How to boost our productivity?

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Many of us know how difficult it is to develop and release a game. From story board, concept ideas, modelling, game integration, marketing and much more, it is not a full-time job but many full-time jobs at the same time, often undertaken by a single developer or a small team. The days go by, filled with a very wide range of emotions. From excitement, enthusiasm, happiness to stress, anxiety, mental fatigue, or despair, you can be assured that a game developer will experience all of them, sometimes even within a single day! And it is without mentioning the long working hours, the lack of sleep, the physical strain and most of the time a not so healthy diet. This is understandable, game developers have a game to publish if they want to earn some revenue, so they add hours upon hours to boost their productivity and achieve their dream faster. Unfortunately, even superhero-developers are just human and cannot push their bodies this way for a long period of time. And instead of being more productive, the opposite occurs: they have mental and physical breakdowns. They need a break.

But what if there were some kinds of strategies or life choices game developers could adopt to continue their progress and thrive?

You might be familiar with the English-language proverb that appeared in the 19^th century ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ At the time, people did not have access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables so eating an apple a day was one way to integrate healthy food in their diet. Research actually shows that apples have many virtues with few side effects and moreover, workers who eat five portions of fruit and vegetable at least four days a week, show to be 25% more productive than those who don’t have a habit of doing so. It is definitely worth trying…

Besides, there is another way to boost your productivity! Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.’ And he was so right! Once again, research demonstrates that incorporating short exercise or physical activity breaks during the workday can lead to increased productivity. The numbers speak for themselves: these breaks can help employees reduce stress, refocus, and re-energize, leading to better overall cognitive function and task performance by 72%! The best part is that you just need 2.5 hours of exercise during your workday so typically 30 minutes per day. Perhaps a 30 minute walk to the corner shop to get some fruits and vegetables?

Now, by no means, the following topic should be omitted or taken lightly if you want to boost your productivity: sleep. Did you know that sleep and effective work performance are positively correlated? Getting enough sleep leads to happiness, performance, and improved health. Sleeping 7–8 hours per night increases productivity by 20%, while sleeping fewer than 5 hours decreases productivity by 29%. If you are interested in learning more about the importance of sleep, you may want to read ‘Why we sleep?’ by Matthew Walker (not sponsored) and you will be amazed to discover the many short and long term benefits of having a good night sleep.

Finally, let’s not neglect the importance of having good, trusted friends, at work and outside work, who will definitely be there for you sharing your high and low moments. “People are more creative and productive when they experience more positive inner work life, including more positive emotions, stronger motivation toward the work itself and more positive perceptions of the organization,” explains Professor Teresa Amabile of Harvard Business School, co-author of ‘The Progress Principle’ (not sponsored). “And one of the things that contributes to positive inner work life is a sense of camaraderie with teammates and close co-workers – a sense of bonding and mutual trust.” Moreover, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Minnesota not only confirmed that close friendships increase workplace productivity, but they also found out why — friends are more committed, communicate better, and encourage each other.

So, game developers, it’s all in your hands. Implement some simple changes in your daily life and measure their impact on your mood and productivity. What if you tried to integrate healthier food in your diet? What if you tried to go out every day, feel the sun and the wind on your skin and experience the benefits of natural light? What if you tried to implement a bed-time routine for a better night sleep? What if you tried to have a person of confidence to talk to during challenging times? What if this advice would definitely boost your productivity?

Game developers, you have nothing to lose! You are all incredible artists, and the world needs to see your games! Take good care of yourselves!