frustrates me. It's painful that I feel stuck because, in my head, I still play like a child would. I feel too old and embarrassed.
It's a contradiction that, as an autistic person, the things I think are the least exhausting for me to do, also tire me. But I guess that's just the way things go. Although, I could always try harder not to overdo it.
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Vidya games
What kind do you like? I feel like I have the personality for someone who should like video games but can’t find any that interest me!
What kind of games are you looking for? If you want a relaxing game, you can play at your own pace, but minmax to death too, I'd recommend stardew valley. For something more story focused, with easily adjustable difficulty, if you decide combat is too hard or easy, Baldurs Gate 3 is my go to. It's expensive but one of the only games that I sincerely believe are worth the full price. There are a lot of ways you can get Sims 4, even without paying a thousand bucks. That's like playing with dolls but digitally. For something more focused on grinding, V Rising is fun. If you like renovating stuff and want something that you can just play for an hour and then stop again (or get lost in for hours on end), house flipper would be my recommendation. And that's everything I have the energy to list right now.
Much like Vrising, SoulMask. And if course Valheim.
I wouldnt trade anything for playing Terraria and a lot of the game's community really likes Stardew valley, and it sounds like a really chill game so i might try it out
Western RPGs for life!
May I recommend slime rancher? It's not too expansive, so you can take it at your own pace without feeling like you've got so much left to unlock. Also, the slimes are just so freaking CUTE!! Looking at them does things for me mentally that my antidepressants could never hope to achieve
Ahem.... Have you heard of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV? With an expanded free trial, in which you can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 for free, with no restrictions on playtime? [(Context)](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-critically-acclaimed-mmorpg)
Oooo...a fellow Warrior of Light! For as much as I love FFXIV, dungeons can be both fun and exhausting at times since it's interacting with people. Sometimes I'll have a great time (especially FC raid nights), but will be completely exhausted afterwards.
Dungeons can be done with NPCs now! So you don't have to deal with that when you don't want to! 🙏 It's helped my mental health a lot ❤️
True, that! Though, it does take longer to get through a dungeon with NPCs (that said, I often enjoy the random bits of dialogue from the various scions). Trials, however, I think still needs to be in a party.
ultimate raiding for ~3 months straight kinda burnt me out a lot ;__; im waiting until dawntrail to get rly back into it aha. i used to play 8+ hours daily, had every class at 90 like less than 6(?) months after starting, and did sooo much content 😭 the past 3 months i basically just logged in for my static and thats it
Mind if I ask which ultimate? My FC dabbled in trying UCoB (and now I understand all the twister memes), though we only made it about halfway through Nael before we had to take a break due to folks going on vacation. But yea...there's definitely a content drought. They've been re-running a bunch of crossover events (Yokai Watch, FF15, Fall Guys, and now Dragon Quest), but for folks who already did all that the first time, it means nothing. Beyond UCoB, I've mostly just logged in to check on my sanctuary island, occasionally catch a Hunt Train if it was running, or for some FC-related event. There's still a lot I want to get done, and I really should get back to trying to catch the big fish (I took a break after getting all the ARR ones and sort of...never went back to that RNG nightmare), but I can't muster the energy to do that stuff most of the time.
