When gaming is spoken about in the press or amongst the general public it tends to get a bad reputation for no valid reason at all. In fact, there are actually so many smart benefits that many people don’t realize. Gaming is an exciting, enriching and thrilling hobby that so many people enjoy on a daily basis, so why should we cut it a little slack? Believe it or not, there are a whole host of smart benefits that go hand in hand with playing video games, online puzzles and apps on your mobile phone. A lot of these games can improve your overall skills, problem solving, teamwork and focus levels, so what’s not to love? Let’s delve a little deeper into the benefits of gaming and consider a whole host of benefits you may not even know about!
- Problem Solving
In any sort of game, you will need to use some level of problem solving skills in order to advance to the next level. Whether you’re fighting a bad guy in an attempt to save the world, or solving a tricky number problem to find a correct answer, you’ll constantly be finding solutions. Gaming can put you into scenarios that feel like real life and give you the chance to work it out in the most effective way possible. Being a good problem solver can help you in your career and social life, so it’s certainly a benefit you should not ignore!
- It Can Enhance Your Vocabulary
Certain games can expose you to words, phrases and scenarios you might never have faced before. Growing your vocabulary and becoming well-versed in everything you do can only be a positive outcome from playing online crossword games and other similar puzzles. No matter what type of game you’re playing, there is going to be a word you come across which makes you think twice about what it means. When this happens, you should always try and look up the word you don’t know and find out the meaning. Although this might be a slight challenge at the time, it will help you to learn on the spot and grow your range of vocabulary as you play the games you enjoy.
- Improved Focus and Concentration
If you’ve got the time on your hands you might be playing a game for a couple of hours at a time. This takes a great level of focus and concentration, which will be super beneficial for you in the long run. If your job involves taking on long and drawn out tasks, gaming will help you to stay focused on the end goal so that you can get there in an efficient way. Improving your overall focus and concentration can be tricky at times, especially in the modern world when everything is so readily available to us. However, when you’re a regular gamer, you’re probably very good at fulfilling tasks on a day to day basis.
- Speedy Reaction Times
Improving your reaction times is always going to be beneficial in your life, especially if you drive regularly. During an action packed video game you’re using all of your senses to seek out danger and react to anything that comes near you. Although you might be living in a fantasy world when playing your game, these reaction times will serve you well in so many activities throughout your life, from sports to parenting!
- Better Empathy
It may not be overtly clear right now, but gaming can certainly help to increase your levels of empathy. If you’re playing an emotional game that demands a lot from you, it can help you to understand every single different point of view. Your empathy skills will certainly be put to the test when you’re playing games that involve death or other serious subject matters. You may not realize it, but a lot of gamers have a great way of approaching an issue with someone in real life because they see it from every possible angle.
- Reduced Loneliness
It is unfortunate that loneliness is on the rise in society, but gaming is certainly not to blame. Closed minded people may view gaming as an isolating activity that causes people to lock themselves in a room for hours on end. However, if you really delve deeper into the research it actually helps to bring people together. There are so many amazing online gaming forums that help gamers support each other whilst they’re playing and in their day to day life too. This can drastically improve feelings of loneliness as they will have a sense of belonging. Most gamers are like-minded people who enjoy doing the same thing and working towards a common goal, so they can be extremely supportive of each other especially in an online community.
- Advanced Team Playing Skills
Some games aren’t just about working as an individual to achieve a certain outcome, it’s about working together as a team. If you’re looking to advance your team playing skills and become bonded to other like minded people, become an online gamer! Whether you’re talking through tactics via a headset, or you’re instructing people on your team to complete a certain task, you will need to consider every single person when you’re playing a team game. This will not only help you develop all of the other skills mentioned above, but it will also help you become an excellent leader and team player in every scenario you may face in life.
It’s clear to see that gaming can improve so many aspects of your life in a positive way, as well as providing you with transferable skills for your career. Certain games can improve your focus, provide you with more empathy and gaming can even help to combat loneliness too. With this in mind, hopefully you can see the positives of gaming and share these benefits with your loved ones too. The truth is, everyone deserves to enjoy a good game and reap all of the rewards that come along with this fun activity too!
