We have heard of stories that one thing that you do can influence another, and that knowledge you gain can transition into other parts of your life, helping you improve in more than a single task at a time. That being said, not every skill and exercise you do can help you improve in other things.

Gaming, for example, is specific, because there are many video games that you can play, not all of which are the same. Video games can in fact help us learn new things and even use them in real life. Here are some improvements and benefits which you can get from playing video games.

Hand-Eye Coordination

This is one of the most important things, particularly for people who are slow to adapt to new situations. Video games are really fast so one will have to adapt if they want to improve in a said game. All older arcade platformers are really fast and require one to dodge and practice combos, often reacting rather than predicting what an enemy will do.

Hand-eye coordination is important in life, given that we need to walk, run, drive and find our way through the world, in general. From an early age, gaming can help us prepare for the world, by teaching us basic hand-eye coordination.

Reflexes and Speed

While you might not become the next Usain Bolt, gaming does indeed teach us how to react fast. Most modern and older video games, particularly the shooters and MOBAs, require people to have reflexes to adapt to new situations quickly. Reflexes are helpful in all situations, from sports to walking down the street and suddenly being faced with an out of control vehicle. 

Problem Solving

Not all video games are simple and straightforward. Most of them require you to find a way around an obstacle, whether that is a boss, enemy team or a simple puzzle. From adventure games, to MOBAs, strategy games and especially battle royale games, problem solving is required to get to the top, or even win a match/round.

Problem solving is a key component of some games, like adventure and puzzle games, and that skill translates to literally anything in life, from having to patch a cable which has a wire sticking out to having to find a way to advance in your career.

Hand and Finger Speed

This is a very specific thing which can translate to any job or activity which requires fingers to be quick and fast, as well as precise. Consider playing the guitar and gaming. A couple of matches in a video game where you have to press a lot of buttons and you are already warmed up to play guitar. Typing in general does this, but gaming is a great alternative if you have nothing to type.

Competitiveness and Maturity

There are plenty of incredibly talented young people who get to the top most of a video game, simply because they understand how competition works and what they need to do in order to improve and be better at a game. 

Video games can teach us plenty of things, from how to adapt to a new situation, to how to use our reflexes best, as well as how to be mature and handle situations using our own skill and abilities.