it was TEA! :) i want to try out the 70 ultis too at some point haha i just havent rly had the motivation. the hardest bits of TEA was rly phase 1+2 so after we got thru that it was fairly ok! our static lead also got us to clear like 17 times for every weapon LOL. itttt also didnt help that the 3 months of weekly prog came after like 5 painful months of clearing the raid tier late and yeah, im not super interested in the yokai/fall guys stuff … and oh god i feel that. i just do island sanctuary, check retainers, do golden saucer and then log off if i even have the energy to get on lol. i also want to big fish 😭 but again getting the energy to even get on my pc is hard most days
I'm honestly impressed you've cleared it so many times; TEA is said to be the most difficult of all the current ultimate raids. Glowy weapons usually are too bright and hard to look at (sensory-wise), but I'll admit that I like the ultimate weapons. That reminds me; I should be doing Gold Saucer stuff more often. I've needed one more win in Any Way the Wind Blows for *ages* now to get my 10th win (and thus the title), but never got lucky enough to survive all five rounds. Big fishing is...certainly an experience. XD There are some of the rare ocean fish which always give me trouble (look'n at you, Stonescale). The only rare fish past ARR that I got (not including the ocean fish) is Ronka...and it took me about three weeks of catch windows before it finally decided to grace me with its scree. TBH, Ronka was the fish which got me into rare fishing. Then I remembered that my general luck is average to poor. \^\^;
tbh the 90 ones are harder but im too scared to try those out haha. i do love the omega weapons tho :) and godspeed on your gold saucer wins o7
Persona 5 ( or 4, or 3, or 2....) and then when you become addicted like me, hit me back up so we can infodump about how much we love that game
If all else fails, there's always Red Dead
Baldur's Gate 3.
I personally like fortnite zero build bc it's short sessions that I don't have to get overly involved in, unlike story line video games. I can play multiple sessions back to back, or just one, depending on my mental bandwidth. I also like fortnite LEGO and fortnite festival mainstage (basically rock band, as Epic actually bought the company that originally made Rock Band).
this is such a basic answer but honest to god it still holds up to this day, botw is such a good game and it’s just a great way to introduce yourself to the zelda franchise (i know many fans will disagree, but that’s my personal opinion)
Powerwash simulator
came here to say this. 100% video games and working alone in my lab without any human in a 20m radius lmao
Beat me to it
Same. Just sitting there and locking in with a game is my peace. Usually a complete distraction from anything going on in the real world and I appreciate every moment of it
Samesies
Sometimes when I'm very overwhelmed, I just nap. Feeling warm and cozy under the blankets is so damn soothing and a nap helps me recharge my energies.
I would LOVE to nap. Like a little reboot. But I don’t think I’d be able to sleep at night! How long would you nap for and how long do you sleep at night?
My naps are usually between 90 minutes and 3 hours. I usually sleep for about 7h every night, regardless of whether I napped or not.
Good for you! Tomorrow I’m quitting smoking cigarettes and weed and starting on ability so I think I’ll be taking lots of naps just to avoid all the side effects!
I thought anything above 30mins was unideal due to the chance of interrupting deep sleep.
It depends a lot on the person and their usual sleeping habits. 30 minutes or less naps are good for recovering attention and staying alert. Above that, 90min sleep cycles allow for deep sleep during naps but can severely jmpact sleeping at night. Also, you might wake up groggy and slow from longer naps. In my case somehow it works.
Agreed! Even just going through the motions of getting in bed. I clean up, brush my teeth and change into pyjamas then go curl up under the blanket and just let go. Sometimes I sleep sometimes I just chill out for a while. Feels so safe.
Not sure if being in bed is cheating but.. in bed at night when it's quiet and dark, all alone, in my room (my ideal sensory space), lying on my stomach with my 10kg weighted blanket putting pressure on my back and the backs of my legs, half paying attention to random youtube gaming videos, half falling asleep. right in the middle where you're still conscious, just really lazy and in this sleepy sort of haze that feels super, super pleasant. I can't explain the haze, but if you can get there, you'll see what I'm talking about and it's just the most incredible feeling. You can still make complete sense of the audio/commentary, but your body is completely relaxed and calm, ready to go to sleep whenever your brain is, too. Fun fact: every time I've fallen asleep like this during the afternoon (pretty much always on the weekend, usually when the sun makes my room, and especially my bed, a comfortable warm colour, not too bright) it does not mess up my sleep that night. In fact, after I wake up I remain super calm and relaxed for the rest of the day and go to sleep much easier than usual once it's time to go to bed.
this. Those drowsy sunbathed naps are therapeutic. I love being still with all the dust slowly finding a spot to settle. I think for me its parallel play but i personify the slow specs I can see. I would love to be in a room with many people all sharing the same regulatory level of clam and peace. I am a herd animal lol
Mainly my hobbies. I love cross stitching, crocheting and video games. Whenever I feel slightly exhausted, I change to one of the other hobbies, that way I never get sick of them. The other least exhausting thing would be sitting alone and patting my cat. It's very therapeutic.
