Here is how playing games can be useful and relaxing

Large loads, a huge amount of information, high demands on ourselves — sooner or later our brain begins to literally boil from work. It needs to rest: it is enough to walk in silence and ventilate your head or think of something else — mental detox exercises. "I can't think anymore" — sounds a familiar to you? This expression would delight any Buddhism teacher. Unfortunately, in ordinary life, this phrase has a negative meaning and usually sounds in the following context: "My head is overloaded," "My thoughts are in chaos" or "My brain will explode now." 

A modern person really has too many sources of information, so we constantly have to deal with contradictions, rumours, useful and useless data. Every day we find ourselves in the crossfire of various information sources. This particularly fierce struggle is waged between classic media and the Internet, and that's why we get the disagreements in the information received.

The rhythm of life is constantly accelerating and every day we have to solve many different questions and tasks. The crazy speeds of the world around us create serious brain pressure. Our thoughts can also have negative effects: we ask ourselves dozens of questions about ourselves and the people around us every day and this leads to anxiety, guilt or our own worthlessness accumulation.

Doctors call such an overload "mental intoxication caused by an excess of information and negative thoughts," by analogy with physical intoxication, which can be caused by drug abuse, artificial nutritional supplements overload, etc. In our turbulent times, we must learn to get rid of the stresses and shocks of unnecessary thoughts to free our brain and be mental-healthy. First of all, in order to find inner balance.

Games will save us

Modern PCs and Internet not only facilitate the work of office staff but also help to escape from the hustle and bustle of the workday. Often, an employee, being at the workplace, not only deals with immediate tasks but also spends time on personal affairs, communication and entertainment. Moreover, in fact, an employee doesn't leave anywhere and from the distance, it seems that the work is on. But modern managing coaches recommend not to be strict as pharaohs but to give space to the workers so they can feel free. It allows their brain to work better, faster and longer.

Most users read the news on the Internet, visit dating and horoscope sites, spend time searching and downloading information that is not related to work. Employees talk hourly with friends online (WhatsUp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, etc). People read various materials and books. And computer games captivate employees no less than other stuff. There are a lot of options here: mobile games, CCGs, puzzles, time-killers, logical games, etc. 

Some employees even continue working after their day at the office is over. And this leads to chronic fatigue, constant stress and much more serious consequences. People suffer from insomnia and anxiety, become nervous and irritable, cease to enjoy life. As a result, productivity drops. 

That is why doctors and psychologists recommend to get distracted and relax, forgetting about everyday worries for a while. To do this, they came up with vacations so that a person does not get burnout at work. Think of it: previously, people received vacations once a year, then once every six months, and now, more and more usually companies provide vacations once a quarter (for a shorter period, of course, but more often). Therefore, it is reasonable that taking breaks during work is useful. And also nice.

Upgrade your time management 

Nevertheless, one cannot spend much time playing games. Especially at work (only if games are not your job, of course). The excitement and that natural desire to play is normal for a person but self-control is needed. The ideal proportions for breaks look like this: an hour of work and 15 minutes of rest five to six times a day or two hours of work and a half-hour break three times a day. It's up to you, everyone has their own way, but we just recommend how to.

Why playing games at work is not just normal but great? Let's figure it out.

1. Your colleagues go to smoke, to take a coffee at Starbucks, to have a micro-shopping — they spend a lot of time doing those things. You also have the right to spend time on games, since they spend on their needs. Do the math: go outside, spend 15 minutes, get back — it's almost half an hour. Quite a lot!
2. Freelancers can afford to work as they like and take breaks for as long as they want, but an office employee does not. If the working order involves complete freedom of use and pastime, you can install the games on your working PC, but if not — use your smartphone.
3. Long matches in serious games are not an option. Tension in such games can launch endorphin into your blood (if you win), but you will spend too much energy, and there is a chance to get a toxic player on the team, which means that the match is almost lost, as well as your mood. Working after such things is not a pleasant thing.
4. A match in League of Legends or Call of Duty can only worsen the situation (see the end of p.2). You need calmer and simpler games.

Do not waste your lunch on games. Lunches are sacred!

Okay, so you've agreed that playing games at work will help you, yeah? But you still don't know what to play. Take a look at this list of good games to break and unload at work:

• Hearthstone, Gwent. CCGs are good because you won't waste a lot of time on a match, they are quite calm and relaxing if you are not trying to reach high ranks, of course. Besides, those games have solo modes with adventures and lots of fun stuff.
• Dota Underlords, TeamFight Tactics, AutoChess. Autobattlers require more time to play matches (up to 40 minutes in DA but 30 minutes max in TFT). 
• Smartphones classics: Cut The Rope, Angry Birds, Jewel Dash, 2048, Temple Run. These are pure time-killers but they will greatly distract you from work. Just don't get too crazy.
• Logical games: quests, puzzles, fillwords, crosswords. Such games will not only make you feel relaxed but will also teach you something. 
• Story-driven indie games without much stress: Banner Saga, Telltale's projects (if you haven't played it), Transistor, Bastion, etc.
• A good option for football fans is Football Manager series (has a touch-version).
• Unshakable classics: Solitaire, Mahjong, Klondike.
• Funny games like Youtuber Simulator, Gamedev Tycoon Simulator, Auto Mechanic Simulator and PC Building Simulator.

Super bonus option: get yourself a Nintendo Switch and play Legend of Zelda. Guaranteed 150+ hours of gameplay that are approximately equal to several months of tearing work. And there's The Witcher 3 releasing soon (another 200+ hours) and, oh, Skyrim (+ infinity hours).

Well, the largest companies in the world have long been installing kickers, ping-pong tables, gaming machines, consoles and all that kind of stuff in their offices. After all, team games are not only a way to get distracted to take a breath, but also an excellent teambuilding motivator.

Google's Sydney Office

Playing while working is helpful. True. Play alone during breaks, encourage your colleagues to clash with you, offer your top manager an idea: there are plenty of weighty arguments for setting up at least an air hockey table. Just do not waste your strength and energy on stressful games like Dota, LoL, Call of Duty and so on. If you correctly distribute your working time into pieces work-play-work-play, you will notice that the office has become not so boring and hard, but on the contrary, interest will grow, work capacity increase and your colleagues will adore you because thanks to you, the boss agreed to purchase a console with Mortal Kombat!