"Video games aren't good for you!”. I guess we all have heard this at some point in our life. We all know how video games cause bad grades or damage your eyesight. Although these claims are not wrong, we discovered recently that video games might not entirely be as evil as we’ve thought them to be. 

Video games are now proven to be helpful for relieving stress. Studies have also shown that gaming can increase productivity too. As a result, the public outlook on video games is changing.

They aren’t viewed as a waste of time anymore. But as a necessary recreational activity for many individuals. Which helps them throw away the mental fatigue and reenergize themselves.

How are Recreational Activities and Video Games Linked to Relaxation and Productivity? 

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-and-a-woman-using-joystick-while-playing-video-game-7871540/ 

No one is able to give a 100% of their effort without a break. Humans are not machines. And even machines often overheat and need a break from time to time. So, why wouldn’t humans?

College students have a lot of academic pressure, workload, and many social responsibilities. A student, cannot keep up doing this long enough without a break. This hinders their ability to learn. And they end up burned out.

Any recreational activity can help them get rid of the pent-up stress of the past task. And move forward with better judgment and a clearer mind. Besides, prolonged workload causes burning out, work fatigue, and low productivity. This also causes procrastination.

Recreational tasks can vary. You might read a book, learn a craft, listen to music, cook, or anything. One of the most popular mediums of recreation for many is video games. It gives people a rapid sense of joy without being too physically or mentally demanding. You just boot up your favorite console and get right in.

There are many ways how gaming helps a student get relaxed from the stress that comes with college tasks. Such as: 

• Games are fun and entertaining, which helps to relieve tension.
• Dopamine is released as a result of gaming, which makes you feel good.
• Video games present a task and reward you for overcoming it, resulting in a sense of achievement.
• Gaming can promote a feeling of flow that is similar to meditation.
• Games give you immediate pleasure, which helps to boost your productivity and ease the stress of reaching long-term goals.
• Gaming may be a creative and artistic outlet that can help you unwind.
• These can lead to lasting social contacts, which is a wonderful way to unwind after a long day.

How Can A College Student Balance Gaming And Academic Tasks At The Same Time?

Firstly, as students are sensitive to becoming distracted while studying because of gaming, it is recommended that they should aim to study every day for small periods of time. 

Another option is to play games on weekends and complete all schoolwork throughout the week. This is a great suggestion for most college students who want to do well in their academics. 

If the games are kept in the personal room and are considered playing while studying, students should not study there. It is important to realize that while your video games aren't going anywhere and can wait, your study time is limited. 

You don't even have to give up gaming or other recreation because of your college assignments. All you have to do is come up with useful strategies that work for you, where you study and maintain your grades while having the rest of your time free to relax and play games. You may also look at these entertainment essays in your leisure time to eliminate your monotony and stress. To boost your productivity and avoid procrastination, you should keep some “me time” for yourself.  

Do Video Games Reduce Your College Work Load?

How can I say ‘yes, they do’  when statistics say otherwise? (The National Bureau of Statistics found that by 2015, men in the United States aged 31-55 worked 163 hours less per year than in 2000, by the same age group.)

Of course, it wasn’t just video games that destroyed men’s productivity. It played a part. But what matters is if it contributed more to increasing productivity.

Video games are your solution to get over your ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy phase simply by reducing stress and monotony. Which improves focus. 

And you can get more work done per minute with a focused, fresh mind with a creative perspective.

Moreover, video games often have an educational approach as well. Studies have shown that games increase human cognition and critical thinking.

Work management is also better with your problem-solving skills amped up. However, this doesn’t work if you’re addicted and not gaming responsibly. That is an issue entirely based on your psychology and the factors that affect it. 

Conclusion

People who say video games are bad for you may not be as dumb as a bowl. But they are not right exactly. Many important studies would deny their statement strongly.

So we can say that video game is a tool you have to use. It is not inherently an ‘evil’ thing that opens Pandora’s box for you. 

Author: Charlie D. Kenney is known best for his phenomenal tact for essays and content writing. His expertise in research also demands praise from many. Human behavior and various social catalysts often pique his interest, as can be seen from a lot of his work.