| Play is a state of mind that is safe, inquisitive and | | | | existence; it is one of the evolutionary mechanisms |
| exists in the moment. It is also a bodily state of | | | | that enabled us to develop as a species. Playing helps |
| relaxation and an uplifting and engaged emotional | | | | us survive by connecting us to other human beings |
| state. Some say play is a spiritual state of profound | | | | and to sources of energy and excitement within |
| connection and joy. Play can be something we do by | | | | ourselves. Play is simultaneously a source of calmness |
| ourselves or with others, but it is also something we | | | | and relaxation, as well as a source of stimulation for |
| can watch others do. Play is often described as a | | | | the brain and body. |
| time when we feel most alive, yet we often take it | | | | Play will be important to our future. Some futurists |
| for granted and may completely forget about it. Play | | | | have said that we'll need to be more inventive, |
| can be entirely positive, or have a negative. | | | | creative, and flexible to handle the tasks, flow and |
| Most people believe that play is unproductive, and | | | | rhythm of life in this century and beyond. A sure (and |
| therefore inferior to "productive" activities. Perhaps | | | | fun) way to develop these abilities is to play - with |
| this is because we equate play with feeling -happy | | | | your children and grandchildren, your officemates and |
| joyous feeling -that traditionally is seen as less | | | | friends. |
| important than thinking. Many of us have lists, at | | | | Why is it important to play at work? |
| home and at the office, prioritizing tasks by how | | | | When researchers follow pre-teen children's attitude |
| productive they are. When we run out of time, we | | | | about play, they discovered that some children called |
| cut the fun stuff and do the "productive" stuff | | | | almost everything they did "play" while others called |
| because we may feel guilty or bad if we play hooky | | | | almost everything they did "work". Reconnecting with |
| or goof off by playing a game of golf or chess, | | | | the children at the end of adolescence, the children |
| taking a hike in the woods or daydreaming for an | | | | who thought of everything as play were more |
| hour. New research on the brain contradicts this | | | | successful and happier in school and were more |
| cultural dismissal of play, by emphasizing the | | | | content socially than the people who saw everything |
| importance of feelings and the necessity of feeling | | | | as "work". |
| safe and relaxed in order to think clearly and | | | | Success at work does not depend on the amount of |
| productively. Play teaches us how tomanage and | | | | time you work. It depends upon the quality of work, |
| transform our "negative" emotions and experiences; | | | | and the quality of work depends on the level of |
| it supercharges learning, and is a foundational factor in | | | | well-being of the workers. The level of well-being |
| good mental and physical health. And, it can make | | | | depends significantly on the how often they replenish |
| work more pleasurable. | | | | themselves through play in any of its forms. Work is |
| How can play trigger the flow state? | | | | where we spend much of our time. That is why it is |
| Psychiatrist and writer Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, | | | | especially important for us to play during work. |
| (pronounced "chicks send me high") studied play in | | | | Without some recreation, our work suffers. Most of |
| Sidney, Australia and described it as a flow state that | | | | us have been working faster, harder, and smarter, |
| requires just the right balance of challenge and | | | | and with diminishing free time. We first thought that |
| opportunity. If the game is too hard or too easy, it | | | | working faster, harder, and smarter would handle our |
| loses its sense of pleasure and fun. Maintaining a flow | | | | increased workload, but that is not the case. We still |
| state in games with others requires all participants, | | | | got behind and became chronically overwhelmed. |
| regardless of age or ability, to feel challenged, but | | | | When the project you're working on hits a serious |
| not overwhelmed. Csikszentmihalyi's research has | | | | glitch (as they frequently do), heading out to the |
| been undertaken and confirmed in several countries, | | | | basketball court with your colleagues to shoot some |
| and now reaches 250,000 surveys. In the flow state | | | | hoops and have a few laughs does a lot more than |
| we feel: | | | | take your mind off the problem. If basketball isn't |
| Why is play an important part of our lives? | | | | your cup of tea, having a model airplane contest, |
| Humans are designed by nature to play, and have | | | | telling stories, or flying kites in the parking lot will also |
| played throughout evolution. Playfulness is an inborn | | | | allow your relationship to the problem to shift and |
| ability that is hardwired into our genetic code. Play is | | | | enable you to approach it from a new perspective. |
| part of how humans have adapted and survived | | | | Interjecting play into the work cycle: keeps you sane |
| everywhere on Earth, from the tropics to the great | | | | and functional during times of stress; refreshes your |
| deserts to the Arctic Circle. We want to play | | | | mind and body; renews hope; triggers creativity; and |
| because it is instinctive and fundamental to our | | | | increases energy. |