People are going to say that there's nothing about this that's specific to video games, which I guess is the point, right? You can work yourself to death if you want, but every piece of research I've read says that recreation -- up to a certain point, of course -- is going to be a long-term investment in your productivity.
My new post-work ritual is going for a nice run or lift and then ruining all of that physical activity with a beer/cocktail. On the upside, I'm getting more fit than I've ever been; on the downside, there are significantly less explosions along the Puget Sound than there are in Pandaria or Ivalice.
Absolutely true. Video games do it for me (I also hit the gym a few times a week, watch tv, play board games, etc), but they're certainly not a silver bullet. They just happen to intersect many points of entertainment and self-involvement, which makes them pretty ideal for clearing your head and winding down.
My new post-work ritual is going for a nice run or lift and then ruining all of that physical activity with a beer/cocktail. On the upside, I'm getting more fit than I've ever been; on the downside, there are significantly less explosions along the Puget Sound than there are in Pandaria or Ivalice.