How does D&D help you in your job (or in life)?

[BookTenTiger]

(This is a complementary post to another I just created about how your hobbies or job impact your D&D.)

I have been playing D&D for over 20 years now, and I swear it's effected every job I've ever worked. Early on in my first jobs doing filing and data input, I was so bored that I came up with my greatest D&D ideas! However, D&D helped me realized that I enjoyed creative challenges and needed a creative job.

I'll fast forward to my current career: I am a 3rd Grade teacher (going into my 9th year!). I think being a DM for 20 years has absolutely made me a better teacher.

First off, I know that no matter how much I plan for the day's lesson, the students are going to take things in a totally different direction.

Secondly, I know that transparent systems help students feel confident! If I am transparent with my players about a new house rule, then I get more buy-in. I also have to be transparent with my students about the rules of the classroom, the steps of a new process, etc.

And finally, basic game design knowledge has really come in use in the classroom! I've created little mini-RPG's to help students borrow the perspective of a family traveling by covered wagon across the country, to play through the life cycles of mule deer... I've had students create their own shops to sell geometric figures... and I've taught California History through the construction of board games.

So how has D&D helped you in your jobs, or just in your life?

 

[GMMichael]

PCs and 8-year-olds have something in common? Who woulda thought?

Getting into Alignment debates has helped me to understand people's attitudes, and my own, better. Learning European history is a little more fun if you can picture the historical characters as D&D characters (I didn't figure that out until it was way too late). Being a PC helps me think creatively - as in, "chop it with a sword" is always an option on the table.

 

[pogre]

This is an interesting angle to look at things.

A few years ago I posted a thread where I mused aloud that my hobbies may have held me back in my career. I wondered if I focused my time and effort more effectively on my career if I would have been more successful.

I don't know the answer - except to say - I know who I am and I have no regrets.

D&D and gaming in general has allowed me to have some great relationships with fun and interesting people.

 

[CleverNickName]

Before I started playing D&D, I had very little proficiency in math and I really struggled with even the basic fundamentals. Now I'm a civil engineer, and I owe my math skills to three decades of rolling weird-shaped dice around and trying to predict the outcome.

 

[aco175]

Each time I'm snowblowing I seem to drone on about D&D ideas.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Daydreaming about DM schemes and stories help the conference calls go by faster

Seriously though, I suppose teamwork and communication skills have helped a lot. When I was overseas in the military, gaming groups rotated players with frequency. So you learned to work with a myriad of personality types into a team

 

[Khelon Testudo]

DMing gave me the confidence and skills to run information seminars for new... customers in my old job.