And how we can — There is a famous definition of games by Jane McGonigal. She says that: “When you strip away the genre differences and the technological complexities, all games share four defining traits: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation.” — Jane McGonigal, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better…

Use these two simple practices — There is no game that someone plays 24/7 except perhaps the game of life. In the traditional sense, we play and enjoy games and then leave them at least temporarily to do something else. The same is bound to happen with the habits we maintain. What does leaving a game at will mean? Leaving a game or an…

And this feature is boredom — When I was writing my longest book so far on turning life into fun games, Self-Gamification Happiness Formula: How to Turn Your Life into Fun Games, I discovered the following statement by one of the biggest authorities on matters of fun and games, Raph Koster: “[T]he destiny of games is…

We can use our yearning for something new and shiny to spruce up what lost its shine in our perception. — Successful online games get regular updates and new features. Or maybe some older and forgotten features, but reinvented and shown in a new light. Even board games get extensions, expansions, and new releases. My experience with the Super Sleeper and other habit games revealed different dynamics, both in terms of…

And help ourselves to grow along with them. — Sometimes, my husband and I get compliments on how we educate our children. And sometimes, our actions are criticized. But in both compliments and critiques, I observed myself being at odds with the word “educate.” I decided to look at what the word “education” means. According to Oxford Dictionaries, it…

Ambition is not an antonym of balance. It is its component. — Like many other people, and especially those self-employed and freelancers, I try to balance out my work sessions with those of exercise, relaxation, and others to promote my well-being. I used to call the personal management activity turned into a game Balance Game. So, I thought that also in work…

Or how to approach your work-life as a brilliant designer and an eager player and have the time of your life. — In a book about gamification (which is bringing game elements into real-life environments), I found the following enlightening quote, which I full-heartedly support today. “Work is actually very similar to play and even more like games. The main difference is perception.” — Andrzej Marczewski, Even Ninja Monkeys Like to Play…