I first read about the importance of play for adults from Dr. Dan Siegel. Play is one of seven elements in what he calls the “Healthy Mind Platter”.
I realized that there wasn’t a whole lot of play in my life. And truth be told, it’s still something that I struggle with making enough room for in my life.
In our society, we’re generally told the narrative that play stops when we are grown ups. Between work, household chores, and other responsibilities, there simply doesn’t seem to be time for it.
It’s also simply dismissed as unproductive or a guilty pleasure. Being “silly” is even frowned upon.
Even our free-time activities tend to get more goal-oriented. We choose sports based on supposed health-benefits rather than enjoyment.
We switch the things that bring us joy for more work, scrolling through our social media feed or binging on Netflix.
To bring more play into my life, I started comedy improv classes a few months ago. I have to admit, it was a bit of a struggle in the beginning. Letting go of inhibition and allow me to play. But now I really enjoy it.
PLAY MORE!