if (handlerIdleProgress == null){
    handlerIdleProgress = new Handler(); //starting the handler that manages idle progress
    final long[] cyclesLeft = {secondsElapsed}; //this is to make the value available to "run()". just see it as a long
    updaterIdleProgress = new Thread() {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            long start = System.currentTimeMillis(); //i take the start time
            List<Area> areas = Utils.compileDungeonList(); //i list the dungeons for "for" iteration
            while (System.currentTimeMillis() - start < 50 && cyclesLeft[0] > 0){ //if ran for < 50ms && cycles are left
                for (Area e : areas){
                    e.tick(); //i do a thing for each area (practically, next turn)
                }
                cyclesLeft[0] -= 1; //subtract a cycle
            }
            //after running for 50 ms, if there are cycles left to compute, i run it again after 25ms.
            //this is to prevent ANR, as freezing the screen for 5+ seconds isn't ideal
            if (cyclesLeft[0] > 0) handlerIdleProgress.postDelayed(this, 25);
            else {
                //at the end of the cycle, i start the normal execution. it just does one cycle per second
                //while the app is open
                if(handlerUI == null) {
                    handlerUI = new Handler();
                    updaterUI = new Thread() {
                        @Override
                        public void run() {/* ... */}