We all craved adulthood as kids, yet when it finally arrives, it comes with a tonne of duties, responsibilities and to-do lists. It seems harder and harder to relax and release from all these obligations truly. With the emphasis on productivity and hearing people wear their " busy badge’ with pride – we forget about letting go for a while and indulging in activities where the only aim is to be pointless, free and frivolous.
If you feel you’re more prone to tick off items on the to-do list rather than indulge yourself, here are some ideas that might sway you to move into ‘the zone’ more often.
Play gives you a break from seeking external validation.
That is, looking to other people for feedback that we’re doing ok, that we’re attractive or important. When the only standard is personal enjoyment and fun: looking outside yourself for standards of ‘good enough’ becomes meaningless.
What is fun and enjoyable to you is completely up to you and no one else’s business.
Play that involves any activity is automatically better for our bodies and minds. People do better when acting and moving rather than just sitting and staring. Research says that sitting around for long stretches can be as dangerous as smoking. So kicking a ball, collecting shells, taking photos of gum trees, playing Jenga etc, are always replenishing you more than playing on the Xbox or Candy Crush on your phone. Sorry – not sorry.
Play relieves stress. No kidding?
Neuroscience is adding a new insight every week (it seems) to what our brains do when we’re tired, scared, resting or curious. Neuro nerds can now add research data to the benefits of play. Yay!! Laughing and playing trigger feel-good hormones like endorphins and serotonin. Play also upgrades your creative thinking powers, boosts your overall brain function and kickstarts your liveliness and energy for everyday activities.
Play increases opportunities to connect with your children.
Perhaps the best reason of all.
Do you sometimes feel guilty that you’re exhausted when you get home from work and can’t dredge up the mental energy to connect with your kids?
It’s ok, we have all been there.
Four minutes of play will turn that around.
Four minutes is enough to shift your emotional focus, let your children know that you’re present with them, and it’s not too much that dinner or bath time gets seriously delayed. Try it for yourself. Set a sneaky timer on your phone for 4 minutes: give your kids every bit of your focus and check in with your feelings afterwards.
You may not have solved all your woes, but I’m pretty sure that you will be refreshed.
If you would like to talk some more about how putting down your adult responsibilities for a while and picking up some play habits might make life more delicious for you, then you know what to do !!
Call Kylie on 0492 918 646
Send an email kyliebellcounseling@gmail.com