Card Games and Calm Minds: Unveiling the Hidden Benefits of Solitaire for Busy Moms
In the chaos that is my life, trying to balance homeschooling and working from home, finding a moment of calm often seems like an elusive dream. Juggling between maths lessons, work pressures, and the perpetual demands of family life can be overwhelming. I am constantly looking for ways to find a little calm in the chaos. Just by chance I have found a calming little hack that buys me a little time every time to gather my thoughts and recharge my battery somewhat. Playing games, like solitaire on my laptop, makes it look like I am working so the kids leave me a lone for a little bit longer.
There are actually a few benefits of playing these types of games – so really it is important for my overall mental health and well-being to be taking this time out and playing these games.
Calms the Mind:
Solitaire doesn’t require intense focus, it is almost meditative which means I can do it without too much intense input. So, for me, it is a great way to calm my mind while still actively engaging in something.
Entertainment Unleashed:
The best part about solitaire is that you can restart or undo and go back to fix your mistakes. You don’t have a finite about lives, so you can play the same game until you get it right. I have a personal challenge to try to complete every game I play. It can get tricky when the games get harder.
Memory Boost:
While possessing a sharp memory isn’t a prerequisite for playing solitaire, frequent engagement with the game subtly improves your’ ability to memorize colors, suits, numbers, and even the order of cards in the stock after just one review. This can be very helpful when you are trying to make decisions, remembering what cards are in the stack can be very helpful.
Mental Fitness:
Even though I find it meditative, it is a workout for the brain. You have to analyze cards, consider factors like suits, numbers, availability in the stockpile, and hidden positions in the deck. This continuous process of creating and planning future sequences contributes to a noticeable improvement in mental skills over time, as players become increasingly adept at performing these tasks swiftly. Crossword puzzles are also really great for this and they improve your general knowledge.
Positive Self-Competition:
I am not super competitive but a little self competition is always fun. I set little goals for each game – generally time limits or to beat previous scores etc. It gets the competitive juices flowing but without the pressure of competing with another person.
In the whirlwind of my daily life, finding moments of calm is crucial for maintaining balance and sanity. The solitaire hack has become my go-to strategy, it ticks all the boxes a semblance of productivity, a mental escape, stress relief in small doses, and a moment of calm. Sometimes a simple card game can be what makes all the difference in a chaotic. So, the next time you see a busy mom engrossed in a game of solitaire on her laptop, know that she might be recharging after a crazy day!
