Game Mindset: Only play games in full-screen mode

In games

When you play games, you go full-screen.

In full-screen mode, only the game exists on your screen. No clock. No notifications. No other windows tempting you from the side.

It’s a commitment: I chose this game, and right now, I’m only playing this.

Full-screen mode makes it easier to get in the zone. You play until you lose track of time, suddenly realizing it’s 3 AM. Not because you have exceptional willpower, but because distractions were blocked out.

Windowed mode? Chat apps open. Browser open. Clock staring at you from the corner. You can switch away anytime. You can be interrupted anytime.

The same game just isn’t as fun in windowed mode.

The game didn’t change. Your focus got fragmented.

In reality

In real life, we rarely enter full-screen mode anymore.

Phones stay with us 24/7. The next notification, the next message, can pull you away at any moment. We’re used to working with chat apps open, eating while scrolling, keeping ten browser tabs running at once.

This is windowed mode. Looks busy, but nothing gets done well.

Psychologists call that state of complete absorption, where you lose track of time, “flow.” Flow is the most productive, most enjoyable state humans can achieve. But flow requires not being interrupted. And our environment is full of interruptions.

Why is it easy to get immersed in a movie? Because you put your phone down and chose to enter another world for two hours.

Why is texting while driving more dangerous than drunk driving? Because the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. We think multitasking is efficient. In reality, we’re just rapidly switching, and every switch has a cost.

The problem isn’t that your willpower is weak. The problem is your environment keeps pulling you out.

Full-screen mode isn’t about trying harder to focus. It’s about removing distractions before you even start.

Design your environment. Put your phone in another room. Turn off notifications. Keep only one window open.

Do one thing at a time. Only then can you give it all your attention and truly enjoy it.

Don’t live life in windowed mode.

Play games in full-screen mode.

Player notes

Years ago, I read Sam Harris’s Waking Up. The book mentioned that if you want to experience the Buddhist sense of “awakening,” you could try psychedelics as a shortcut. The idea stuck with me. During a work trip to Europe, I went to Amsterdam and tried the legal psychedelic truffles sold openly on the streets.

That time, I truly experienced what “full-screen mode” feels like.

In just 3 hours, it felt like I’d lived an entire day. I started noticing details I’d normally never see. “How are there over twenty blue things in my field of vision right now? What a coincidence.” “The way that old lady’s hair sways in the wind is so beautiful.” Lying in bed at the hostel, just eating chips, feeling their crunch in my mouth, the crumbs stuck in my teeth, was so fascinating. They were the crispiest, most delicious chips I’d ever eaten. I just sat there quietly eating chips, never once thinking I needed to do something else, like watch a show. When I listened to music, I heard details and layers I’d never noticed before.

After that state faded, I looked at the photos I’d taken. Everything had really happened. It’s just that in my normal state, I would never notice these “boring” details.

Maybe Michelin three-star food tastes so good partly because it’s so expensive that you won’t eat it while watching TV. Instead, you chew slowly and savor every bite.

With phones and ubiquitous internet, our lives are never boring anymore. Waiting in line? Scroll feeds. Eating? Watch TV. Taking kids to the playground? Stand aside and search for what to eat next. Even on the toilet, there’s something to look at. We rarely do just one thing at a time anymore.

A phone plus internet is a 24-hour slot machine. As an engineer who once worked at the world’s largest social media company, I understand the design well. Those apps are designed to be addictive, so the company can make more money and the stock keeps rising.

I can’t frequently fly to Amsterdam to eat psychedelic truffles. So I need other ways to simulate that desirable state of “being present.”

I still struggle with this. The most effective method I’ve found so far is to not keep my phone nearby. When working, close all other windows. When journaling, just journal. When building an app, just build the app. When writing, just write.

I installed blocking software on my computer to block distracting websites. I also set up automatic Wi-Fi shutdown at home at certain times.

Many tools give us convenience, but also too many choices. Intentionally limiting these tools actually frees up our attention.

Leveling tips

□ Try changing your environment in advance to force yourself into full-screen mode
□ No matter how boring, try doing just one thing at a time and noticing its details
□ When working, put your phone in another room. Not on your desk. Not in your pocket
□ When waiting in line or on public transit, deliberately don’t take out your phone. Observe your surroundings
□ Eat your next meal without any screens. Notice the taste and texture of the food