[jypepin]

this resonates a lot. I recently moved and now I have the space for a desk at home which allows me to play video games again, which I loved doing at a kid (starcraft, etc) and had to stop doing due to space for 4-5 years.

Now that I picked up video games again, I feel better and it's the best way for me to get my mind off work!

[xerophyte12932]

I feel the same way.

Recently I was facing a lot of escalating work-related stress that was spilling over to my home life. So I invested in a xbox 360 gamepad and started playing a lot of indie games on my laptop.

Best part of my day! Completely takes the stress away and I feel "recovered" when I go back to work the next day.

Random Game Suggestion: Mages of Mysteralia. I love how it lets you craft your own spells like drag-and-drop programming. So it touches TWO of my childhood loves

[tomekowal]

I feel like StarCraft and RTSes in general work really well in this scenario, because they occupy every brain cell available. Concentrating really hard on something non work related totally resets the brain.

[distances]

And as a downside, I need to stop playing well before going to sleep. Trying to sleep right after a multi-hour game session is a surefire way for me to lie awake in bed for a couple of hours.

[abe_duarte]

I do the same, video game sessions are great for refocusing, specially for weekends. Friday night gaming will take my mind off work. Early Saturday exercise allows me to start the weekend well. Given that I can leave your laptop at work, I try to have another computer at home so there is no way for me to access work email. I also snooze all work notifications in my phone. That gives me space to work on my own projects during the weekend and reclaim my mind's focus.

Gaming is just one of the things but an important activity.