Fun is not frivolous! When we have true fun (more on that later), we stave off loneliness, we stop judging ourselves and we can walk away from a couple of hours of fun with energy that buoys us long after the guitar is back in its case or the deck of cards is back in the drawer.
It's important to acknowledge that to have fun, you really need to have your basic needs met. But making space for fun doesn't mean needing to go on a fancy vacation or spending a bunch of money on equipment: Fun can be sledging down a hill or singing a song.

We Got Fun Wrong

Playfulness is when you embrace a spirit of lightheartedness and freedom. It means letting go of the idea that you have to be perfect or to achieve something.

Playfulness

You feel a sense of connection with the activity that you're doing. You feel a sense of connection with your physical body. Or, most likely, you feel a sense of connection with another person or group of people through a shared experience.

Connection

You know that thing where you're totally immersed in something and can even lose track of time? That is flow.The brainwaves change when we enter the state of flow. Our focus is only on the ongoing activity, along with a boost in creative energies.

The Flow State

S — Make space for fun! Put your phone down!P — Pursue passions.  Look for things that interest you and let those guide you.A — A is for attracting fun, which means having an open mind about when and where fun might appear. R — Be a Rebellion! K — Keep at it! Like any new practice, the only way to really incorporate it into your life is to try it many times.

SPARK! Get More Fun Into Your Days

Do you have enough fun in life? Catherine Price, author of The Power of Fun, explains the three components of true fun and how to tap into this powerful, everyday source of joy.

Stashed ideas

How to have real fun — even when life's got you down : Life Kit

Adults who demonstrate more playful personality traits are more motivated, creative, and spontaneous. There have even been links between people with more playful characteristics having lower blood pressure. While less playful people struggle in their leisure time to relax and often feel bored when their minds are not preoccupied, those that are more playfully inclined are aware of new opportunities and open to trying a wider variety of activities.

Playing Games is good

Playfulness should be viewed as a skill that can be developed, harnessed and used for mindfulness.

Proyer suggests listing three moments at the end of every day where something spontaneous happened. It could be a funny interaction with a stranger while getting your coffee or a joke shared with your colleague. This will help you to begin to feel confident in being playful and make you more aware of joy in your everyday life.

Start by observing

Do not be afraid to find fun in something not normally associated with adults.In order for adults to engage in playful activities guilt-free, they can come prepared with socially acceptable "excuses". Eg: The Mindfulness Coloring Book: Anti-Stress Art Therapy for Busy People by Emma Farrarons which aims to make the embarrassing act of adult colouring socially acceptable when associated with the "alibi" of it being therapy for successful people.

Socially acceptable excuses

While some adults might feel the need to hide their playfulness, the market for video games and mobile gaming among adults has boomed in recent years.The mental health benefits of playing video games down to achieving a state of "flow".The optimal experience when nothing else matters and is also experienced by athletes and sportspeople when they are in the zone. Playing to find the flow state can provide an enjoyable challenge and distraction from mental health issues, meaning the player can work on their wellbeing without feeling pressured to improve.

Video Game as Adult therapy

Rediscover the benefits of playfulness after the toys have been put away.

Playing has been shown to improve the mental health of adults, but most people stop in childhood. How can we rediscover the benefits of playfulness after the toys have been put away?

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How to have real fun — even when life's got you down : Life Kit

Why adults should embrace their playfulness

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#playfulness

IDEAS ABOUT #playfulness

How to have real fun — even when life's got you down : Life Kit

Why adults should embrace their playfulness

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career