The word “gamification” may evoke images of people glued to screens for hours on end in an attempt to escape the tedium of daily life by playing some of the best games Canada has to offer. But you may be surprised to discover that gamification in everyday life is quite the opposite. In fact, you’re probably already gamifying a lot of your life without even knowing it.
Think of the way you reward yourself with online casino games at the end of a tough week. The true magic of gamifying life is that when you get it right, everyday becomes an adventure. Here’s a better understanding of gamification and a few tips on how to gamify your everyday life.
What Is Gamification?
Let’s start with understanding what exactly gamification is. Gamification is when you apply game-like elements to things that aren’t actually games, such as work, exercise or learning. It’s all about making those activities more fun and engaging by adding to them some game-like elements such as points, badges and challenges.
The basic idea is that as long as something feels like a game, we’ll be more likely to stay motivated and keep working towards our goals. If, for example, you’re trying to learn a new language, you could use a gamified app which gives you points for practicing every day and rewards you with badges for hitting certain milestones.
There are so many examples of gamification in everyday life. It’s used in all sorts of areas, from education to marketing to fitness. And the best part of it is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive – you can create your own gamified system with something as simple as a rewards chart or checklist.
The key is to find what motivates you and what will make the task at hand more enjoyable. So, give it a try and see how gamification can help you achieve your goals.
Steps to Gamify Your Life
The key to successfully gamifying your life is to make it fun and engaging. Here are some steps you can take to get it right.
Set Clear Goals
The first step in gamifying your life is to identify the areas you want to focus on. It can be anything, from exercising more often, to learning a new language, to simply being more productive. Once you’ve identified your goals, the next step is to figure out how you can turn them into a game, and one way to do this is by setting specific, measurable goals for yourself.
For example, if you want to exercise more often, you could set yourself the goal of running a certain distance every day or completing a certain number of push-ups or sit-ups.
Create a Points System
As a next step, create a points system. Assign points to each task or goal and then track your progress. You can use an app, a spreadsheet or even a physical scoreboard.
You may not have realized it but teachers have been gamifying learning in classrooms for centuries by using merit systems and reward charts.
Reward Yourself
When you reach a certain number of points or achieve a specific goal, reward yourself. The reward can be anything that motivates you, such as a movie night, playing at a casino online, a favorite meal or even a new book.
Make It Social
You can also add an element of competition to your goals by getting friends or family members involved. Create challenges or contests with them to see who reaches their goal first. This does not only add fun and excitement to your goals but also provides a support system to help you stay on track.
Mix It Up
To keep things interesting, mix up your goals and challenges. Try new things, learn new skills and challenge yourself in different ways. Just as you flit between casino table games to keep your gaming life interesting, you can get creative with your daily challenges by mixing them up.
Examples of Gamification in Everyday Life
You don’t have to be an app developer or self-help guru to gamify your life. Here are some techniques, apps and websites you can use to help gamify your everyday life.
Chore Wars
Chore Wars is a website that helps you turn household chores into a game. Users create characters and earn experience points for completing tasks such as washing dishes or vacuuming the living room.
The Habit Loop
The Habit Loop is a technique that gamifies creating new habits. It involves creating a routine which includes a cue, a behavior and a reward. The reward can be something as simple as a gold star or a piece of candy.
The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management technique which gamifies productivity. It involves breaking work into 25-minute intervals and rewarding yourself with a short break after each interval.
RPG Fitness
RPG Fitness is an app which gamifies fitness by turning workouts into quests. Users create characters and earn experience points for completing workouts. As they level up, they unlock new workouts and challenges.
Brain Games
Brain games such as Sudoku, Wordle, crossword puzzles and word searches are a fun way to gamify cognitive tasks. They challenge the brain and offer a sense of accomplishment when completed. You can even bring them into the social realm by challenging your friends on their knowledge of interesting facts about Canada at a dinner party or sign up for pub quizzes at your local watering hole.
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