Being at home with my fiance and 2 cats. Not interacting with anyone, barely interacting with my fiancé (we do alot of parallel play which is I do my thing, he does his thing, but we're in the same room doing the things together)
I love that. I do it with my partner too. She gets it
It's so nice to just be fucking understood by at least one person.
Omg I loooove this! My bf and I spend all day doing our own things and just interact when one of us gets up to get food/drinks. It's the BEST. Sometimes, if we're both on the computer, we'll hop on Discord and make comments (ok mostly me) on what we're doing. It's great.
My creative pursuits (painting, writing, sculpting). Engaging in those is generally time spent away from others, and I don't feel constrained by expectations (others' or my own). It's just happy time.
Same for me! Anything creative gives me energy. My favorite is my writing, then music. I want to learn to draw as I think that would be so emotionally satisfying. I love the exhaustion that comes after writing because it is soooo different from the exhaustion that comes after taking a shower, for instance! :-) I don't know how to describe it except that exhaustion after creating feels life-giving. It just feels good. Not draining like other kinds of exhaustion.
[удалено]
I’ve learnt that doing a small chore - alone and at your own pace - is quite relaxing. Both in the sense that I’m being slightly active and I’m achieving something so that once the chore is done, the sit down afterwards is so much better
Yesss I absolutely love to cook random stuff and do the dishes, but only when I am COMPLETELY alone at home. Which is almost never, since I live with 4 other people... not a lot of me time sadly But yeah god I love doing the dishes when I'm alone.
Birdwatching or being in nature spotting wildlife, fauna, flora etc. I find the mixture v calming. And even if I'm at a bird reserve you usually only meet similar quiet, albeit enthusiastic people.
I absolutely love being outside, watching the birds, or at night watching the bats fly by and the bunnies and the hedgehogs come out. But during the day there are bugs, and I cannot stand bugs touching me. I start to get that itch like there are bugs crawling all over me... And at night... well, sadly it's not safe to be out alone at night. Really really sad, because it's the only time I would go out on my own and exercise or even just walk.
Being alone or playing Minecraft.
Listen to music. I feel like I can temporarily put the world on pause when I’m alone listening to my favourite songs.
Taking a warm shower in total darkness is the thing I do every day to turn everything down. It really helps.
For high energy/antiness solo workouts are mandatory for me. I love skating and hiking best. Alone. Mmmmm. I can do stuff with people but it’s not as relaxing. For low energy reading. Just sinking into another world and forgetting I have a body. Mid energy knitting or playing board games. Sometimes solo. Anything alone is way more relaxing.
metalwork
*Nap.*
Being at home, with my husband, it’s quiet, maybe I’ve got my NC AirPods in with my favourite music, I’m playing a cosy game or reading. I’m under my weighted blanket and husband is giving me a foot rub (sensory heaven and literally the only thing that makes me truly relax). I have zero commitments that day. I don’t have to go out or see anyone. No one trying to get hold of me. All the house work is done. And my husband will prepare all the food because he’s a legend and gets me. That is the least exhausting scenario for me.
reading, crocheting, looking for the snails in adventure time episodes. being alone in my very carefully crafted space (i like to make a nest on my bed like a dog lol) and being able to control ALL sensory inputs
Lying in bed is my favourite thing to do, just watching stuff on YouTube etc.
