10 Reasons Why Play is Vital to Live a More Meaningful Life
Play is a vital part of living a meaningful life since it forces us to be in the moment. We tend to think that only children play but adults who play look and feel younger. They take risks, work on their resilient and learn not to take themselves too seriously. I am lucky to live with a partner that encourages play every chance he gets (he use to be a physical education teacher). So we find challenges and make games out of all kinds of small mundane tasks.
We also play a lot of board games in our house, with friends, family, as partners, and with our kids. It keeps us sharp and keeps things light. I had a friend who came to my house for the first time recently and he was shocked by the wall of board games we have. I told him here, the adults play too!
Playing is an essential part of human life, regardless of age. If you are not having fun while you do it then why do it at all? I know we might say because we have to. It is important to be responsible but trying to deliberately build play into our lives helps make things more fun. Who doesn’t want more fun in their life? When things are fun they help us unload our nervous system instead of creating more stress. But, more about that shortly!
At a basic level, play provides numerous benefits that contribute to our overall well-being and development. So without further waiting, here are 10 reasons why we need more play in our lives!
10 Reasons Why We Need More Play In Our Lives
1- Stress Reduction
Play helps to relieve stress and promote relaxation. Engaging in enjoyable activities can distract us from daily worries and responsibilities, allowing us to recharge and rejuvenate.
Being in a state of flow or awe when we play allows us to really enjoy the moment and offload the stressors instead of accumulating more. So much time is spent being productive and performing that a little downtime to explore is necessary.
2- Creativity and Imagination
Play encourages us to think outside the box, explore new possibilities, and tap into our creative potential. It stimulates the imagination and helps us develop innovative ideas and problem-solving skills. Play also often leads us to find more efficient ways of doing something,
It is increasingly hard to be creative and show imagination when someone is in survival mode or scared to make a mistake. Often in play, there is more space for trial and error and less stress is placed on performance. This pressure change allows a shift in perspective which allows creativity and imagination to flourish.
3-Cognitive Development
Play is vital because it has a significant impact on cognitive development, especially in children. It aids in the development of memory, attention, language skills, and critical thinking abilities. It promotes curiosity and a love for learning. When someone plays there is no risk of getting it wrong. It is all just exploration, without fear of judgment.
There are more connections created in the brain when people actively engage with what they are learning. When things are fun we usually don’t think twice before getting involved. This means there is less resistance, less time spent worrying, and more time spent making meaningful connections in the brain.
4-Emotional Well-Being
Play promotes emotional well-being by providing an outlet for self-expression and exploration of emotions. It allows us to experience joy, laughter, and happiness, which can boost our mood and overall outlook on life.
Play also helps build resilience, teamwork, and a good work ethic. It is important to not always be productive in life and to just explore at times.
A while back my mental health was really starting to suffer and I decided to learn how to paint. I anticipated I would be terrible at it and so I had no expectations of myself. I found it so liberating to dump a bunch of colors on a canvas with curiosity instead of intention. It was such a relaxing activity and I was actually surprisingly good at it. It reminded me that sometimes we do things JUST for fun and not just because we should.
5-Social Skills and Relationships
Play is an excellent tool for building and strengthening social connections. It fosters cooperation, teamwork, communication, and negotiation skills. Engaging in play with others helps to form and maintain relationships, both in childhood and adulthood.
I coach a group of grown men freediving and I always end our 1.5h sessions with games. At first, they were a little taken aback, and some thought it was not a serious part of training and hesitated to skip this part. But after a few years of exposure to this type of exercise, I find that they usually look forward to the games at the end. They now know and recognize that play is a vital part of their satisfaction during each session. After a hard mental session, they are usually relieved to be able to just work hard while not thinking about it. They always end up laughing, high-fiving, and cheering each other on. Often having worked really hard but not having felt it because of the context.
6-Physical Health
Many forms of play involve physical activity, which is vital for maintaining good health. Physical play helps develop motor skills, coordination, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. It also reduces the risk of obesity and promotes a healthy lifestyle.
A lot of adults are not fans of running on treadmills or lifting with machines to stay in shape. But team sports, or playing with your kids are ways you can have fun, play and stay in shape. I love ultimate frisbee because I don’t think about how much I am running. All I think about is chasing the person, running to get open from a person, catching the disk, throwing the disk etc. My mind is busy and I usually find that I am smiling the whole time even though I am physically exerting myself.
7-Play is Vital to Enhance Brain Development
Play stimulates the growth of neural connections in the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking and decision-making. It enhances brain plasticity and adaptability, leading to improved cognitive functioning.
When you actively do something instead of watching or listening to someone else you create many more connections in your brain. This means that there is less resistance to learning when you are playing. Engagement is higher, and so your full attention is concentrated on the task at hand which further communicates to your brain the importance of remembering it.
8-Life long Learning
Play encourages a love for learning and a natural curiosity about the world. It fosters a growth mindset and a desire to explore and acquire new knowledge throughout life.
When we need to be productive there is always a consequence to getting something wrong. But while playing, getting it wrong is expected and the resilience to keep trying is something that eventually becomes ingrained in all things.
9-Resilience and problem-solving
Play provides opportunities to face challenges and overcome obstacles in a safe and enjoyable environment. It helps develop resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills, which are essential for success in various aspects of life.
When the task is to perform at something instead of exploring possibilities there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. However the word “play” envokes trial and error and doing the best that you can in the moment. Without pressure or stress from the outside world.
10-Overall happiness and Quality of Life
Overall happiness and quality of life: Play brings joy, fun, and a sense of fulfillment to our lives. It allows us to engage in activities purely for the sake of enjoyment, leading to increased happiness and a higher quality of life.
So, if you want to be happier and live a more fulfilling life, you really should incorporate more play into your life. If you are a parent, your children can help you do this by helping you connect with your inner child. Play is Vital because, incorporating it into our lives is crucial for our physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. It adds a sense of fulfillment, promotes growth, and enhances our overall enjoyment of life.
