Play it again

Amy Packer

Experts say that playful adults have lower stress, happier lives and even sharper brains.

discovers how we can up our game

So much of adult life has an agenda – the daily grind, a clean house, bills to pay – that there’s little time left for doing something just for the fun of it.

But if your weeks are all work and no play, it could be taking its toll on your mental health – and making you less efficient in the long run.

“Many of us have forgotten how to play – and the pandemic has made it worse as we’ve got out of the habit of socialising,” says Alicia Navarro, founder of Flown ( flown.com), a virtual co-working platform who has seen for herself how play feeds your mind to perform better at work.

“But the lack of play can have a profound effect on health and wellbeing. If you neglect the need for magic in your life, you lose your mojo.

“Various studies have shown that simply the act of playing triggers the brain’s ‘awesome foursome’ of positive hormones: endorphins, oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, which raise your mood and allow you to focus.”

It’s very easy to think you don’t have enough minutes in the day, but time out will improve your focus and help you achieve more.

“Playing as a team is a proven way to enhance productivity,” says Alice. “One study found that 45 minutes of team video game play improved work performance by 20 per cent.”

Research by Boston College neuroscientist Dr Peter Gray in the US found that play uses the same state of mind as creativity and learning, thus priming your brain to take on tricky tasks. Meanwhile, US Stanford University researchers found that playing with others encourages bonding and releases oxytocin, a hormone reducing stress and anxiety.

Experts believe that making time to do fun things for their own sake – whether you’re working out how to return a serve at the tennis club, getting creative with Lego, or refining your daily Wordle strategy – can help ward off depression, reduce stress, spark imagination and improve your relationships both at work and at home. So, if playtime has been absent in your life since you left primary school, it’s time to bring it back. You’ll be healthier, happier and your brain will be ready for any challenge life throws at you.

Not sure where to begin? Alicia has simple suggestions for getting started...

 Schedule your play: Organised fun is good, so block out some time in your diary to play. Otherwise it will end up at the bottom of your to-do list.

 Take a walk on the unfamiliar side: Walk home, but along a route you wouldn’t normally take. Try to notice things you haven’t noticed before.

 Gamify the mundane: Can you avoid stepping on the cracks in the pavement? Do time trials on unstacking the dishwasher? Have a “getting ready for bed race” against your partner?

 Do some random learning: Something on the news tickle your interest? Google it, then go on a hyperlink odyssey, learning about it – and clicking on any other links that grab you.

 Play Spotify roulette: Type a random word into Spotify (or Youtube) and listen to the first three songs that come up. You might hear something weird, funny, or something you love.

 Take the “smell a rose” challenge: Challenge yourself to notice one thing a day that brings you joy, then photograph it. The results can be inspiring.

 There are infinite ways to play: Psychologists say there are four types of play: other-directed ( fans of team sports suit this), light-hearted ( for those who like to laugh), intellectual (chess, anyone?) and whimsical (jumping in puddles or a deliberate stroll in the rain). So if one activity doesn’t quite do it for you, try something else.

Having fun with others encourages bonding and releases oxytocin