SuperBetter

We often beat ourselves up for being glued to our computers or iPhones, wasting time playing Angry Birds while putting off the to-do list. Instead of feeling guilty, why not use our love of playing games for a healthy advantage?

That was the motivation behind the creation of SuperBetter - an online game helping users heal physical and mental illnesses - by game designer Jane McGonigal.

When we face real-life challenges, we often feel overwhelmed. Jane believes games can leave us with an empowering combination of desire and confidence to tackle obstacles and succeed.

The game falls somewhere between an organizational tool and a self-help book. It’s refreshing, in that it avoids the telltale condescension that comes with many motivational products. It delivers meaningful content and breaks the science down into digestible bites and actionable plans.

The key components:

Quests. You can’t deny that quests are more exciting than chores, errands, or yard duty. You design quests by breaking down bigger goals into manageable tasks. “Ask a friend for three reasons why you’ll succeed quitting smoking,” for example, is easier to wade into than “quit smoking.”

Power-ups. These are small things we can do to feel positive and productive. Recovering from depression? Smile at someone. Losing weight? Walk around the block.

Bad Guys. By identifying villains, you create visualizations of intangible problems. It’s easier to deal with “The Reactor Meltdown” by practicing “Mindfulness” than it is to tell yourself to “get over it.”

When a quest or power-up is completed or a bad guy battled, you click “I did this!”. You’re rewarded with points and a satisfying chime reminiscent of the sound treasure chests made when you opened one in Zelda. Points come in four categories: mental, emotional, social, and physical resilience.

How do you win? SuperBetter allows the hero (that’s you) to set an achievable goal, or an “epic win.” Once you achieve your goal, you declare yourself “superbetter”, take pride in your progress, and set a new goal.

So really, you don’t just play and win - you keep winning.

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Check out these amazing TED Talks from Jane for more inspiration: Gaming can make a better world & The game that can give you 10 extra years of life.

Visit the SuperBetter website for more info and head to the iTunes App Store to download it for free.