In 2017, millions of households were forever changed. Young people everywhere became mesmerized by the glow of their screens as they entered a virtual world of survival. Whether you are the last character standing in Battle Royale, or collaborating with others to fight off zombies, Fortnite has a way of drawing the player in to potentially lose multiple hours of the day. If your household is among the millions affected by this takeover, then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If not, then consider yourself lucky.
“Fortnite Minutes” has become a cryptocurrency in my household. This playing time has been used to compensate my 2 teen boys for house chores, balance indoor/outdoor activities, and enforce accountability. While I maintain a weekly cap of 120 minutes, they still must earn their time. I recognize some benefits in computer games, but I know more of its negative side effects such as TMST (too much screen time), anti-social behavior, and lack of outdoor activities. I try to instill that actual reality is of far more importance than virtual reality, and that laziness is a choice, not a disease, but that’s another article.
"laziness is a choice, not a disease"
For years, my children have seen me travel to clients in various states and when asked about my job, they stumbled to explain. Last week, I seized the opportunity and used Fortnite to explain maximizing uptime and value-added activities. I was able to
express business concepts that I am familiar with by utilizing a tool my teens are familiar with. It was the perfect way to bring two words together.
"Fortnite Math Lesson: Productive Time (real playtime) = Total Uptime (120 min) - Downtime (updates, loading time, selecting playground, grabbing a snack, bathroom trips…)"
Here is the breakdown: when a player opens Fortnite, the game must download the latest update (similar to preventive maintenance, also known as PM) and this could take 10-15 minutes. After that, the game will take another 3-5 minutes to load before options can be selected and playing begins. Downtime could be as much as 15% of time spent. However, some downtime can be eliminated/reduced; snacks, texting, and other distractions can be scheduled outside uptime to reduce NVA (No Value Added). I explained that every player wants to maximize playtime just as my clients want to maximize productive time. This is where my professional expertise comes into play.
They now conduct Fortnite PM (updates) outside their 120 minutes and carefully plan their shift to maximize play / value-added/ productive time. This thought process can be used outside of the business world and beyond the virtual walls of Fortnite.
Though I’m not ready to sign in and select my “game mode” anytime soon (or perhaps ever), Fortnite made way for a teachable moment. I hope this inspires readers (and my teen boys) to further analyze their productive time versus their downtime and see how this theory can be applied to many facets of life.
By leveraging their enthusiasm and interest, I demonstrated how the principles of strategy, teamwork, and resource management can be applied in a business context. This article highlights the importance of innovative thinking, adapting to new technologies, and finding creative solutions to engage and empower teams.
While the game did have a mesmerizing grip on our teens more than five years ago, I was able to use it as a way to incentivize chores and balance their indoor/outdoor activities while instilling accountability. Using Fortnite as a tool to explain business concepts allowed me to teach them that brainpower is not optional; it is a requirement for success
"brainpower is not optional; it is a requirement for success."
Arming them with newfound knowledge through play, the concept of “productive time” draws parallels to real-life business productivity.
On a lighthearted note, I hope this teachable moment also inspires you and your teens (if you have any) to analyze your (or their) productive time versus downtime, applying the theory to enhance your personal and professional lives.
I also hope that this offers a fresh perspective on maximizing every precious minute, whether in a game, in business, or in real life.
