“Those who play rarely become brittle in the face of stress or lose the healing capacity for humour.” – Stuart Brown, MD
Do you ever play?
By which I mean, not just relaxation. Not scrolling, reading, watching or anything passive of the like. When did you last engage in real, involved, imaginative and immersive play? You may be surprised by how long it’s truly been. We don’t tend to see play as an ‘adult pastime’. However, play, an activity which makes you lose track of time, ignite with creativity, or consider a fresh perspective, can fuel innovation, reduce stress, and enhance problem-solving skills. In the fast-paced world of work, making time for conscious play could be the key to unlocking your professional growth.
1. How Does Play Link to Productivity?
Play is often perceived as nothing but a vessel for fun. Something that is of no serious use to productivity or innovation. This is simply not true. Play is essential for brain growth and maintenance. It stimulates the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for creativity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. That being the case, Conscious professionals who engage in play often tend to be able to think with greater flexibility, act with better adaptability, and consider perspectives other than their own, than those who don’t play all that much.
2. Play for Innovation
Having a brain that is used to play makes it more practised at knocking around new ideas and improves your confidence in taking risks. Indeed, play-like processes are often used in business settings, and you may not even be conscious of them. Brainstorming, creating strategy, troubleshooting and branding are all examples of playful business practice. Play outside of work can help to equip you better to engage with these processes. Brainstorming can be improved through improvisation, for example. Design and an eye for what engages customers can be bolstered through creative activities. Gaming is excellent for growing the strategic capabilities of the brain. When you’re not afraid to experiment and take risks in a playful environment, you’re more likely to carry that energy into your work.
3. Play for Stress Reduction
Stress and burnout are something pretty much everyone comes up against these days. They are significant roadblocks to productivity. Play acts as a natural stress reliever. Of course, it does. A relaxed and endorphin filled you is a more useful you. So, make sure you really to play as hard as you work.
4. Play at Work
Encouraging play at work isn’t as mad as it sounds. I’m not promoting soft-play areas in break rooms (although, I’m sure it’s been done). Simple changes like gamifying tasks or allowing space for creative breaks can make a huge difference. Conscious businesses are getting much better at recognising the value of play and actively encouraging conscious playful thinking to boost innovation.
5. Make Play Part of Your Everyday
The key to benefiting from play, as with anything, is consistency. Little and often. Your brain will only learn to think and act more playfully through the maintenance of that cognitive skillset. I’d say, as far as new habits go, finding time to play isn’t the hardest habit to get into. It is perhaps one of the easiest and most pleasurable ways to grow your professional skill set.
So, make time for a creative hobby. Join a football team. Heck, schedule an hour of PlayStation time every week! Make play a regular part of your routine. The more you play, the more adaptable, innovative, and resilient you become in your work life.
By Chris Thomson
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