It’s summer time, and all of us are thinking about the best way to keep cool. But what you may not consider is that while you’re enjoying your air-conditioned escape room, it’s very important to keep a cool head. Frustration and stress can completely derail your game, so your first objective should be to make sure your whole team is calm and collected. In case any of your friends are the excitable types, here’s a few tricks for keeping your cool in an escape room.
Deep Breaths
Sometimes the most important thing to do is just breathe. When you find yourself getting annoyed by a puzzle, or maybe your group is bickering, step back and take a breath. Try to focus on something else for a moment before coming back to the challenge at hand. We’ve all been annoyed by a problem that we’re trying to solve, but that festering annoyance can devastate your critical thinking. When you feel frustration taking over, it’s best to focus on regaining your calm before trying again.
Listen To One Another
A massive source of irritation can be the people you’re playing your escape room with. Where some groups are organized and communicate well, there are stressful groups who are prone to speaking over one another or even arguing during the game. These groups can add duress to an already stressful situation, but diffusing the tension is easy. Take a moment to listen to everyone one at a time, make sure each member of the group feels heard, and before you know it your game will be back on track.
Regroup
When a puzzle seems stressful or overwhelming, it’s best to take a step back. It’s hard to stay collected under the time constraints and challenges that most escape rooms present. But if you regroup and reapproach the puzzle with a new perspective, then you are more likely to be successful. It’s important to recognize when your methods aren’t working, and the best way to keep a cool head is to withdraw, regroup, and try again.