MIND AND MATTER

Feature

Play!

In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. When we carve out leisure time, we’re more likely to “zone out” in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well.

Play can add joy to life, relieve stress, supercharge learning, and connect you to others and the world around you. It can also make work more productive and pleasurable. You can play on your own or with a pet, but for greater benefits, play should involve at least one other person, away from the “sensory overload” of electronic gadgets.

In helpguide.org’s October 2020 issue, authors Robinson, Smith, Segal, and Shubin report that play is a time to forget about work and commitments and to be social in an unstructured, creative way. If you are struggling to work through pandemic fatigue or feel you have somehow gotten away from fun and play, they suggest considering the following to welcome the benefits of fun and play into your life.

Play Helps

• Relieve stress. Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins; the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
• Improve brain function. Playing chess, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.
• Stimulate the mind and boost creativity. You’ll learn a new task better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems.
• Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.
• Keep you feeling young and energetic. Play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.

Play and Relationships

• Play is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. Playing together brings joy, vitality, and resilience to relationships. Play can also heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Through regular play, we learn to trust one another and feel safe. Trust enables us to work together, open ourselves to intimacy, and try new things.
• Play teaches cooperation with others. Play is a powerful catalyst for positive socialization. Through play, children learn how to “play nicely” with others—to work together, follow mutually agreed-upon rules, and socialize in groups. As adults, you can continue to use play to break down barriers and improve your relationships with others.

Play at Work

• Many dot-com companies have long recognized the link between productivity and a fun work environment. Some encourage play and creativity by offering art or yoga classes, throwing regular parties, providing games such as Foosball or Ping Pong, or encouraging recess-like breaks during the workday for employees to play and let off steam. These companies know that more play at work results in more productivity, higher job satisfaction, greater workplace morale, and a decrease in employees skipping work and staff turnover.

Using Play To Boost Productivity and Innovation

Success at work doesn’t depend on the amount of time you work; it depends upon the quality of your work. And the quality of your work is highly dependent on your well-being. Taking the time to replenish yourself through play is one of the best ways you can help your career. When the project you’re working on hits a serious glitch, take some time out to play and have a few laughs. Taking a pause for play does a lot more than take your mind off the problem. When you play, you engage the creative side of your brain and silence your “inner editor,” that psychological barrier that censors your thoughts and ideas. This can often help you see the problem in a new light and think up fresh, creative solutions.

Playing at Work

• Keeps you functional when under stress
  
• Refreshes your mind and body
• Encourages teamwork
• Increases energy and prevents burnout
• Triggers creativity and innovation
• Helps you see problems in new ways

Playing With Your Children

While children need time to play alone and with other children, playing with their parents is also important. Here are some helpful tips to encourage play:

• Establish regular playtimes. It may be for twenty minutes before dinner every night or every Saturday morning, for example. Remember, this time spent playing together is benefiting both of you.
• Give your child your undivided attention. Turn off the TV and your cell phone and make time to play with your child without distraction. Having your undivided attention makes your child feel special.
• Get down to your child’s level. That may mean getting down on your knees or sitting on the floor. Match your child’s intensity during play—if your child is loud and energetic, be loud and energetic, too.
• Embrace repetition. It may be boring to you, but it’s not to your child. Children learn through repetition. Let your child play the same game over and over. Your child will move on when he or she is ready.
• Let your children take the lead. Become part of their game rather than trying to dictate the play. In pretend play, let your child call the shots, make the rules, and determine the pace of play.
• Don’t force play or try to prolong a game. The best way to teach a new skill is to show children how something works, then step back and give them a chance to try it. When your child grows tired of an activity, it’s time to move on to something new.
• Make play age-appropriate and consider safety. If a game is too hard or too easy, it loses its sense of pleasure and fun. Help your child find age-appropriate activities and understand any safety rules for play. Nothing ruins a fun game faster than a child getting hurt.

Even in the most difficult of times, taking time away from your troubles to play or laugh can go a long way toward making you feel better. Laughter makes you feel good and the positive feeling that comes from laughter and having fun remains with you even after the giggles subside. Play and laughter help you retain a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.

Develop Your Playful Side

It’s never too late to develop your playful, humorous side. If you find yourself limiting your playfulness, it’s possible that you’re self-conscious and concerned about how you’ll look and sound to others when attempting to be lighthearted.

Creating Opportunities To Play

• Host a regular game night with friends or family.
• Schedule time in a park or at the beach to throw a Frisbee or fly a kite with friends.
• Play with a pet. Puppies, especially, make very willing playmates. If you don’t have your own, borrow one from your local animal shelter.
• Surround yourself with playful people. They’ll help loosen you up and are more likely to support your efforts to play and have fun.
• Joke with strangers at a bus stop or in a checkout line. It’ll make the time pass quicker and you may even spark up new friendships.
• Visit a magic store and learn some tricks. Or invest in art supplies, construction toys, or science kits and create something new.
• Play with children. Goofing around with kids helps you experience the joy of play from their perspective. If you don’t have young children, arrange a play date with your grandkids, nephews, nieces, or other young relatives.

Source: The Benefits of Play for Adults 

Click here to read the full Mind and Matter Summer Edition.