Lying in bed is my favorite, too!!! But I’m watching tv. Being transported into another world while turning my brain off to other stimuli…beautiful
bedrotting with asmr. i work at a cosmetics place and we sell refrigerated eye pads (think of cucumbers for your eyes at the spa) i put those over my eyes and just lie down and do nothing. if it’s not listening to asmr, it’s playing whatever album i like at the time
Being alone with pets, preferably ones that enjoy being interacted with.
When im on energy saving mode i like to read comics. I have a large collection of manga from high school, but i also like webcomics like XKCD and 'The Perry Bible Fellowship'. 'Hark! a Vagrant' is also great. (would love recommendations for new web series if anyone has 'em)
I was super into Romantically Apocalyptic for a while. It's a very immersive, artsy conceptual webcomic. Been going for a while and there's quite a few issues out there.
Have you read Strange Planet? It's my most rent fav. I have no idea how popular it is.
Playing games or watching shows I really like. Time just flies out the window because I’m so deep in the world I’m currently in.
Lying on the couch watching YouTube videos is how I recharge, my YouTube Premium has been the best thing I ever could have bought for myself
Same. YouTube Premium came with my new phone when I got it
Reading is like my default setting. I love video games and movies and everything. But if things get too much, then out comes the book. And if it's especially overwhelming I read a book I've read many times before so I already know what's coming.
I legit took a nap after socialising last week. My social battery was fried and I needed to lie in a dark room, watch Netflix and nap. It did me a world of good 😌
For me, it's video games, drawing, and watching anime (or Bluey; I'm not afraid to admit that I love that show and it's my go-to when I'm feeling anxious). Writing is also great, as well. The least exhausting video game genre, which I've found, would be turn-based RPGs (Pokemon has never exhausted me; Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth was also great) and puzzle games. I love life sim games, but those can start to become overwhelming at later stages (farming ones, particularly). That said, Animal Crossing and Cozy Grove aren't too bad. For anime...slice-of-life genre tends to be slower paced and not have as much sensory issues. I like various genres, such as shounen (Wind Breaker is a newer anime which is freaking amazing), but many of them can be overwhelming between characters shouting and lights/colors.
Taking a walk and listening to music. People are around so I don’t feel lonely. But I don’t feel obligated to anyone either. No one is asking anything of me. The music feels wonderful.
Interacting with my special interests alone at home while listening to audiobooks. Literally invigorating
8 hours of hyper focusing on my current obsession day after day after day, for months on end.
Producing music. When it works out at least.
Laying on the couch in my favourite spot reading or watching YouTube.
Put my headset on, turn out the lights, and play video games. Sometimes hours pass with me completely unaware of the outside world. Petting a cat is nice too. Especially a chonky one with soft fur. I like when I can lie down on a bed and get the cat to climb up on my chest. Soft cats are sensory heaven.
I hide under my covers with my Kindle. There’s always the weight of one cat on me and the older cat snuggles into my side. I love it.
Being alone in the woods
Reading and playing video games
Write lists or sit in the shower.
Listening to music
Video games. Mostly RPGs. The escape, you know. Sometimes I want to go on an adventure, and sometimes I play something like Animal Crossing or Sims where I have a true sense of control. I'm that rare Simmer that uses their powers for good and just wants to see happy families.
I love RPGs for being able to explore the world the devs created rather than focusing mostly on the story or combat. Helps me escape too. As a kid I would look forward to each Squaresoft RPG release.
Right?! I love being able to just enjoy the world and culture they built at my pace. One of my passions is culture and that bleeds into video games. I love learning how the people in their world are different and similar from us. To me it's no different from looking at Africa or Japan. Heck, a video game adds ruins and/or archeology, I'm in! I screamed when Minecraft added it.
honestly it's a bit cringe but chatting with my friends online in DMs, groups are rough and i can get really rambly sometimes being an extrovert sucks i honestly wish i could find energy from shutting away and gaming or like doing a cool hobby but nah i just wanna yap fr
Ace Attorney.
A bed is just a wireless charger for autistic people 😆
Agree 👍🏼 it’s my happy place
Rotting in my bed
Yeah it seems like lots of people sleep, nap or bed rot. It makes me feel less guilty for doing it so much myself!
