Posted by We probably don’t need to tell you that play is integral to children’s development. From physical benefit to interpersonal advantages, everyone knows that play grows kids into well-adjusted, healthy adults. But just how can family-based play promote creativity and productivity in grown-ups? If you want to learn some more about how fun and games with your kids can do you a world of good, let’s dive down the 5 reasons.
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1.Because playing can relieve stress
With work and other responsibilities, we don’t realise how little time we have left to dedicate into playing. But researchers have proven that playfulness can increase life satisfaction and self-image. In other words, there’s tangible proof that playing can be beneficial for your well being compared to other modern lifestyle activities.
The best thing about playing is that there are a multitude of ways to do it based on your preference. If you do need some inspiration, however, then you might as well take a cue from David Beckham. He states that building LEGO helps relieve his stress. Want to know what’s even better? Lego recently released a new line expressly designed for adults, so you’ve got no reason not to get the squares out and build it like Beckham.
2.Because playing improves job satisfaction
Play isn’t an activity that you need to be restricted to your home. In work environments, playing has been proven to increase productivity and enhance job satisfaction. A short and sweet play-break of twenty minutes on the foosball table or some art drawings in the office lunchroom can be all you need to rejuvenate yourself for the afternoon ahead.
So the next time you’re facing the 3pm slump, don’t reach for another coffee: get playing. It’s sure to spur you into the innovative and productive frame of mind that your boss values you for.
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3.Because playing can remind you of what you enjoyed doing
Play isn’t all puzzle-building or pinning the tail on the donkey. What may surprise you is that the official definition of play encompasses everything from making art, to exercising, flirting, joking around with friends. In essence, play is something you do not because you have to, but because it’s fun and pleasantly purposeless.
Play can coincide with a passion or hobby that you cultivated in childhood but perhaps lost sight of as an adult. Try to recall what you used to enjoy most when you played as a kid, and see if you can recreate a version of that now – you’ll feel young again!
4.Because playing is collaborative and empathic
Yes, play can help us to reconnect with who we are as individuals, but it also allows us to collaborate and better understand those around us. Particularly if you have young kids, playing together can bring positive results such as deeper social bonding and greater empathy for others.
5.Play allows team-building
Teamwork is essential to a successful and productive business. Play amongst adults is a great way to achieve this. Look into corporate team building activities that are fun and safe before suggesting them to your management. There’s a range of activities that can cater to different work environments.
Outdoor team building activities are great and allows the team to get some fresh air at the same time. These could include scavenger hunts to promote working within a team and playing to different strengths, or team based competitions like sports games that also promote being active.
If your workplace is reluctant to spend the day on these activities, shorter team building activities for indoors are a great option. These could include a 5 minute icebreaker game at the start of meetings or lunch time book clubs and mentoring clubs. For something more productive, ‘Purpose Mingle’ is a great option, and involves employees speaking to as many colleagues as possible prior to a meeting about what they hope to contribute. This is extremely advantageous as it promotes team building whilst keeping the focus on work.
6.Because playfulness can be a coping strategy
We all go through tough times and are faced with external stimuli which threaten our sense of equilibrium. It’s how we respond to such stressors, which really defines their effect on our happiness. Individuals who consider themselves to have playful personalities are far less likely to take these nasty external reactions too seriously. That’s because play isn’t just an activity; rather, playfulness is a way of life, a quality of being.
Plus, when you’re not tied up with irrelevant worries and anxieties, you have more time to dedicate to developing your creativity and working on your productivity. It’s a win-win.
What activities do you engage to promote creativity and productivity? Leave us your thoughts on the comment sections below. Head over to Jobstore.com and unveil your next job opportunity.
Freelance writer, Johanna, still strives for a great work-life balance. She considers writing and music as her therapy. Learn more about Johanna and her written works on her personal blog.