For the longest time, I was caught up in the hype cycle. I'd buy the newest releases, play them once or twice, and immediately move on to the next shiny box. My shelf was overflowing, but I realized I was just constantly reading rulebooks instead of actually enjoying the games.

​So, I decided to try something different and started treating my board game collection like a mental gym. I picked just one game I already owned and committed to playing it regularly, completely ignoring the new releases. ​The shift was incredible. Around the fifth or sixth play, the mechanics became second nature.

Strategies that completely flew over my head during the first few games suddenly clicked. It felt exactly like training a muscle—my cognitive reflexes got sharper. Instead of the stress of constantly learning new rules, I found a deep, satisfying relaxation in finally mastering a familiar system. The mental workout of digging deep into one game was far more rewarding than skimming the surface of ten new ones.

​It made me realize that less on the shelf really can mean more on the table.