When I tell other marketers I’m an avid gamer and a long-time World of Warcraft player, I get one of two responses.
The first—and best—response is from fellow gamers. They are typically psyched to have met a fellow gaming content marketer. Often, they are recovering “warcrack” addicts. We reminisce about the golden days of WoW (as we refer to the game) and promise to add each other on Battle.net.
But then there are the non-gamers.
They furrow their brows and narrow their eyes at my sharing my favorite hobby. “Shouldn’t you be spending that time on something…more productive” is a comment I’ve heard so many times.
Why yes, I DO have a number of professional projects I’m working on right now, including a book. Thank you very much.
Taking a Break is Necessary
But just like everyone else, I need to relax.
For some people, this manifests in spending a couple of hours in front of the TV each night.
For others, it’s taking 5-hour hikes every weekend.
We all have something that helps us relax and get to a place that allows us to have creative ideas.
And for me, it’s playing World of Warcraft.
You see, content marketing is a long game. You don’t see results overnight. Playing an MMORPG allows me to have goals I can attain over the course of a few hours, such as completing a raid.
It’s also an escapist fantasy universe, where I typically play a night elf or troll druid or a gnome shadow priest.
The Myriad Benefits of Playing WoW
I play with others across the continent. I’ve even had dinner with one of my guild members in Toronto, while others have come to visit me in San Francisco.
In addition to helping me chill out, playing World of Warcraft has had the unexpected bonus of giving me a birds-eye view into what’s interesting and shareable from outside my content marketing bubble. I can’t even start to articulate how valuable this is.
Americans, and especially those of us who are self-employed, do a terrible job of unplugging and taking a break. It may only be for a few hours at a time, but my trips into Azeroth give me the ability to reset after a long day in the business world.
What about you? What do YOU do to unwind and recharge?
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