In recent years, “gamification” has become a term among techies, but it has also spread to other fields. With the prevalence of smartphone apps and the constant emergence of new websites, “gamification” seems to be everywhere. Essentially, it is a method for incorporating parts of gaming into other work.
There are numerous ways to accomplish this, including earning points, increasing levels, and sometimes achievements, badges, or rewards. Exercising, purchasing coffee, listening to music, shopping, recycling, and dining out are all gamified. While retailers and marketers have been utilising gamification to their greatest advantage, gamification features can also be utilised to boost individual or team productivity.
Check out HabitRPG, which features a website and an iOS app, to increase your overall productivity. At its core, HabitRPG is a to-do software, but “RPG” refers to the role-playing game that it uses to motivate productivity. When you first begin utilising the programme, there are four distinct components: habits, daily activities, tasks, and rewards. Habits are acts that you either want to encourage or discourage, but have no set regularity. Daily chores are those that you wish to repeat on a regular basis: daily, weekly, etc. To-dos are singular tasks, similar to other to-do apps. Rewards are items that can be purchased after finishing a task. You receive a specific amount of gold and experience points after completing each mission. Experience points allow you to level up and unlock various game aspects. Gold permits the purchase of rewards. The game introduces a market, item drops, pets, armour, and other components as you gain levels. A dynamic and well-considered incentive scheme makes it enjoyable to store all of your productivity tools in one location.
If you appreciate the concept of a gamified productivity tool but don’t want as many features, Carrot is a vicious iOS application. It is a basic, user-friendly to-do software that unlocks functionality as you earn points. Carrot has a personality, and if you fail to accomplish your tasks, she becomes upset. How many points you receive and how she communicates with you depend on her disposition. Carrot is a strange application that is perhaps the most original of the group, and is worth a look if only for its surprises.
EpicWin is another role-playing game (RPG) productivity application that awards points and prizes for completing real-world tasks. Again, you can choose your character and raise their level as you progress. EpicWin is in the process of being created, but you cannot yet spend gold on items.
Try SuperBetter if you want to be more productive with a particular task or process. SuperBetter provides you with assignments, missions, power-ups, and “bad guys” based on your personal path, such as exercising more, strengthening your willpower, reducing stress, or enhancing your relationships. It’s not a productivity app in and of itself, but enhancing these parts of your life can certainly boost your overall productivity.
If managing your funds is the area of productivity in which you struggle, there are also programmes for it. SaveUp is a programme designed to encourage saving and prudent financial decision-making. It awards credits for the decisions you make, which you can use to enter contests with actual rewards or cash out. SmartyPig is a website that likewise emphasises saving, albeit in a less game-like manner than SaveUp. SmartyPig automates savings and rewards you for reaching your financial objectives.
If you’re not interested in using applications or websites, you can implement gamification without technology by integrating game features on your own. The optimal approach is to begin by identifying the tasks that you struggle to do or that you wish to motivate. Determine a point value for each of these duties. You may also assign them to distinct categories. Perhaps doing the dishes earns two blue points, but cleaning the bathroom earns eight red points.
From there, identify and assign point values to rewards, positive (but not goal-subverting) activities or items. Then, in order to receive your rewards, you must complete enough jobs to pay for them. Do not end there. When defining your own system, you can be quite imaginative. Find ways to “level up” or engage in a boss battle: what incredibly difficult obstacle are you about to face, or what milestone can you celebrate passing? You’ll find ways to become more productive while having a little fun along the way if you provide yourself with frequent opportunities to advance.
