How I Got Hooked on Online Strategy Games During My Night Shifts

It all started on a slow Tuesday night during one of my overnight shifts at the helpdesk. The calls had quieted down, the tickets were all cleared, and I had two more hours to kill. At that point, I wasn’t really looking for anything in particular—just something to keep my brain from dozing off while I waited out the clock.

Out of sheer boredom, I opened a browser game that a friend had once mentioned in passing. It was a basic tower defense game—nothing fancy, no downloads, just wave after wave of little pixelated enemies crawling through a maze. I didn’t expect to enjoy it that much. But halfway through my first session, I found myself completely engaged. I tweaked placements, tested different tower combos, and slowly watched my scores improve.

What surprised me wasn’t the game itself—it was how effective it was at keeping me focused. Instead of staring at the clock or scrolling through endless social media posts, I was thinking, planning, and reacting. It felt refreshing, and before I knew it, playing a few rounds of that game became my regular routine during downtime.

Over the following weeks, I started exploring similar games. I wasn’t looking for adrenaline or competition—I wanted something relaxing but mentally engaging. I tried base builders, card battlers, even a game that involved assembling and optimizing conveyor belt systems. Every game offered its own flavor of strategy, and each of them gave me something to look forward to during an otherwise uneventful shift.

I also discovered a community side to all this. Reddit threads, small Discord servers, YouTube creators breaking down mechanics in detail—it was an entire world of people who enjoyed the exact same types of games. I began chatting with others, exchanging strategies, and even testing out builds that other players recommended. It added a layer of interaction I hadn’t expected from such a solo activity.

Eventually, I started keeping a personal log. Not a full journal, but a little notepad where I wrote down what worked and what didn’t. It helped me track my progress, but also made me appreciate the little moments of trial and error. There’s something satisfying about getting better at something, even if it’s just a game. Especially when the improvement comes not from grinding or luck, but from thinking differently.

As time went on, I realized how much these sessions were helping my mental state. They weren’t just keeping me awake—they were giving me structure. I’d get into work, clear the queue, make coffee, and then play for 15 minutes while things were quiet. That rhythm helped frame my shift. And on busier nights, just knowing I had that pocket of time waiting for me made things a little easier to get through.

Now, I don’t play as much during shifts, but the habit has stuck with me. After work, instead of jumping into loud games or endless Netflix scrolling, I’ll launch a strategy game for 20–30 minutes. It gives me space to decompress. No notifications, no real-world consequences—just puzzles to solve and systems to optimize.

Sometimes I think about how randomly it all began. Just one boring night, one simple game, and suddenly I’d found a ritual that genuinely helped me get through work and stress more smoothly.

People underestimate casual games. They think if you’re not competing or “leveling up,” it’s a waste of time. But I’ve found that these games can offer something deeply valuable: focus, clarity, and the satisfaction of slow, thoughtful progress.

So if you ever find yourself stuck in a routine, maybe try something low-key. Maybe a tower defense game. Who knows—what starts as a distraction might just become your favorite ritual too.