Playing video games is no stranger to us while growing up, and for those of you fanatics, you probably had your parents nagging down your back and saying how “video games are a waste of time”, “you’ll get lazy”, or even the “go read a book” – I know because I got those.
Well news flash parents, I’m here to tell you that that is just not the case. Unbeknownst to them, while we played our lives away like there was no tomorrow on our Nintendo or PlayStation, we were actually learning a few things.
What may you ask have we gained from playing countless hours of Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, and fighting off the cordyceps brain infection? Well, the skills you gain from playing so much, may even aid you in being a great entrepreneur, how you may ask? Well, if you’re that curious then keep reading (oh the irony):
- Let’s get physical. Okay, maybe we didn’t necessarily get bulked up by playing video games, but did you know you could refine your motor skills, perception, and dexterity? This means that people who do play video games, are faster, less likely to make mistakes when performing tasks, and are able to notice patterns easily, something you an entrepreneur can make use of. You can thank Skyrim for keeping you up all night for its endless amount of side quests.
- It’s easier to say hello. Here’s a stereotype people need to get over, people who play video games are not socially awkward rejects, as seen in pop culture. On the contrary, research suggests that gamers who take part in live social environments are actually the most communicative and probably the friendliest people out there – making you the perfect person to network with customers and potential clients. All that time playing battle royale in PlayerUnknown’s Battle Ground and Fornite with your squad has not gone to waste.
- You’re probably way better at problem-solving. Playing video games increases your problem-solving abilities, that’s a fact – even more so than problem-solving games itself. By focusing on specific tasks and working through real-life scenarios, gamers can learn valuable lessons. It’s nice to know that GTA can help train you to keep track and process information faster, while at the same time being put under stress from all the cops and gangs chasing after you – something an entrepreneur experiences all the time.
- Teamwork, makes the dream work. When people form groups and decide to play together, attitudes tend to improve, and prejudices diminish. Games like Left 4 Dead rewards you for good teamwork and punishes you for not cooperating. Banding together in co-op games with your handy dandy ragtag group and completing tasks lays a foundation for collectively achieving common goals and can even help improve relationships, something startups can benefit from.
- You’re also better at decision making. According to a study conducted by C. Shawn Green, action-packed like games like Halo and Silent Hill make people into better decision makers. It was noticed that people who played the fast-paced video games were better at taking in sensory data, and translating it into better decisions. It’s good to know that all those shooters and butterfly-effect games we played are coming in handy.
- Harder, better, faster, stronger. Who said that video games actually limit your ability to learn and make you dumb, on the contrary, video games can actually enhance our brain flexibility. Entrepreneurs who played fast real-time strategy games like Starcraft and League of Legends are better at managing and retaining a lot of information at once, enhancing their cognitive flexibility.
- Follow the leader. If you noticed, being an entrepreneur means you’re an excellent strategic thinker and an even better leader – or something like that. Games like World of Warcraft have many events that encourage and are leadership driven, taking part in these events over and over again can significantly aid and increase your ability to manage people, and plan effectively, making you the perfect asset. You’ll even learn how to persuade your team and gain their trust. You learn as you fail and get better the next time around. Just don’t go all Leeroy Jenkins on us.
There you have it, seven reasons why video games aren’t a waste of your time. Scientists totally have your back on this one so you can go play to your heart’s content all weekend.
So the next time you are thinking you’re wasting your life away playing video games, or your friends and family are telling you to get off, show them this post and convince them otherwise.
You can thank me later.
