A lot of people will tell you that playing video games should be avoided when you’re studying. But did you know that playing video games might actually be the secret to getting the grade that you want, and allow you to focus more whilst you’re studying?

Of course, there are times when we’re all playing video games for a few minutes, and it turns into a few hours and ends with us feeling bad for procrastinating our work. This probably isn’t the most productive way to spend your time, but when you play games in moderation you can game guilt-free and help yourself get closer to that all-important final grade.

In this article, we’ll be telling you all of the reasons how video games can help you to study more effectively. All students sometimes need help with math, biology or Spanish assignments — Studybay, Chegg or Wyzant can really help and save time that can then be happily spent on video games that will help you learn better in the future! After all, you can allocate time to play and get a writing tutor to help with your assignments or buy (find here all advantages of such a method) prewritten guides in one of these services, but main the thing is to remember is not to take it a habit! ;-)

9 reasons why video games help you study

1. You become used to practice and repetition

If you were to ever ask someone how they got to be so good at a certain game, their answer will most commonly be “practice”.

Practice really does make perfect, it works for gamers and it also works for students who are trying to study for their next essay or assignment.

The art of practicing and repetition can seem boring, but the more you do it the more it becomes a habit. Like when you memorize answers for a test using flashcards!

The more you practice, the more the information or experiences will lodge inside your brain. This helps you to improve your gameplay, but also makes it easier for you to recall important information that you need in your tests and exams.

2. You work on your patience

They say patience is a virtue, and you never need more of it than when you’re playing a video game or trying to study.

When you get started with a new game it can take a lot of patience while you figure out all of the moves, get to know the world you’re playing in, and figure out how you can progress in the game.

This is very similar to studying. When you’re learning a new topic it takes a while for you to understand it and develop your knowledge--this can take a look of patience.

Many studies have found that students that play video games are normally much more patient when it comes to taking in new information and learning new topics.

3. Improves your concentration skills

Sometimes when you’re playing a game, you’ll look at the clock and see that hours have passed without you even realizing it - this is because you were concentrating so hard that the time just flew by.

Being able to completely zone into a task that you’re trying to complete, whether that be a video game or an assignment, is a great skill to have. You might be studying medical administration courses that need you to have attention to detail. You can improve your concentration with such games. 

It’s a skill that helps you to eliminate any distractions that could be getting in the way of your focus, and gives you the ability to focus all of your attention on your work - which normally results in much better quality work.

4. Develop faster reaction times

Playing video games speeds up your reaction times a lot, you have to quickly move out of the way or dodge punches in fight games in order to stay alive.

You may not think that this is very applicable to studying, but it is. Being able to quickly work your way through problems can be really important. 

Also having quicker reactions also means that you’re able to make decisions on your feet, which is never more important than when you’re trying to complete an assignment before a deadline.

5. You become better at group work

Studying is never as fun when you’re trying to do it by yourself, so it’s good to be able to work in a team and work together to help each other out.

This is another skill that’s highly important in video games. You often have to work with other players - who may often be people from a range of ages and backgrounds - to help get your team to victory.

These teamwork and communication skills will make your next group project feel much easier, especially when you’re talking to fellow students in person in a relaxed environment, rather than the pressurized battlefield of your game.

6. You learn leadership skills

Chances are you’re not playing a student in your video games, you’re a leader or someone in a position of power who has to make decisions that will affect other people.

You learn to develop leadership skills pretty quickly when you’re playing video games, which will come in useful when you’re pushed to lead in a group project, or need to make an important decision.

7. You learn how to work under pressure

Video games can be a lot of pressure, think of the last time you played a game like Call of Duty where you’re trying not to get caught and killed by a player on another team - what could be more high-stress than that?

Being able to continue playing in these games and not let the pressure get to you is an important skill that will become useful in all elements of your life, but especially your academic life.

Trying hard to hit a deadline, or trying to focus on an important exam are both very pressurized situations where you can either crumble or thrive. If you’re used to playing your video games under pressure, you should find these situations super easy!

8. Brush up on your problem-solving skills

Succeeding in any video game comes down to your ability to make the right decisions at the right time - having good problem-solving skills.

It may mean the difference between your team winning and losing the game, and can also make a big difference in the success of your school assignments and projects.

Knowing what to write an essay about, knowing when to change the direction of your project, or knowing when you should switch the subject of your assignment completely are all times when you need to have good problem-solving skills. 

In all of these situations, if you’re used to solving problems in your video games, you can easily apply these skills to your studies.

8. You get instant feedback that boosts motivation

Unlike with schoolwork and assignments, with games, you’ll normally get instant gratification. If you solve a problem, you’ll know straight away and move on to the next level which helps to boost your motivation.

Having hobbies and pastimes that help to motivate you, can come in useful when you’re doing tasks that don’t offer instant gratification - like schoolwork when you have to wait for the results of your paper to come back.

9. Improves your ability to multitask

Our final reason why video games can help you study more effectively is that it improves your ability to multitask.

When you’re playing a game, there’s a lot to think about. Just like when you’re working on homework from a number of different classes all at once.

Conclusion

We hope that this article was useful in showing you how video games can help you study more effectively. Now you don’t have to feel so guilty when you spend your time on your games!