Entertaining Games to Play During Free Time at Work: Bingo and Puzzles

Every professional will chance upon some idle time at the office eventually. What do you usually do then? Browse some social media? Watch some funny cat videos on YouTube?
There’s nothing wrong with that. But we got some better ideas that you can try that are entertaining but also keep your mind sharp simultaneously. Just in case your work needs you again at your top shape suddenly. Your mind will be alerted and engaged, raring to go!

How Games Can Improve Your Productivity

Playing games at work is almost a taboo subject for many. But in actuality, studies have shown that playing certain games at work can actually improve productivity instead of decreasing it.

Playing games at the office can decrease stress and improve mood. Nobody wants to stare at a word-filled Doc file or a spreadsheet 24/7. A few light, engaging games can break up that monotony. And when you’re no longer stressed or bored out of your mind, you will be able to work more efficiently. It also makes the job less stressful and can be used as a way to improve the quality of your work life.

But if you decide to play a game that requires you to think, the benefits to your work may be doubled. Research has shown that certain “game-ified” brain training programs may improve working memory and cognitive abilities. Your workstream can benefit from such games, too.

5 Entertaining Games to Play During Free Time at Work

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, here are a few games that you can try to remain awake and alert at work.

Bingo

Bingo is a game of chance that is best played in a group. You can involve your co-workers in the game. Not only will it keep everyone alert, but it will also improve your relationships.

You must make a card with a grid filled with numbers of your choice. You can shear off a piece of paper and draw on it with pens. Alternatively, you can use tools like WordMint to make your bingo cards. A host is elected, who will announce random numbers. If there’s a number on your card, circle it. The first person to find all of the numbers in a row wins the game (and they must also announce: “Bingo!”)

It’s as simple as that, but it can be enjoyable. And indeed, it’s going to keep your brain awake.

Suppose you can’t rope enough co-workers into playing with you. In that case, there are plenty of apps that you can use to play either against computers or against other players on the app.

Puzzles

Puzzles are a classic game that can be played with a physical puzzle set or on your phone. Other than being fun and a great time-passer, puzzle games are among the most mentally beneficial.

Many sources have shown that puzzle games can improve your short-term memory by reinforcing connections between your brain cells. It also enhances visual and spatial reasoning and sharpens your brain’s logical side. All of these benefits are super beneficial for every professional.

Crosswords

Crosswords are yet another classic “mental” game. If you can still buy physical newspapers in your area, there’s a good chance that you will find a crossword game at the front. You can also purchase crossword books with pages after pages of the puzzle to play, as well. Or the easiest and potentially free way: download an app. There’s plenty for crosswords.

For those who don’t know, the rule is simple. On the page, you will find rows with empty boxes arranged horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Each row is marked with a number. At the bottom or to the side, there will be numbered clues that you can use to figure out the best word to fit inside the row. Fill up all of the rows, and you win.

Crosswords have been shown to affect memory and cognitive functions positively. Of course, it can improve your vocabulary, as well.

Tetris

Tetris is one of the first video games ever. However, even in the 21st century, it still has many people playing it almost religiously every day. And it’s not without reason: the game is mentally stimulating, never-ending, and offers different levels of challenges.

The objective is to drop blocks of various shapes and colors from the top of the screen to the bottom. Then, try to make a row with the blocks as best as possible. Once you manage that, the row will disappear, giving you more space to fit more blocks. The game is over if the blocks pile up too much and reach the top of the screen.

Since it’s a game that relies heavily on the visuospatial ability of the brain, over several matches, it can enhance your spatial skills.

Sudoku

Games like Crosswords may not sound very appealing if you work with words. In that case, try Sudoku, which is a game that’s all about numbers. It’s a numerical-math game. A Sudoku puzzle consists of long, empty rows. The objective is to fill these rows with numbers from 1 to 9 so that no number is repeated in the same row, column, or region.

You can play Sudoku on paper, or you can play it via apps on your phone.

Conclusion

Games can play an important role in your work life if you give them a chance. Not only are they an excellent de-stressor, but they can also sharpen your mind for the rest of the day’s work, as well. And like we already demonstrated with Bingo, it can be a good way to connect with your co-workers, if you can rope them into a game or two.