Why Adults Need Play in Their Lives
As a mom, you know about play’s integral role in your child’s life. You read up on how varied play promotes their development and gives them a healthy outlet for all their pent-up energy. You buy sensible toys, sign them up for sports, and take every initiative you can. However, despite its benefits, you rarely engage in play yourself.
There are plenty of reasons why adults need play in their lives. Here’s how play allows you to break free from a monotonous routine, relax, and have fun.
Play Breaks Your Production-Focused Mindset
Adults need play to help fight back the constant pursuit of productivity. It’s tempting to equate busyness with success, but often, you don’t see mommy burnout until it hits. With an overbooked calendar, you’ll always have tasks to work on – especially if you’re a working mom. Your to-do list never shortens when you have kids.
Making time for play combats this push towards relentless productivity. For instance, having lunch or a night out with friends allows you to step away from your everyday responsibilities, and get a breather. When you make time to laugh and have fun, your overall perspective on life becomes lighter than if you only focused on your to-do list.
Play Relieves Stress
There are times when you must power through exhaustion for your kids. This stress can take a toll on your health. Blocking out time in your schedule for play is a vital form of self-care – even if it’s only a few minutes. As you allow yourself to unwind and have fun, your body relaxes. Doing something fun reduces stress and allows your brain to release endorphins. This increases your pleasure effect and sense of well-being. Having fun is good for your health!
Play Is Its Own Reward
Last on our list is that play is its own reward. Though you may feel the need to justify how you spend your time, there’s a beauty to letting go and just doing something you find interesting – without any mommy guilt. You deserve some time for fun.
Feed your sense of childlike wonder by pursuing an exciting activity. For example, go off the beaten path when you’re hiking a trail. Plan a routine-breaking family weekend getaway or take up painting to explore your creative side. Delve into learning a new instrument or enjoy playing a video game. You’re a pro at keeping your kids entertained, so you’re probably better at planning fun for yourself than you may think. Whatever’s on your playlist – let your inner kid lead you the entire way.
