Children play every single day. It is instinctual to them. It’s how they express themselves creatively and learn about the world around them. Play is not something they think about. It’s simply something they do.
As adults, play is not typically built into our busy lives. We tend to focus more on our daily to-do list than on having fun. While our hectic lives can consume us the reality is that as adults we can make play a part of our daily lives. We need to schedule it on our calendar and slowly make it a daily habit.
Play may look different as an adult but the main goal of play is to have fun! Committing to daily play can improve our health and lives. And, the best part is it’s free and accessible to everyone!
HOW DAILY PLAY BENEFITS OUR MIND, BODY + SPIRIT
- Play gets our creative juices flowing
- Play helps us express our authenticity and personality
- Play helps us relieve stress
- Play help us connect with others
- Play creates joy in our lives
- Play increases energy
- Play helps with brain function
IDEAS FOR GETTING MORE PLAY INTO YOUR DAY
- If you have kids play with them. Every single day! Set aside at least one hour of uninterrupted time and play with them. When we are distracted it is harder to get into the moment with our children. Put your phone in a drawer and clear your calendar so you can be one hundred percent focused on playing with your child.
- Get out in nature. Take a walk and observe all the amazing sights around you. View things with a lens of seeing it for the first time. Walk slow and observe everything closely. Touch things, smell things, and really take the time to gaze at them and study each and every detail.
- Play with your pet.
- Get creative. We are all naturally creative. Do something you love to do that makes you feel free like cooking a new recipe, painting a picture, writing or journaling, gardening, organizing a closet or writing a letter to someone you love. You can be creative in a million ways.
- Play a board or card game with your family or a friend.
- Do something physical. Play a sport, go ice skating, try a new exercise class or do a handstand.
- Learn to do something new, something you have always wanted to try. Learn to play an instrument or take a class on a subject you want to learn more about. It is never to late to learn a new skill. Learning something new excites your brain.
There are so many ways to get more play in your day. Like anything else we need to commit to it, schedule it, and execute on it. Cheers to having more fun and benefiting your mind, body, and spirit at the same time.
In Love, Health + Gratitude,
Katie