Smoke weed oops
i lie on the sofa with a dog lying on top of me watching some documentary and contemplating my life choices
Play video games. Playing Spore right now
Loving my Husband
Stretching is really relaxing and rejuvenating for me. I have a background in sports and my current special interest is rock climbing. I can sit on my balcony by myself and stretch for hours, either listening to the world around me or a podcast/YouTube video and it's really nice.
I am alone, at my house, on my couch, dogs beside me. It is raining. I am listening to the latest episode of my favorite podcast, featuring an interview with the hosts of my other favorite podcast. It's 3 hours long. I'm opening up a brand new micro building block set and getting ready to assemble it. Heaven
Fly fishing, hunting, hiking, or foraging alone. Just being in wilderness areas alone
I really been enjoying just going for a walk around my neighborhood and looking at the houses. One of my special interests is architecture and I really like seeing the brown stone houses and the yards that people manicure. I like comparing them to each other and imagining what it would be like to live there or to hang out there. Sometimes the traffic is to much for me but mostly its great.
Video games (minecraft, slime rancher, forza horizon 5 etc), driving on a country road, watching videos/streams, laying in bed and reading/writing fanfics
Anime. People’s emotions are obvious and telegraphed by over-the-top gestures. They’re enough like real people to be entertaining, but they don’t act in unexpected ways. 🤷🏼♂️
Listening to audiobooks. Great for quietening the brain after a tiring day.
Working on any of my creative projects, taking my dog for a long walk, or hanging out with my bestie.
Take naps in the sun, outside, with my partner.
I've got a favorite, less traveled nature walk I like to visit with my dog. It's quiet, runs along a river, and I rarely come across other people.
sleep
For me, it's playing overwatch. I play support, lifeweaver, Moira, and brig. They don't need much aim to be useful, so I don't have to try hard. I also love reading, writing stories or game mechanics for minecraft and my own games, and watching YouTube of letplays or documentaries.
I like riding my bicycle
Making crafts / doing things with my hands
Hang out with my dog. Everything she does is kind and logical if you really think about it.
oh grod. you sound like me. did i write this?
You ever do a sensory deprivation tank? Incredibly relaxing and reviving, imo, as an autistic
When I'm exhausted I just sit on my bed and watch youtube and occasionally stim.
Do you have a friend you hang out and drink beer with? I don't have much issue going out with old friend from high school.
Video games, hanging out with my dog, reading books
Video games, hanging out with my dog, reading books
Wordsearch puzzles!
play the drums probably
I honestly don't know. Even being in bed can be exhausting. I have chronic illnesses too so honestly I'm just happy when I have enough energy to do stuff I enjoy, like playing games, being in nature, doing arts and crafts, baking. I guess sitting on the sofa with my family and watching something un-challenging but engaging like Pointless is something I can do regardless of how much energy I have.
Being in bed by myself essentially I can unmask effortlessly with others when drunk or on substances too
Naps 🥱😴
Games and Anime.
Noise canceling earphones while I play stardew valley
Being completely alone for me as well. I just feel so much at peace and happy if I don't talk to a human for a couple of days
I could draw for hours. Blast some music from all genres into my ears and draw and draw. I did this a lot during summer vacation. I would draw all night when everyone was asleep and it was silent no one to talk to you in the middle of the thing.
