Games Making A Comeback: 7 Ways To Improve Stress And Work Connections

Forbes

02-05-2025

Office games are making a comeback, and some of the newer ones can help you manage work stress and ... More solidify relationships with your team.
Feeling mentally foggy, overwhelmed or just can't seem to focus? You're far from alone. According to the American Psychological Association, 76% of adults in the U.S. report at least one stress-related health symptom. And a recent Google Trends report reveals searches for 'chronic stress' reaching an all-time high, coinciding with Stress Awareness Month, signaling a growing mental health crisis. But what if the key to mental clarity and workplace relationships wasn't to sit and talk about it or meditate on it but instead to play it out? You could be rolling your eyes, yet there's a trend of games making a comeback, helping employees manage workplace stress and build team connections.
I spoke with game expert Laura Robinson, who told me that games made a comeback during the pandemic when we were all locked down. 'They kept us connected when we were isolated,' she says. 'As AI and automation overtake the work world with the potential to further disconnect us from one another, parlor games have enjoyed a renaissance.'
And she ought to know. Robinson (no relation to me) has built a professional career from creating parlor games to producing TV game shows. She co-created the international mega-hit, Balderdash and was the Emmy-nominated executive producer and creator of the hit show, Celebrity Name Game.
The game aficionado believes games are important in today's world because people everywhere are hunched over their cell phones, passively watching videos and interacting, isolated in their own little worlds—perhaps to escape the troubling times in which we live. Her observations underscore Gallup's Global State of Social Connections, showing that 24% of the global population feels lonely, and young people aged 19 to 29 are more lonely than older adults from ages 65-plus.
Holger Sindbaek, founder of World of Card Games, explains how board games can serve as micro-breaks--short bursts of time away from work that reset your mind and boost your well-being. 'When everything feels overwhelming, a board game brings you back to the moment," he told me. "You're not checking your phone or thinking about tomorrow—you're just here, focused and having fun. That break alone can do wonders.'
Sindbaek offers seven benefits of board games to reduce stress:
1. Create Mindful Focus. 'Board games demand present-moment attention, temporarily shifting focus away from worries, similar to mindfulness meditation but in a more engaging format.'
2. Promote Social Connection. 'Face-to-face interaction during gameplay triggers oxytocin release, a hormone that counteracts cortisol and promotes feelings of security and bonding.'
3. Provide Controllable Challenges. 'Unlike work or life stressors, board games offer challenges within a controlled environment with clear rules, giving you a sense of agency often missing during stressful periods.'
4. Trigger Positive Emotions. 'Laughter and enjoyment during gameplay stimulate endorphin release, the body's natural mood elevators that can reduce perceived stress.'
5. Establish Healthy Routine Breaks. 'Scheduling regular board game nights creates anticipated breaks from stress, giving your mind something positive to look forward to during difficult weeks.'
6. Engage Multiple Senses. 'The tactile experience of moving pieces, shuffling cards and manipulating game components provides sensory grounding that can help interrupt stress-response cycles.'
7. Foster Achievement Without Pressure. 'Games provide opportunities to experience success and mastery in low-stakes environments, boosting confidence that can transfer to handling real-world stressors more effectively.'
Dr. Nikki Scheiner with Ben's Natural Health, identifies four games proven to relax the brain by influencing its stress response systems, focus mechanisms and neural pathways.
1. Pick up a racket and calm your thoughts. Scheiner explains that racket sports like tennis are one of the most effective ways to reset your brain and clear mental clutter. The mix of movement, focus and fast-paced decision-making creates what experts call a flow state--where your brain becomes deeply focused and inner noise fades. 'Playing tennis improves how your brain connects different regions,' she explains. 'It helps you stay focused and think clearly for the rest of the day.'
The science: People who play racket sports have significantly lower stress levels and better cognitive performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
2. Play your stress away with strategy games. Scheiner suggests that you don't need to break a sweat to boost your brain. She mentions games like Sudoku, chess or even mobile puzzle apps can redirect anxiety into structured problem-solving, offering quick mental relief. 'Strategic gaming triggers a surge in alpha brain waves,' she says. 'This creates the ideal neurological state--calm yet alert--where stress dissolves and mental processing thrives.'
The science: Playing strategy games improves working memory by 12-18%--measurable progress in just a few sessions. Computers in Human Behavior found.
3. Try archery to quiet your inner critic. If you're looking for mindfulness without meditation, Scheiner insists that target sports like archery deliver fast, focus-enhancing results. How? The deliberate aiming process activates your brain's sensorimotor systems and shuts down background stress signals. 'Activities requiring precision, like archery, force complete present-moment awareness," she notes. 'This integration calms racing thoughts and boosts focus within a single session.'
4. Play music to build stress resilience. Scheiner suggests that the most powerful tool for mental clarity is playing a musical instrument because it activates multiple brain regions at once, helping to regulate emotions and lower stress hormone levels. 'Musicians show stronger connections between the areas of the brain responsible for emotion and planning,' she points out. 'This leads to better mood control and long-term stress reduction.'
The science: Regular musical practice boosts brain connectivity by 10–25%, depending on the time invested. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
Some experts contend that the key to mental calm and clarity isn't always to sit still and 'clear your mind,' but instead to actively engage it in the right way. That's why there's a trend of games making a comeback. If you're a game beginner, Scheiner suggests choosing just one activity and practicing it for 15 minutes twice a week. 'You'll start noticing clearer thinking and improved mood in just a few weeks.' And Sindbaek concludes, 'In a world that feels increasingly fast and digital, board games invite us to slow down, connect and be present. That's not just fun—it's necessary.'