internet reversi win - go

Hello. My name is Michael and I am addicted to Internet Reversi.

Well, maybe I’m not hooked to the simple board game, but I do find myself playing the game far too much. A few days ago, I talked about how you can increase productivity by taking well-deserved breaks and while I still fully endorse that philosophy, I must re-iterate the importance of these breaks being well-deserved. Burnout is a common issue for freelance writers and other work-at-home professionals, because there is no set working schedule and the lines between work and play become quite blurred. Self-imposed breaks can do wonders.

Honestly, while I believe that I work quite hard at what I do, I also believe that I am playing Internet Reversi (and Spider Solitaire) more often than what is healthy and more often that would help to increase productivity. These Windows-based games are incredibly accessible and offer instant gratification. There are no boot-up times to worry about and a game can be concluded in a few minutes. Contrast this with an extended session with a fighting game, and you can see how easy it is to get distracted with “mini-games” like Internet Reversi. It could also be a matter of a motivation deficit, distracting myself from paid work so that I can enjoy a simple puzzle game.

Internet Reversi is distracting and it detracts from productivity, especially when I should be focusing on creating some great articles for my clients. That’s not to say that the game is all bad; it can actually help you beat writer’s block when used appropriately. This is because it works a different part of the brain than the part that is dedicated to language. After a short gaming session, you can return to your work refreshed and renewed. The “word” part of your brain is rested and can return to the job at hand. The key, as with all things, is moderation.

I will not quit Internet Reversi cold turkey. That would be self-defeating. A good system would be to limit myself to a certain number of games each day, sliding them in where I feel the writing part of my brain deserves a break. What number do you think is fair?