Today we're going to talk about playing. Yeah, really, in "this economy", "at a time like this" (insert your favorite excuse for not doing something here). I am writing about play because it's one of those things that is so vital to your health and happiness, yet gets overlooked as "unnecessary" and "frivolous". My hunch is that the people who describe vital functions such as sleeping and eating properly as unnecessary and frivolous are the same ones who use these same words to describe play. Which may well be why so many of us are walking around unhealthy and unhappy.
Psychiatrist Stuart Brown founded the National Institute of Play in 1996 because, in his practice, he saw the long term consequences of play deprivation. Brown believes that play is as vital to human functioning as sleeping and dreaming.
Numerous theories and studies abound on play and why animals do it. In fact there was a recent New York Times article on the various research. However, as Brown points out in his TED talk, that not as much is known about play's physical effect on the human brain because it is difficult to get research funding for it (and, because they can do studies on rats that you can't do on humans). However, according to Brown studies have shown that play engages the cerebellum and helps us build contextual memory.
But just as we don't need scientific studies to demonstrate that lack of sleep is detrimental to your ability to function because the effects are immediate and observable, (try it and see for yourself), the benefits of play are also immediate and observable. What tends to happen when you are playing? You probably feel more energized, relaxed and having a good time. Yes, it would be cool to find out the science behind that, but in the meantime, you don't need data to prove to you it helps you feel better.
So what is play exactly, and why is play so beneficial anyway?
I define play as any activity you do strictly for fun and/or relaxation, things you are "into" (games, sports, hobbies, to name a few). As for why play is important, think about a childhood without play for a moment. It may be easier to fathom an adulthood without play, but to think of a child growing up without playing is sad and bleak. So why should it be any different for adults? A life without play is sad and bleak. Play allows us a break from routine, a chance to move around and, an opportunity to come up with solutions to problems: things that are all vital to fostering creativity.
"The opposite of play is not work, it is depression." - Dr. Stuart Brown.
One of my favorite assessment questions when working with a new client is "what do you do for fun?" Frequently the person I am asking will either not know how to answer the question, or will say something along the lines, "I don't do anything for fun." Herein lies the problem. If you are not playing, it's not surprising you feel depressed, stressed or unhappy.
Sadly, I completely understand that our culture encourages us to engage in continuous forward motion without taking breaks to re-renergize and refuel by having some fun. Working without breaks causes us to reach for sugar, fat and caffeine to help us "power through." It's one of many short-term tactics that are detrimental to long-term health.
Going for long periods of time without playing causes long-term problems too. We tend to do it because of the prevailing belief, "more is better" and in our work culture, the amount of time you spend sitting at your desk is valued more than the actual work you produce.
There was a major study performed by Anders Ericsson in 1993. Ericsson wanted to study the practice habits of high performers. So he studied three groups of violinists: the "best" (soloists), "good" (non-soloist performers in orchestras) and music teachers. In this study he found that not only do the best spend more time practicing than anyone else (24 hours a week), but that they do it for no longer than 4 hours a day and no longer than 90 minutes at a time, taking renewal breaks in between practice sessions. The human brain is not designed to continuously work and learn non-stop. Renewal breaks are essential to gain mastery.
Playing is a great way to take a renewal break. Playing helps engage the right hemisphere of your brain, which helps with your creative and problem solving skills. Your left brain function, which controls language and linear thinking is one of the reasons why you will rarely get your best ideas while sitting at your desk working on a problem. Using the left brain's logic and will does not generate great ideas. Great ideas come from the right brain, which only gets to do its job when we let go of conscious control, and is why you tend to get great ideas in the shower, playing a sport or while driving.
Another reason why play is good for you is because play tends to be non-sequential, the action is scattered. This helps train you to be more flexible and able to adapt to unexpected changes in your environment. Play keeps your brain on its toes. Being adaptable to change is one of the best skills you can have working for you.
In business, some of the greatest businesses and leaders are based on a culture that involves play. Richard Branson of Virgin and Tony Hsieh of Zappos.com are known for building play and fun into their company cultures. Branson knows that creating energy around goals is one of the best strategies to getting things done and he uses fun and play to make this happen. Looking at Virgin's and Zappos' core values, you can see how fun is not something employees get to do on occasion, it is instead built into the foundation of the company. Both companies recognize, that although making a profit is key, it is more important to see to it that your employees are energized and treated respectfully. By making sure fun is a core value, they have a happier, more productive workforce.
In short, to increase your energy and ward off depression and be more productive, it is important to not only play as often as you can, but to build play into your foundation: your everyday actions.
What do you do for play and how does it help you in your life?
Jackie Dotson is a psychotherapist and blogger and is the founder of Jackie Dotson, LCSW in Sacramento, CA, as well as the co-host of The Powder Keg of Awesome Podcast.
Engage with Jackie on Twitter: @jackiedotson
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jackie_C_Dotson
No comments:
Post a Comment