Escape rooms are becoming more and more popular forms of entertainment for families, friends, and team-building. These immersive experiences allow participants to solve puzzles and riddles in order to escape a themed room within a certain amount of time. While they may seem like a fun way to spend an hour with friends, escape rooms can also teach valuable lessons that can apply to both personal and professional life.
Lesson #1: Communication is Key
One of the most important lessons that escape rooms teach is the importance of communication. In order to solve the puzzles and escape the room, participants must work together and communicate effectively. This means actively listening to each other, sharing ideas, and asking for help when needed. In the real world, effective communication is essential in both personal and professional relationships. By practicing communication skills in an escape room, participants can apply these skills to real-life situations.
Lesson #2: Attention to Detail is Critical
Escape rooms are designed to be challenging, and often require participants to pay close attention to details in order to solve the puzzles. This means looking for clues in unexpected places, examining objects closely, and thinking outside the box. In real life, attention to detail is also critical. Whether it’s noticing a typo on a report, or catching an error in a financial statement, paying attention to the small details can make a big difference.
Lesson #3: Collaboration Leads to Success
Escape rooms require a great amount of teamwork. While individuals may solve puzzles on their own, the overall success depends on the ability of the group to work together. This means playing to each other’s strengths, sharing information, and supporting each other throughout the process. In the real world, collaboration is also essential. Whether it’s working on a team project at work or volunteering with a community organization, success often depends on the ability of the group to work together towards a common goal.
Lesson #4: Perseverance Pays Off
Escape rooms can be frustrating, especially when participants get stuck on a particular puzzle. However, those who persevere and keep trying are often the ones who succeed in the end. This means staying focused, not giving up, and trying new approaches when old ones aren’t working. In the real world, perseverance is also important. Whether it’s pursuing a difficult goal, overcoming a setback, or simply pushing through a challenging project, perseverance can lead to success.
Lesson #5: Creative Thinking is Key
Escape rooms challenge participants to think creatively and come up with unique solutions to problems. This means thinking outside the box, trying new approaches, and not being afraid to take risks. In the real world, creative thinking is also essential. Whether it’s coming up with a new business idea, solving a difficult problem at work, or simply finding a new way to approach a project, creative thinking can lead to innovative solutions.
Life is an Escape Room
We recently had the opportunity to meet the authors of a great book, Life is an Escape Room, Christina and Jeff Eanes, and they invited us to be on their new podcast. Our episode, “What to do when emotions are high”, was released today! If you’re interested in more about how escape rooms can teach life lessons, check out their book, and the podcast.