Productivity Games:
Get work done when you actually want to play

Working and learning hard is great, but it depletes willpower and concentration, and you end up just wanting to relax and play a video game. And here’s the problem: many are super achievers in video games, but lack focus and motivation in real life. So why not turn work, studies, or any self-improvement into an RPG, but with real-life results? Here’s our list of the best productivity games that turn routine work activities into fun.

1. Habitica

Habitica is one of the most popular RPG-style apps that help you improve your skills, focusing, and attitude. When you feel bored with your routine tasks, learning, or building up healthy habits, turn them into “monsters” and fight them one by one. When you complete a task, you progress in the game, and when you fail to get something done, you lose health and backslide. You can cooperate with other players, get gear to build up your avatar, set up the system of rewards, and compete with others. What’s more, the app has extensions and add-ons to track your progress and use your data more efficiently.

2. SuperBetter

SuperBetter has helped many people to build up new habits, develop their skills and talents, and successfully pursue long-term goals. The author claims that the app improves mood and overall wellness, as it helps reduce stress caused by too many daily to-dos, oppressing circumstances, or a hard-to-tackle challenge.

The idea is using psychological strength we display when playing games for tackling real-life challenges. The main factor that gives us strength is belief in our ability to succeed, and the app increases it. This belief helps cope with personal challenges, develop good habits, learn new skills, and improve ourselves.

3. Fitocracy

A fitness app that helps improve your workout progress. In its free version, it offers various workouts for any goals and experience levels, logging progress, support, motivation, and daily articles on the subject. The paid version includes personal coach’s advice on nutrition (with a personal nutrition plan), workouts made specifically for you, and guidance on your way to your goals.

4. ChoreWars

What on Earth can be more boring than household chores, like washing dishes, making bed, and cleaning the house? ChoreWars turns this process into a game with monsters, achievements, rewards, and competition — everything you need to start doing chores you kept putting off for ages.

The users report that the game is especially efficient with children that are always reluctant to do what their parents ask. But, it can be helpful not only for big families, lazy roommates and coworkers: people who suffer from mental illnesses say that the app helps them remember what simple tasks need to get done.

5. Todoist Karma

Karma is a fun productivity game app developed by Todoist, the author of the popular to-do list tool. It does not turn anything into monsters or bosses: its method is accumulating Karma by being productive and accomplishing more tasks.

Set up your daily number of tasks you want to accomplish, and earn Karma by achieving your goals. When you start using the app, the Beginner level is assigned to you. Unlock new levels by being productive and finally become the Enlightened! And don’t forget to share your achievements on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ directly from the app.

6. EpicWin

The developer’s description of this tool sounds quite simple: a to-do list with XP. But in fact, it adds adventure and fun to your life, making it easier to remember daily chores and get more things done. You can customize your profile as you want (and choose a super fun name, of course), set up a to-do list, and start playing… or working.

For each of the tasks you accomplished, you receive points for intellect, stamina, spirit, and other characteristics. As the authors emphasize, doing laundry is an epic feat of stamina, so it’s fair that you get stamina points for that. With more points, you move forward on the quest map, uncover new locations, and find rare items (because who doesn’t want a Helm of Questionable Appeal to put on the enemy’s head?). Users say that it is a great encouragement that helps increase productivity in work and studies from the first day of use.

7. Life Game

Those who don’t enjoy fighting monsters, accumulating XP, and hunting down rare stuff, could try this productivity game app. It uses a metaphor of a tree that you plant and grow — its leaves represent different aspects of your life. Find out the most important one, or try to keep the balance between all of them: health, studies, finances, social life, or any other areas that you consider important.

The app allows creating a personal action plan that helps pursue your personal growth goals. Track your progress on every step of your way, and get inspired for future achievements. The app also offers social features, so you can share your progress on social media and get support and inspiration from the community.

8. Zombies, Run!

Most of us start doing sports to improve health or lose weight, and we all know the problem: the result promises to be great, but the process itself is disappointingly boring. To stay productive when working out and achieve your goals, try a gamified app like this. Instead of just walking, running or cycling, accomplish an important mission in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

The app contains over 200 missions, and you can create your own ones, so you’ll never run out of motivation. Your results are stored online, so you can track your progress and share your results.

9. Itemz (beta)

Itemz looks like a regular to-do and work management app, but it includes a trophy system. As the app is still in beta, trophy is only the beginning: the developers plan to implement a more motivating point-and-level system in the future. The app’s functionality seems to be half-baked as for now, but at least its creators honestly admit that and promise much more fun in the future.