Customs
Travel well
Browser worlds are built to bring you back every day. A few habits keep them a pleasure rather than a duty.
Set an end time
A browser tab has no natural ending. Decide when you will stop before you start, and set an alarm on your phone rather than trusting yourself to notice the time.
Timers are invitations, not orders
Stamina, energy and daily turns are designed to bring you back. You do not have to spend every point: in Flight Rising unused turns simply expire, and in Fallen Sword or The West the points wait until you return, up to their cap.
Know the shop
Eight of the nine sell something, from cosmetic perks to premium currencies and memberships. Set a monthly limit before you open a shop, and never use money meant for bills.
Be careful with anything random. Grepolis sells spins on an event prize wheel for Gold, and some games have chests with random contents. Premium currencies and items have no value outside the game, and most games do not refund them.
Rest your eyes and your back
Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for at least 20 seconds.
Keep the top of the screen near eye level, rest your feet flat and get up every hour to stretch your wrists, back and neck.
When a game stutters
Check that hardware acceleration is switched on in your browser's settings, close other heavy tabs, and keep the browser up to date.
When it starts to feel like a chore
If you log in out of duty rather than for fun, take a week off. Your city, hero or dragons will still be there.
If it is getting hard to stop
If gaming or spending is costing you sleep, work, school or money, talk to someone you trust. In the UK your GP can refer you to NHS support for problem gaming.