Whether you’re keeping up with all of the seasonal campaigns in Diablo IV, trying to 100% the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, fighting your way through your first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, or otherwise, there has been no shortage of truly immense video games released lately that can easily see your hours reaching the 300 digits. However, as much as you may love these games, it’s not difficult to end up getting burnt out on them because they simply take that long. Here, we’re going to look at what you should and shouldn’t do to avoid getting burnt out on these masterpieces.

Do: Take a little break

First of all, if you’re beginning to feel like the game is getting a little tedious or demanding, even, then don’t be afraid to do something else for a few days or a week. Pick up a book, get into binge-watching a series, or find a board game to take you away from screens for a moment. Even the most hardcore gamers are going to need a little time away from being sat in front of the same game for hours on end.

Don’t: Take too long away

That said, you might want to avoid spending too long away from the game you’re trying to beat, especially if you’re in the latter stages of that game. Most gamers who enjoy longer games, such as RPGs or open-world adventures, are familiar with the feeling of fighting their way through the majority of the game, ticking off all the boxes they wanted to, and getting right up to the end of the game, only to freeze right before that end. For some reason, the mental load of picking up and finishing the game can get heavier if you spend a long time away from it, and you can end up moving on to something else. Get back in there and finish the fight.

Do: Find quick, lunch break games to dabble in

Sometimes, playing something else can be just what you need to give your mind something of a reset, to engage different parts of your brain, so that you’re ready to hop back in and finish the rest of your sprawling epic. Take a look through your stream library and find a game that you can complete in a single session, or look online for games that are designed for endless replayability, so you don’t even have to worry about completing it. The break can help you come back to your playthrough with a renewed sense of vigor that’s ready to take you to the end of the game, or at least help you de-stress a little.

Don’t: Start another epic title

If you’re looking through your backlog of games, just make sure that you don’t get attracted by a new and shiny game that’s going to take you double digits of time to play. It’s all too easy to start getting into another game, only for it to end up taking your focus, and wholly engrossing you in a way that’s going to pull your focus entirely away from the game that you’ve been playing. You might find that once you try to return to your old game, you’ve lost your appetite for it and want to keep moving forward. This isn’t the worst thing to happen of course, but if you’re the kind of person who really regrets not finishing a playthrough after you’ve started it, you can avoid that future from taking place.

Do: Look back at how far you’ve come

If you feel like you’ve lost a little of the love that you’ve had during the adventure so far, then it can be a good idea to remind yourself of why, exactly, you fell in love with the game in the first place. Take the time to look over your playthrough so far. If you have a map, quest log, or other evidence in the game of the things you’ve done so far, you can go through them, one by one, and write down the things that you liked the best about them, the little moments that made you smile, and the objectives that you got inspired to complete. Don’t just consume the game and then move on, take the time to reflect on it. It’ll help you appreciate the game in a much deeper and rounder way.

Don’t: Look ahead at what’s next

That said, do not try to build excitement for what is to come by looking it up ahead of time. Way too many people spoil themselves on a game, often by looking up game guides, only to accidentally read or see something they would really rather they didn’t. Catching those big end-game spoilers, or finding out what’s at the end of gathering a certain collectible can really take the wind out of your sails. Some people, after such a let-down, might struggle to find the enthusiasm to complete the game themselves. You might want to avoid watching too many videos about the game on YouTube, too, or else the algorithm is going to throw up some spoilers whether you want it or not.

Do: Narrow down your scope of what “complete” means

One of the problems with open-world games, even for those who love those big, sprawling adventures, is the sprawl of side-quests and objectives that have cropped up in a lot of them. If you want to complete all of those side quests that have story moments, dialogue, or feel important to the characters that you like, then go ahead. However, if you feel like you’re starting to get slowed down to a crawl by the enemy bases you have to clear, the collectibles you have to pick up, or the towers you have to climb, then start trimming the fat. Don’t force yourself to do everything on the map. It’s rarely worth it.

A little distraction, a little time away, and a moment to reflect on what you have enjoyed so far can help you feel rejuvenated and ready to see the finish.