Playtime … It’s Not Just For Kids Anymore!

The importance of play is seriously underrated among adults in our society. But regularly engaging in an activity that you are passionate about can actually help increase your motivation, happiness and balance, as well as opening your mind up to greater creativity.

“Play is just as important as diet, hygiene or sleep; in fact, research shows that deprivation of it has negative health consequences,” explains Stuart Brown, M.D., author of Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.

If you haven’t played since childhood, your first step is exploring your options to find a joyful activity that brings out your inner kid. While this activity can be something that you have enjoyed in the past, it can also be entirely fresh and new as well.

Activity ideas can easily be found by skimming websites such as Groupon, Living Social and Meetup.com. All of these sites offer a variety of activities that are inexpensive and fun. The best part is that there is little commitment and no pressure to sign up for an extended period of time.

In her 2007 best-seller, Funky to Fabulous: Surefire Success Strategies for Savvy, Savvy, and Swamped, empowerment expert Eli Davidson suggests these simple ideas for play:

• Blast your favorite music for 15 minutes and dance wildly around your living room.
• Spontaneously make up games to solve problems in a fun way.
• Spend an hour or two with a toddler or young child.

She writes, “Researchers are discovering that playfulness actually makes your brain more pliable and more receptive to new information. It promotes openness, spontaneity, and unpredictability, which are ingredients for maintaining a healthy brain through the years.”

Taking the step to try a new activity can also increase your self-esteem and assist you in meeting new people with similar interests.

So go ahead, have some fun and play … we double dare you!