
Rather than run away to a virtual world, he figured out a way to take something fun about video games and use it to fight off daily drudgery.
While different armchair philosophers peg the exact amount at various points between 50 and 90 percent, it’s often said that a big part of life is simply showing up. But the sad flipside is that even if you show up, there’s no guarantee that opportunities for happiness will present themselves. Sometimes you go to work or school, and all that’s waiting for you is a routine day of mundane grinding, making you wonder why you even bothered getting out of bed.
Recently, Japanese Twitter user Kyo-kun (@1122g_) found himself in such an unhappy rut, so he decided to take a page from the world of online gaming and start giving himself a log-in bonus for his daily life.
https://twitter.com/1122g_/status/1025646464645525506After a quick trip to discount store Daiso, Kyo-kun came home with a calendar/organizer, with separate pouches for each day of the month. After hanging it in his home, he stuck a 500-yen (US$4.50) coin into the pouch for each day, giving him a concrete, immediate reward of spending cash for logging into real life. Then he stuck an extra one-thousand yen bill into the pockets for each Monday (when everyone could use a little extra boost) and also the last day of the month, as a special salute to his hard work over the past four-and-a-half weeks.
This display of optimism-boosting ingenuity inspired others around the Internet, who left comments including;
“What a wonderful system for getting yourself through a rough patch in life.”
“It’s easier to keep making an effort when you know there’s something good coming in return.”
“I’m going to try something like this to help me stick to the diet I’m on.”
“I’d give myself an extra bonus on Fridays instead, to power my last spurt for the work week.”
“So if the last day of the month is also a Monday, do you give yourself 3,000 yen?”
Technically, since Kyo-kun is giving himself 500 yen a day with an additional 1,000 on Mondays or the last day of the month, if the end of the month fell on a Monday, he should give himself 2,500 yen, not 3,000. Any way you do the math, though, giving yourself a tiny pat on the back for doing your best every day, even if nothing out of the ordinary happens, seems like a great way to make sure you keep showing up, even if the game of life can sometimes fell like a kusoge.
Source: Twitter/@1122g_ via IT Media
Top image ©SoraNews24

Japanese genius finds a clever way to remind himself how awesome coming home is【Video】
Life imitates (Sword) Art (Online) as Japanese gamers find they can’t log out of online RPG
The real-life Ash/Satoshi just gave away a Pikachu to brighten a child’s day in Japan
Japanese company uses video game-style hit point badges to help employees know who needs a hand
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Studio Ghibli theme park announces new expansion saluting a previously off-limits anime
Police ask Kumamoto residents to not get blackout drunk as much during earthquake relief efforts
Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open
Starbucks Japan unveils new Kyoho grape drinks for a taste that’s quintessentially Japanese
Kumamoto earthquake may have created Japan’s newest hot spring inside flooded restaurant [Video]
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store drinks with new Grilled Corn Chilled Soup Smoothie
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japanese Youtuber creates real-life, tile-shattering rocket punch[Video]
Mom of Japanese gamer son has sniper-precise criticism of his Apex Legends habit
This is chalk?!? Yep, and it’s a touching Pokémon goodbye from a Japanese teacher to his students
Super Mario World 1-1 perfectly recreated, animation and all, in Japanese fan’s notebook【Vid】