Effectiveness of Digital Games vs. Mindfulness Apps for Post-Work Recovery

Understanding Workplace Stress

Workplace stress is a detrimental response that can occur when there is a disparity between job demands and an employee’s ability to manage those demands. This form of stress can lead to serious health issues, including hypertension, obesity, and depression. Employees often adopt various coping strategies; some may choose positive methods like seeking professional help, ensuring adequate sleep, or allocating time for leisure activities, while others might resort to negative coping mechanisms such as alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Insufficient coping strategies significantly increase the risk of self-harm among employees.

Study Overview

A recent study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research-Mental Health, explored the comparative effectiveness of a digital game and a mindfulness app in fostering post-work recovery. Conducted by researchers from the University of Bath and University College London, the study was divided into two parts: an initial laboratory setting followed by a field study.

Laboratory Study Details

In the laboratory phase, 45 student participants aged 19 to 36 completed a 15-minute math test. They were then assigned to engage with either the shape-fitting game Block! Hexa Puzzle, a mindfulness app, or a control group utilizing a fidget-spinner toy. Participants filled out a survey both before and after the activity, rating their levels of fatigue and energy. Notably, those who played the shape-fitting game reported greater energy and reduced tiredness compared to participants in the mindfulness and fidget-spinner groups.

Field Study Insights

The second phase involved 20 working professionals who were instructed to play either the digital game or utilize the mindfulness app after returning home from work over a span of five consecutive days. By the end of the week, participants who engaged with the digital game reported feeling more relaxed than those who used the mindfulness app.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that playing digital games can serve as an effective method for alleviating work-related stress.

Reference

Collins et al. Digital Games and Mindfulness Apps: Comparison of Effects on Post Work Recovery. JMIR Mental Health, 2019;6(7): e12853. DOI: 10.2196/12853.

Image Credit

Image by Jess Foami from Pixabay.