Playing isn’t just for kids. It’s good for adults as well.
Numerous studies found play boosts your overall well-being, helps you cope with stress, and improves your physical health. It increases creativity, sharpens your wit, and puts you in a better mood.
Anything you do recreationally that brings you joy or excitement counts as play. Dr. Peter Brown founded the National Institute of Play. He says “Play is state of mind that one has when absorbed in an activity that provides enjoyment and a suspension of sense of time. And play is self-motivated so you want to do it again and again.”
You can bring an attitude of playfulness to almost anything you do. Activities may not be 100% play but could be – with some effort – 10% play (or 30% or 50% and so on).
Increasing Play in Your Life
Dr. Brown suggests a three-step plan:
- find your “play personality”
- consider how you like to play
- try something that sounds fun
Dr. Brown has identified eight play personalities. These are styles or modes in which we are most comfortable being playful.
You can take a quiz to find your play style or look at the list (or the complete description) and see which ones fit for you. Play personalities include the Collector, the Competitor, the Creator/Artist, the Director, the Explorer, the Joker, the Kinesthete, and the Storyteller.
How do you like to play? Do you like to move your body or challenge your brain? Would you rather play with objects or play with ideas? Do you have more fun with others or would you rather play alone? The Institute of Play describes several types of play.
Reading descriptions of play personalities and types can give you ideas about more ways you might include play in your life.
The next steps are to give things a try and see if it rings your bells.
Summary
Studies show that adding more play to your life can improve your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Discovering the styles and types of play that fit for you can give you ideas to add joy, fun, and flow to your life.
In your journal
- Describe how you played as a kid. What did you do? Where and with whom?
- Spend some time at the Institute of Play website and write about your play personality and style. What fits for you? What ideas intrigue you?
- Describe a play date you can have with yourself. Put it on your calendar.