Bringing Play into every aspects of our lives!
Today I was in the office with a client who told me that the reason she did not workout was because she had no time. That is one of the most common excuses for not working out but it got me to thinking…what about time for play? So I asked her, do you even have free time to do the things you love? She said to me that she doesn’t even think about anything other than work!
When we become adults does that mean losing our youthful spirit? Does being responsible mean sacrificing our fun moments? The answer is no! True wellness is finding the balance between work and play and continuing to embrace our inner child.
So how do we balance work and play?
1. Take time to do something spontaneous!
As we get caught up in the hum drum routines of the day, we can find ourselves just going through the motions. We lose ourselves in these activities and miss many beautiful things by not remaining present in each moment. Bringing spontanaeity in our lives helps us to remember to stay in and enjoy each moment. Try taking a break from your routine and take yourself to a movie (or take your spouse and/or family) on a weeknight. Have lunch in a nearby park if you are able then take a brief stoll afterwards; if you don’t have a park, just go outside and eat in the fresh air!
2.Make an effort to bring some fun into your workday.
For many people work is not a place where you can have fun. However, even if you work in a cubicle by yourself there is a way to integrate enjoyment into your workplace. Plan lunch with a co-worker or better yet, an outside friend. Make an effort to connect with your co-workers during the day — tell a joke or a funny story. If you are able, play your favorite CD either as you work or on your lunch break.
3.Make a list of 30 things that you enjoy doing.
It was so surprising to me to hear other adults say that they didn’t know what they liked to do. Think back to when you were a child or a teenager, even a college student. What were the things that you enjoyed? Start your list and begin bringing these things back into your life. Make PLAY a PRIORITY!
4.Start a “Bucket List”.
Yes! Just like the movie, make a list of 100 things that you would like to see, do, or become before you die…but don’t wait until you are dying! Start now! Make a point to check off a few bucket list items each year if not more. Be cautious of your procrastinating dialogue.. “I’ll get to that when….” There is no time like the present. Because while “you may delay, time will not and lost time is never found again” (Benjamin Franklin).
5.Lighten up and Laugh Often!
Many of us take ourselves so seriously as adults. This can feed into our negative attitudes about work, home and family life. Some things we can do to change those attitudes are create positive affirmations, watch or listen to funny commentary often, subscribing or reading a spiritual vitamin each morning. And learning to laugh at ourselves when we make mistakes can be one of the most healing experiences because when we laugh at ourselves we give ourselves permission to be human and imperfect. It takes the pressure off. Exercise: Find something that makes you laugh and engage in that activity every day for the next 2 weeks. Notice how much lighter that makes your day.
6. Finally, be sure to nurture yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically each day.
If you do this, you will finder yourself feeling lighter in many aspects of you life. Ways to nurture yourself include reading inspirational readings daily, meditation, prayer, exercise, playing with your children, telling someone you love them, telling yourself you love yourself, giving yourself a hug, giving someone else a hug. Remember value yourself for who you are, not for what you do!
Remember, play is just as integral part of wellness as work, and to exclude it from your life could mean the difference between anxiety, depression, and stress versus a sense of freedom, balance, and good quality of life. Now Go LIVE!
Dr Maiysha Clairborne, MD aka Dr. Life is the author and publisher of the “Be Well On Your Way” Audio series workshops and the founder of MBS Wellness Inc. A board certified Family Physician she focuses on creating and preserving mental, physical, and spiritual balance to promote and maintain optimal health through the integration of western medicine with alternative therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, clinical nutrition, and wellness coaching. To find out more go to http://overthrowstress.com/?hop=planbeRemember
