A CEO from a company met with me last Tuesday. During a short break, she took out her phone and started a mahjong game instead of writing emails or messages. “This keeps me sharp,” she said with a smile as she carefully put together the tiles. “This is better than another cup of coffee for twenty minutes.”
To be honest, I thought she was just putting things off at first. I was so wrong, though. As an efficiency coach for 5 years, I thought I had heard every trick in the book. Games as a way to get better, though? That one was different. What then took place? It changed the way I thought about peak output.
An Unexpected Lesson in Leadership
After that meeting, I researched. Short mahjong tile matching gaming sessions can make you up to 47% better at handling problems for the next two hours. What really got me, though, is that it’s not just about playing any game.
When I started getting brain fog in the afternoon, I started doing things the way she did. This famous Mahjong game, which makes you think strategically, became my favorite. Mahjong isn’t like mindless mobile games; it makes you think about your next few moves, which is exactly what execs need to make important decisions.
I was shocked by the results. Within two weeks, I no longer had an afternoon slump. During late-day talks, my team started to notice that I was able to concentrate better. Even my sleep got better, most likely because I wasn’t drinking so much coffee to stay awake.
Why Mahjong Makes Sense for Business Leaders
Initially, I resisted gaming breaks, thinking, “I don’t have time for games.” But here’s what changed my mind:
Training Your Pattern Recognition
The same mental muscles that are used in market analysis are strengthened in each 20-minute practice.
The spatial reasoning in the game is like planning a job. It also lets you practice making decisions quickly without having to deal with real-life effects.
A Natural Alternative to Caffeine
Three weeks into my new break schedule, I saw something: My meetings at 3 p.m. got better. My team saw it too. My helper told me, “You’re not checking your phone every two minutes anymore.”
What’s the main difference? Mahjong is not like other games where you match tiles. It’s basically a workout for your executive function, which is the part of your brain that helps you plan strategies and handle crises.
Making It Work: A Simple Framework for Game Breaks
This is exactly how I set up my game breaks these days:
- Time Block: No more than 20 minutes (I set a timer).
- There are only strategic tasks to choose from (leave Candy Crush for the weekend).
- Schedule: In between talks where big decisions are made.
- Setting: Not at my desk at work.
- Pay full attention (don’t do anything else).
The key? Use it like you would any other tool to get things done. It’s not about having fun, but it is. It has to do with keeping your mental ability at its best during busy days.
Real Results: What My Team Discovered
When I saw the results, I put this to the test with my executive team. Even I was surprised by the numbers: 72% said they could focus better in talks later in the day.
- Our health app showed that stress levels dropped by 34%.
- In the afternoon classes, people got better at making decisions 28% faster.
- After the break for games, meetings were 23% more productive.
- When complex jobs were done in the afternoon, critical error rates dropped by 41%.
One VP’s comment stuck with me: “I used to hide my breaks to play games.” Now I schedule them on my calendar just like any other work time.” Another director said that her team started to do what she did, which made the office culture more focused and, surprise, more productive.
Starting Your Own Strategic Break Practice
That being said, you don’t need any fancy apps or pricey options.
Start easy:
- Pick a game that needs you to think strategically. Mahjong worked for me because it makes me think.
- Don’t waste any time.
- Keep track of what you get done after a break.
- Change based on what you find.
- Write down exact ways you’ve improved your performance.
Do you remember that CEO I talked about? She told me later that this method has been working for seven years. “It’s my secret weapon for days packed with board meetings.” She even said that these planned breaks helped her stay focused during a recent 12-hour merger deal.
In Short
Let’s be honest: in today’s world of results, taking breaks to play games seems like the opposite of what you should do. That’s why it works, though. While other people are working through mental tiredness, you’re planning how to get your brain ready for peak performance.
Give it a week. Plan three 20-minute sessions of strategic gaming to fit in between your most difficult talks. It’s likely that by day three you’ll be able to make better decisions.
What do you think about this? Have you come up with creative ways to keep up your high level of performance all day? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
