5 Reasons Why Gaming Is a Great Hobby for Busy Professional
Did you know there are 2,080 working hours annually for someone who works 40 hours per week?
Unfortunately, some people work even more hours. An example is an entrepreneur who, bootstrapping a startup and wearing many hats, might work almost endlessly. Overworking is one of those vices that society mistakenly rewards — calling it hard work. But doing anything to excess — even if it involves making a living — is unhealthy.
According to the American Institute of Stress, an estimated 1 million employees are absent daily due to stress. Meanwhile, job stress is believed to cost the U.S. industry north of $300 billion in losses because of absenteeism, lower productivity, and accidents.
Busy professionals who burn both ends of the candle will eventually wear themselves out. That’s one reason it makes sense for people to make the time — not find the time — for hobbies. One source says 18% of survey respondents acknowledge having one real hobby that they engage in regularly, while 15% say they don’t have hobbies. It’s interesting to note that 85% admit having hobbies is vital — but many don’t have one. Failing to follow through on essential things is unhelpful.
While there are tons of hobbies, one that business professionals should consider is gaming. It’s not just for kids — in case you haven’t noticed. There are 3.2 billion gamers worldwide. Gaming is mainstream, and it offers an outlet for participants who want a healthy escape.
Continue reading to see five benefits busy professionals can get from pursuing gaming as a hobby.
1. Improves Cognitive Skills
While some people mistakenly believe that video games are just for kids, the reality is that gaming can enhance the cognitive skills of anyone, regardless of age. Gaming as a hobby can give you better problem-solving, decision-making, and strategy-planning skills that can help you develop cognitive talents like spatial awareness, critical thinking, and memory. You can use these skills in all areas of your life.
2. Enhances Hand-Eye Coordination
Another benefit gaming will offer is improved hand-eye coordination. Gaming usually requires precise and quick movements and reactions, and this can enhance hand-eye coordination. Good hand-eye coordination will help you not just in gaming but also in other things outside of gaming.
3. Stress Relief
Yet another benefit of pursuing gaming as a hobby is stress relief. The immersive nature of some video games can provide a healthy escape. Some gamers deepen their enjoyment of the hobby by investing in laptops for gamers. Don’t confuse a normal computer with a gaming computer. The latter has the right specs to increase gameplay enjoyability so you can fully engage with the games and get the most out of them. In fact, some popular games require a gaming laptop to work.
4. Boosts Social Interaction
While many people think that gamers are antisocial and don’t interact with people very well, gaming can boost social interaction. Whether you gather with friends to play games or participate in multi-player games, you can expand your network of associates and interact with like-minded people.
5. Improves Multitasking Abilities
Yet another reason gaming is a worthwhile hobby for busy professionals is that it can enhance your multitasking skills. Gaming often requires participants to do multiple things at the same time — and the multitasking skills you develop can be applied to other areas of your personal or professional life.
If you’re a stressed-out professional with no hobbies to help you unwind, consider gaming. And even if you do have one or more hobbies, it doesn’t hurt to add gaming to the mix. Remember that buying a gaming laptop — one built with gaming in mind — will up the fun factor significantly. All work and no play is no way to live — so unwind with some gaming.
