Jane McGonigal – How Games Make Life Better - [Invest Like the Best, EP.138]

If you have depression – play something like Pokemon Go (as an added bonus – it forces you to leave your house and get some exercise)

Many games are designed to put users into a state of flow where things are challenging, but not too difficult

There are 2.6 billion people who regularly play games on connected devices!

If you have anxiety – play small, focused, single-player games like Tetris

Gaming to improve mental health:

Since many video games don’t come with manuals or tutorials anymore, they’ve become great self-esteem building tools as kids have to teach themselves how to play (and ultimately win) – this builds up their self-confidence

“It’s the ultimate learning simulator and you realize if you can teach yourself, you can learn anything”

You can experience growth, improvement, and flow by switching up even the most basic of tasks such as brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand

To make a game more fun, don’t make it easier, make it harder!

Create a bridge between video games and the real world and encourage kids to apply strategies learned from games to real-life situations