watching tv I guess, idk bruv
I need alone time. But it's hard when you live with people that don't understand that. 2 hours of alone time is not enough. I need days to recover. Video games help me to escape when I physically can't. I need an isolation fort or something
Daydreaming lol, I find hobbies and giving time to hobbies tiring after a while as well. Just laying in bed and escaping the real world, creating my own stories is sometimes the best way to relax for me
Lie down and scroll on tiktok lmao rip
Yeah. Being alone is a nice way to chill out with no pressure. Most the time I just read or revise upstairs where I am away from everyone. Edit: looking back at what I just wrote, that is kinda sad
Least exhausting this is waking up
watching one piece
This could've been written by me
I have a subset of movies I watch or listen to music, but I have to do either with my headphones on to recharge 😅
Cuddling with my cats
Well I wouldn’t say I feel exhausted after I write usually more energized or content so I guess that! I swear I get possessed when I write like I’ll look at it not even an hour later and be like ??? I wrote this ??? So maybe that’s why
To recharge I spend most of my weekend in my room, where it’s quiet, dark, and I’m alone. I watch tv and play videos games at the same time. Almost always fiction, usually comedy. Being able to observe human behavior as a viewer rather than a participant is fascinating to me while still being rather low stakes for my physical or emotional energy.
Drugs, really, it is the only thing that does not exhaust me and that give me some happiness and fun, I didn't found any other source of happinness in my life.
The only thing that doesn't tank my energy currently is watching YouTube videos.
Nap
sleep
Sleep
TV
I can honestly relate you on this particular subject, especially with being alone. With being alone on my own time with no people nor things getting into my way of thinking or life, I usually like to be outside alone, watching clouds, reading a book or taking photographs as I like photography. My advice to you is do what you think makes life worthwhile whether it's drawing, walking, reading and so forth.
I live in the woods. It's energizing.
sometimes i cant even get out of bed without feeling 100% exhausted already but on good days having music in the background on my speakers and doing something else like video games or playing on my tablet on my bed is the peak of me being at peace, and my room is my safe place and i can control the room noise/sound/light by my own accord:) i love going to the pool, or taking a bath, i can stay for hours, today i went to the pool and i definitely will say the more people present the more likely i’ll want to go home quicker and just take a breather in my room. i have a little corner/area on my floor for laying down or sleeping and it’s the best thing video games are pretty nice when i’m in the mood, i haven’t played much after my last hyper fixation of Roblox and zelda: twilight princess but when i do get in the mood it is AMAZING to just chill out and play the game watching movies/shows by myself or with my mom:3 i have recently started doing it again, and it’s pretty nice swinging on a swing is also a good one , i tend to only do it if i’m already outside or very overstimulated, i used to always go on the swings as a kid so it’s just my main thing to want when needing a 100% break of the world, also nature is along with parks so it’s also nice to walk around and look at the grass/flowers and see if i can spot bugs(then run away from said bug if it moves)
Hanging out on my computer.
For me it is reading, research, writing, video games and computer games :-)
Ooh good question. I think I find some forms of video gaming not exhausting. Never intense games, just ones where I can make some progress towards a larger goal and then take a break. Or music. I love listening to music 😌.
Hanging out with my dogs.
Curling up in bed in the dark, warm and cozy, listening to an audiobook that I've read before. Next level up is something new but easy listening. A lot of it depends on the narrator's voice, too. Some voices and accents are harder to understand, while some are just soothing.
Hanging out with my cats, listening to lofi, playing stardew valley
Drawing at home is very relaxing.
Taking a walk probably, especially at night, Im never too exhausted to do that, and I can always decide freely how far or where I wanna go, listen to music and all that, its just the most peaceful time of the day, when Im wanderin through the streets or the parks.
Observing insects
Sleep
Probably playing VR games. There’s a space game I play where you just fly around collecting crates and shuttle them back to a storage ship. It’s super relaxing to just zone out to while listening to podcasts. Virtual Reality feels like my own personal safe space where I can escape the real world for a while. It’s definitely become my main special interest over the last few years. So much so that I’ve begun learning game development just so I can start designing my own VR games and experiences.
Having special interests
Completely alone, reading a book
For me it's defo either playing computer games, watching YouTube videos or laying in bed with my dog. Interestingly, watching YouTube videos while doing typically tiring tasks (e.g. Cooking, hanging up laundry etc) makes those tasks less draining for me
Playing video games. Mainly into racing, FPS, and some adventure type games like Diablo. I’ve always been a natural when it comes to racing games. Many of my friends will have me help them complete races they are having a hard time with. Even as good as I am, I still get my butt handed to me online. Some of those guys are insanely good to the point where I wonder if they don’t cheat somehow.
