The Importance of Play
“In rare moments of deep play, we can lay aside our sense of self, shed time’s continuum, ignore pain, and sit quietly in the absolute present, watching the world’s ordinary miracles.” Diana Ackerman~
Life can be messy. Hard. Hectic. Tense.
As an adult, you have responsibilities and commitments. Your days are filled with to do lists, which all too often don’t get completed. This makes you feel defeated. Somewhere during adult-hood you stopped playing. You want to do something to feel better, but can’t figure out what’s missing. The answer is to relax and play, or perhaps you should play in order to relax.
Imagine getting a better life by doing one simple thing. Play.
Play has been shown to:
Relieve stress
Boost creativity
Improve brain function
Develop social skills
Make you feel young
Louie Stroobie’s Waggleview
Play can be incorporated in just a few minutes a day with these five tips.
- Exercise- Just a 15-minute walk can lead to having more energy. Any form of exercise is a way to get play into your life.
- Laugh– When you play, you laugh. So laugh more. Read the comics, or watch one of the many cute dog videos on social media.
- Plan Fun- Incorporate fun in your daily routine. Take a break from work and use one of the many apps on your phone to play a game.
- Get Joy– Do something that is enjoyable to you. As you fill your life with more joy, it feels more like play. Find a hobby, take photos, write, or hang with friends.
- Be Spontaneous– Watch someone else play. Just the act of seeing people smile, laugh , and play can lead you to a place of joy.
Here are some ideas in how to create more opportunities to play:
-Play with a pet.
-Play with children
-Have a game night
-Plan a night out with painting, mini golf, or bowling
-Go to the beach or park
-Visit a craft store
So what’s stopping you? Get out and play… and make your life better!
How do you create time for more play in your life?
Best,
Lori and Louie
To read a waggleview with poet Bunny Goodjohn and her dog click HERE.
Carol Cassara
Exactly right! Oh, our pets teach us so much if only we listen and listen well! Play is vital!
Lori
Carol,
I keep learning so much from my dog! Lol! It surprises me everyday.
Laurie Stone
Lori, Wonderful advice and so hard to do, especially for me. I should just follow my dog Libby around all day. She knows how to live better than anyone I know. Thank you for the reminder.
Lori
Laurie,
Thank you so much for reading. My dog, Louie, actually inspired me to write this. I also find it hard to make time to play, but one day I was just watching him roll around the ground with that stick and I smiled and laughed. I started noticing more times that I could incorporate play into my life. You should definitely follow Libby around. She will teach you. Lol!
Lizzi
Ahhhhhh you may have just identified what seems to be missing from my life. I’m good at keeping up with a few games of Words With Friends on my phone, and I have a longstanding Sunday Night Scrabble with mum but…I don’t seem to really PLAY any more. I used to. Back when I had people around me to play WITH.
Lori
Lizzie,
As we get older, we just seem to stop playing. All of us adults seem too busy. I’m glad you are still playing games. I think we just need to do more play and find it where we can. Keep looking…it’s there.
Marcia @ Menopausal Mother
Playing with my two pugs is one of the BEST stress relievers for me during the day. Great post!
Lori
Marcia,
Thanks for reading. I know when I play with my dog for just 10 minutes I feel so much better afterwards too. Thank goodness we have our pups in our life.
Molly Stevens
Play is something I need to be intentional about. I like your suggestions , Lori, and they validated that I play more than I give myself credit for as I laugh every single day. Multiple times. Great post!
Lori
Molly,
You made me smile when I read this. I’m so glad you laugh every single day. It is a wonderful way to put play into your life. Thank you for reading!
Cecilia
Love this post!
The sad thing is that as we all became adults, somehow play gets pushed to the back burner. Or if we do play, we’re told to “get serious and stop goofing around”. But your post just reminded me of how important play truly is. Thanks for that!
Lori
Cecilia,
I know, it is sad that as adults we stop playing. I have to remind myself each day to find time to incorporate play into my life. When I do play, I just feel better. Thank you for reading. Now go out and play!