Making time for fun and a life

Last week in a local cafe, a stranger approached my son, who was behaving in a, let’s say, ‘lively’ manner. I of course, had that sinking feeling all parents get when they feel they’ve been caught out doing a terrible parenting job! The lady told my son she had enjoyed watching him laughing and playing and to make sure he kept having fun as “there is plenty of time to be a grown up and grown-ups can’t remember how to have fun!”

My first reaction was to reject this statement as, working for Pro-Development, FUN is one of our core values (more on this later) however on reflection, I do think there is some generalised truth to what she said. As we grow older, life becomes more serious, we have to deal with things like paying the mortgage/rent, the rising costs of fuel, the stories on the news etc. and as a result, we can forget to have fun. We may even begin to think that having fun is taking us away from what is important – especially at work where we focus on work ethic and productivity instead of playing. On the surface, this may appear to be good for business however there is immense power in play that has an incredible impact on us both personally and professionally. Let’s look closer…

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” –George Bernard Shaw

So what exactly is fun/play?

The Oxford Dictionary of Current English defines fun as: amusement, especially lively or playful. We generally connect the word fun to things that are entertaining and enjoyable to do. Fun is also sometimes used interchangeably with play — although there is a distinction, as some argue that play is a state of mind; a certain attitude we can incorporate into any and every activity (Brown, 2009). It is this state of mind that is crucial. It allows us to approach everyday tasks with curiosity

Benefits of play – The science!

In a TED Talk that discussed the concept of play in depth, Dr.Stuart Brown explains that “The opposite of play is not work; it’s depression.”  That’s a pretty hard-hitting statement however as we become more aware of the need to look after both our mental and physical health, it’s important to note. We need play!

When we feel good, our bodies and brains are flooded with feel good hormones which, when experienced on a regular basis, are a natural medicine that keeps us healthy in body, mind and spirit. Looking at this from the flip side, if we don’t play, we experience stress which even in low levels, produces cortisol which has all kinds of detrimental effects on the body including anxiety and lower mood. If experienced over a long period of time, it leads to serious physical and mental health issues. On a simple level, if we reduce stress, we reduce cortisol, sleep better and therefore perform better.

So what do you do that triggers these feel good chemicals?

Did you know that fun also makes us smarter? Here at Pro-Development we do! ‘Fun’ is one of our core values because we know that having more fun improves our memory and concentration and helps people to remember. All our workshops and programmes are interactive and involve a variety of activities to bring learning to life. We have created a whole leadership course around the idea of experiential outdoor learning and all our indoor workshops / courses follow the same ideal. Just last week, feedback on one of our classroom-based courses included, “The exercises were different from other training courses I have been on – really enjoyable and helped the information to sink in” and “The way the Pro-Development team present the course has been fantastic. Very informative, engaging and fun. I love your courses!”

Alongside the physical and mental benefits of play, it also has the following benefits:

• Opens up thinking to let creativity flow. Innovation, problem solving and solution focussed thinking thrives when teams have fun
• We gather inspiration from the world around us to be inspired and therefore more inspiring
• Time away from business so we return with fresh energy and fresh perspective
• Higher energy and more motivation
• When we have fun with others, we build trust, better relationships, and better communication
• Adventure and risk taking, some of the core qualities of play, help build self esteem and give us a sense of achievement.
• Lifts our mood and builds resilience

Finding Time to Play

As the lady in the café has observed, many adults find setting aside time for play quite difficult. They struggle with the concept of letting themselves have fun, especially when there are other pressing matters to which they must attend. Play is supposed to be fun, but a lot of adults would rather structure physical activity around a routine workout or sports team. Instead, think back to your childhood and enjoy some free-form fun.

“This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realise it is play.”
― Alan Watts

When we watch children at play, they are absorbed in what they are doing and it is this which is a key quality to play – what do you do that absorbs you and takes you away from the day to day?

Don’t focus on the health benefits, just concentrate on letting your hair down for a while without worrying about calories or mileage. Chances are, you’ll be much happier, more productive – and healthier – for it.

Here are some ways you can help yourself play without the guilt:

Think about play differently. Focus on the importance of play and how it’s a positive part of your everyday well-being. Play every day even if it is just a small act. Something as simple as working on a crossword puzzle or playing with a pet can help.

Write a personal play history. Try to recall the things you once enjoyed doing when you played as a child. Think of the memories that brought you the most joy and try to recreate some of them now.

Find playful peers. Finding others who have playful tendencies or enjoy doing the same activities as you can help inspire you to make more time for play.

Remember play can be as simple as having the right mindset and if we approach life in this way, we can bring all of the benefits of play to our everyday tasks and challenges.

If you feel your team need an injection of fun to drive up the creative energy, deepen communication skills and bring some challenge and achievement, we can create a bespoke team building day full of fun and learning – get in touch info@pro-development.co.uk or 01904 628838

We also have a small number of spaces left on our next experiential leadership programme starting in September and we are also starting to take bookings now for the January 2023 cohort. The fantastic 40% funding we have access to is applicable to both of these courses so get in touch now to discuss your needs.