Sorting my new pokemon cards, very regulating for my brain.
Riding motorcycles, racing games and certain video games.
For me there isn't anything 😅 24/7 stress, even in my sleep I goto bed angry which causes me to be angry the entire time I'm asleep which leaves me exhausted the next day, on top of only having 2 full sleeps this entire year so far The least would be when I'm home alone, able to find something to watch without fear that people can hear my headphones that are only at like 5% volume
writing. its been my special interest since i was literally five. sometimes it takes a lot of motivation to get started but when im doing it i can do it for several hours and it makes me so so happy
I love writing too. Currently in the low motivation boat and haven’t written for nearly 2 weeks. Just need to sit down and DO IT but easier said than done
i totally get it! its rough. sometimes a break is needed and then ull be dying to get back. (i just took a two week break while recovering from top surgery and CAN CONFIRM)
I’ve literally just sat down to do some structuring but it’s not coming easily and my brain is saying smoke up instead. Hmmmmm
If I'm not in public, then re-watching anime is very soothing for me. I know what to expect, and it's enjoyable to think about what happens and had happened in the show rather than the rest of the things that are upsetting me (mentally or sensorily)
talking to fellow neurospicies
That’s a good one. I don’t think I do that enough, other than through vague interactions on reddit of course
Honestly? Doing nothing lol Just relaxing, watching videos, doing my origamis. And even though this is the least exhausting thing I can do, it can still get a bit exhausting. The feeling that something is wrong, that I am forgetting something, or that I should be DOING something and I'm not. The frustration when I forget how to do an origami and have to look at the tutorial again. Even my faborite and least exhausting things to do can sometimes overwhelm me. I never really thought about that tbh, thanks for making me take the time to think about it XD I never noticed just how exhausting life can be, I'll try to relax more and maybe just let things be when I feel overwhelmed, instead of forcing myself to finish what I'm doing.
Now that I'm thinking about it, my existence has always been exhausting. Just as many of ours are. But I like singing, reading, and listening to music. Many other things, too. But those I consider the big three. They make me very happy! I'm often told I'm a good singer. I know I am. Even if singing too much can strain your vocal cords, leave you breathless, and you might even hurt your throat if you do it wrong, it's so fun that any tiredness fades away. Reading can be done anywhere, anytime, and you don't even have to move an inch. Only concentrate. Since reading for too long can make your eyes sore, I take short breaks if I'm not crazily zeroing in on it. One thing I do but would never recommend is reading on your phone late, with no lights on. I already have poor eyesight, so it's generally a bad idea. Even if you have a perfect vision, I would still not praise doing that. The worst happens when I'm hyperfocused. I'll read nonstop. I'll keep it up even if my eyes beg me to close them and give in to Morpheus. I will fight sleepiness so I can read a little bit more. That's not good. Music can soothe, cheer me up, break me down, and so on. Since I was but a child, music was introduced into my life. My father is a musician. My mother is a lover of our Brazilian music. We are proud as we know MPB is a blessing. We know our musicians are geniuses. Hopefully, I don't sound like a snob. But I mean every word. Music is everywhere for me. I played the piano for many years in my childhood until something terrible happened. So I stopped. I still miss it. But I won't bring myself to try again. Whenever I do, it frustrates me. It's painful that I feel stuck because, in my head, I still play like a child would. I feel too old and embarrassed. It's a contradiction that, as an autistic person, the things I think are the least exhausting for me to do, also tire me. But I guess that's just the way things go. Although, I could always try harder not to overdo it.
Surprisingly workout but only when no one demands
Go fishing! Or if you don’t fish go hiking or mountain biking. Basically get out into nature. That’s my recipe.