Students who study often know how important it is to take breaks in between long hours of reading and deep textual analysis. But because of the desire to keep productivity at an all-time high, they often do not prioritize these moments of rest and instead push through to complete the next assignment, video, or review guide. However, taking strategic breaks is actually one major solution to the obstacles that can arise whilst studying, such as tiredness, burnout, and/or mental fatigue.
During these breaks, some may find it useful to take a walk outside or eat a healthy snack while resting their eyes from the books. Others may prefer to keep their brain active while simultaneously taking their mind off the study subjects at hand. This is where certain cognition-boosting games can come in handy, introducing students to activities that have entertaining qualities but are also beneficial to their studying habits. Here are three of the very best games that do just that. The best part of all is that each of these can be played with just a mobile phone or computer, so that students do not have to fuss about finding a partner or equipment.
Studies have found that, in addition to strategic skills, chess players have improved memory and cognitive abilities
Chess
Chess is a well-known two-player board game that dates back over 1,500 years. Still widely played today amongst people of all ages, the strategic activity challenges players to think outside the box from the very beginning, strengthening creativity abilities, decision making skills, and much more. Chess players must make well-calculated moves in a patient manner, imagining every pawn both abstractly and concretely in order to solve the puzzle. Although this may seem like a lot of work for a study break, research has shown that playing chess reduces stress and recenters the mind. It can also be quite fun and relaxing to play the game online against a friend who you can exchange chats with throughout gameplay. In this way, players can amp up the entertainment factor of chess and return to the books ready to tackle the next study block set before them.
Poker
Because each of these games can be played online nowadays, players compete against bots or friends in the virtual environment
Sudoku
Why not spend your next study break curled up with mind-bending puzzles that help to keep your brain healthy and sharp? Just like the other two games mentioned above, sudoku forces its players to think critically and spot patterns. This activity is one of logic in which every step taken is one more piece in solving an intricate puzzle. Because gameplay involves the constant analysis of numbers on a grid of 9×9 spaces, players must concentrate deeply and remain invested in the task at hand if they want to fill in the missing spots. Sudoku has also been proven to enhance memory power in those who play it frequently, a great skill to have when studying.
So, there you have it! Next time you are feeling tired or weighed down by the stack of study notes before you, take a quick fifteen-minute break and play one of these entertaining games of strategy. There’s a high likelihood your productivity level will even improve because of it.
