It’s Play Time!

The Healthy Mind Platter Essential Ingredient” we explore this week is “Play Time.” The essence of play time is allowing ourselves to be unstructured, social, creative, and playfully enjoy new experiences. Stuart Brown, of the National Institute for Play, states that “Playfulness enhances the capacity to innovate, adapt and master changing circumstances. It can help us integrate & reconcile difficult or contradictory circumstances. It can show us a way out of our problems.” Neuroscience reveals play as a basic emotional system & essential for adult creativity, learning, & emotional regulation. Play helps relieve stress, improve brain function, stimulate creativity, improve relationships & connections with others.

Life can feel too serious. Our days busy & scheduled; allowing time out to spontaneously play may cause feelings of guilt. Flip the script from guilt, to permission.

What activities make you laugh, and playfully and spontaneously welcome in new experiences each day?

Check out this article by Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith M.A, Jeanne Segal Ph.D., and Jennifer Shubin: Benefits of Play for Adults.