Want to be more productive? Play video games.

Why you should replace mindless scrolling with engaging quality video games.

Nov 03, 2023

When I was in high school, I became addicted to video games as they provided an escape from my unfulfilling life.

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However, as I began to realize that this path was unsustainable, I embarked on a journey of self-improvement, and I discovered one piece of advice that was unanimously shared by various self-help gurus:

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“Video games are detrimental to personal growth because they generate dopamine from achievements that can’t be transferred to real life.”

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I accepted their challenge and focused solely on activities considered productive, convinced that engaging in fun pastimes for sheer enjoyment of them was a practice reserved for those who lacked ambition.

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I channeled my previous obsession with video games into my creative pursuits, which allowed me to make significant improvements over a short span of time.

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Six years passed without a single video game in my life, and my perspective changed.

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I noticed that in the absence of a designated leisure activity at home during work breaks, I ended up squandering countless precious hours, if not entire days, mindlessly browsing the internet and scrolling through social media because I had no other casual activities to do in my alone time.

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Initially, I didn't feel guilty about it, as everyone around me seemed to be doing the same.

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However, I eventually came to the realization that it would be far more worthwhile to spend those breaks engaging in timed casual games rather than aimlessly visiting random websites or scrolling through Twitter.

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By doing so, I could stimulate and exercise my brain through solving puzzles and draw inspiration from the creativity within games.

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When I started looking for new interesting casual games I realized that not all video games should be painted with the same brush.

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Many people criticize them, labeling them as mere time-wasters. But video games, like books, movies, or music albums are diverse. Some games, especially the very big online ones, may be designed to consume your time without offering much in return. It's not a critique of the talented individuals who craft them but rather the profit-driven motives of the corporate executives overseeing their development.

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On the other hand, there are a select few extraordinary games that stand as genuine works of art. These are the games that immerse you in a captivating narrative, stimulate your creativity and problem-solving skills, and motivate you to excel in life and work.

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Now, I allocate specific time slots in my calendar to decompress during breaks with games such as:

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The difference is striking. No more endless, mindless procrastination in the form of browsing rabbit holes. My attention span has also significantly improved as I’ve trained my brain to be able to focus on solving a specific puzzle for a good amount of time.

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The art of engaging in single-purpose activities has been lost due to the popular obsession with multitasking, so it’s never been more fulfilling to engage in a very specific activity for an hour instead of jumping from one thing to the next.

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Great love and respect,

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Ash Lamb

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visualgrowth.com