Obvious? Maybe. Aware? Less likely.

So like most WoW players, I do report feelings of "addiction" to the game-- even when I have other things I know I should be doing, for some reason I just want to go play WoW instead. Some people have this problem with Facebook, online shopping, talking on the phone, or watching TV-- this isn't unique to WoW.

Whenever I try to resist this temptation to play WoW, I have often thought of trying to perceive the task which I "need" to complete as being fun or really interesting. I have learned in my undergraduate career that I often do much better at any type of task if I can convice myself to take a genuine interest in it, and try to enjoy it (with coursework, this often turns into a super nerdy type of fun :D ). So just now I was like, "Hey self, you know catching up in your blogging is probably more fun than playing WoW, right?!" And therein lies the "obvious" appeal of WoW as a tool for learning: it has a competitive advantage over other strategies for learning because it is inately perceived as being enjoyable, and typically requires little convincing for the gamer to accept this.

While it may be obvious that we are more likely to partake in enjoyable activities over unpleasant ones, how often do we realize that our frame of mind can control that which we find pleasant? Next time you have an assignment or task you want to do well, but is challenging and you find yourself procrastinating on, try spending a couples minutes convicning yourself that you don't simply want to complete the task. Instead, view it not as a task, but as an activity which can be enjoyed just like any other leisure activity, and which you can "take your time" doing-- try to view work as something enjoyable. Being aware of your frame of mind with regards to tasks your are trying to complete may allow you to be a happier and more productive person. That is the power of making the process or learning a new skill or concept enjoyable.