Play

When was the last time you took time to participate in an activity simply for the joy of it? 

When was the last time you took time to play?

Many of us have moved beyond the recreation of our youth when recess, coloring, double Dutch, hide & seek, and charades that marked our days. Consumed with the responsibilities of paying bills, buying a home, navigating career paths, figuring out college, preparing for marriage, raising kids, supporting aging parents, or managing a serious diagnosis, we turned from play toward the more pressing issues of life. Along the way, I wonder if we’ve lost a bit of our silliness and the ability to fully relax in the present. 

Somewhere in the past decade, I seem to have tossed play into a dusty bin, right along with a handful of embarrassing journals and a weathered baby book. Over time, play became another attic treasure for me, tucked away for nostalgia’s sake but otherwise useless. I now find it takes effort to dig play out of the dark attic and into the light of day and I’m grateful for children who remind me of my need to do this. Without fretting over the ticking clock, my 2 year-old plays for hours, totally immersed in the present. Whether squishing Play-Doh, digging in the dirt, stacking blocks, choosing Memory cards, or painting, she is engaged in each activity, never wondering about her to-do list.  

As a recovering overachiever who specializes in productivity, I struggle to prioritize play. My daily to-do list looks more like this:

Work out

Clean bathroom/dust

Post blog

Send emails to __________

Mail package

Call dentist

Finish editing next piece

Return library books

Groceries

(This list, of course, does not include the essential tasks woven into the fabric of our days like feeding and nurturing children, helping tweens process life, caring for our neighbors, serving in our community and local church, etc.)  

Sadly, not one item listed indicates that play is a core value of mine (because it hasn’t been for a long time). Clearly, I’m more concerned with completing tasks that push me toward my writing/career goals or items that must be done. While this work is good and necessary, I’ve allowed it to diminish the value of play. I’m slowly learning to see that both have their place. 

In my efforts to be a responsible, hard-working, and productive adult, I have failed to make room for play and I wonder if I’m lesser for it. Less creative, less healthy, less free-spirited, less myself.    

I’m learning that play is not a childish, frivolous pursuit. In fact, numerous studies have proven the necessity of play, not just for kids but also for adults. While it may seem like a luxury, especially when compared to heavy global affairs that affect us all, play has the power to improve our lives in profound ways, including decreased stress levels and increased creativity. 

So, today I’m making a different kind of to-do list, filled with activities I enjoy or have always wanted to do but either delayed or refused to consider them due to limited time or finances or energy. But they are life-giving and fun so I want to prioritize them over the next few months.

Read a book that has nothing to do with writing or life’s heavy issues 

Race the big kids around the block

Spend the day in D.C.

Climb a tree

Visit that old antique place I drive by but never stop to explore

Go to a fall festival with the fam

Run through a hay maze with the kiddos

Watch a movie without doing anything else–no laundry, stitching, ironing, or emailing

Buy 2 tickets to see a favorite band in concert. 

How about you? What does play look like in your busy days? How intentional are you in making it a part of your life?

For more specifics on the benefits of play, click here.

Featured photo by Scott Murdoch at Burst