The Importance Of Play In A Busy Adult Life

When you think about play, what comes to mind? Probably children running around a park, games of hide and seek, colourful toys, and a lot of loud laughter. But what most of us don’t associate play with is adulthood, especially when your calendar is packed with meetings, bills, appointments, and a long (and growing) to-do list. 

But maybe that’s exactly the problem. 

The fact is that somewhere between childhood and the responsibilities of adult life, a lot of us have lost touch with play - we replaced it with productivity, swapped imagination for work, and in the end, we started to think it was good to be busy all the time. And yes, there is definitely something good about being responsible and getting things done, but that doesn’t mean play stops being important just because we’ve grown up. In fact, the more hectic life gets, the more we need those moments of fun, and with that in mind, keep reading to find out more about the importance of play in a busy adult life. 

What Exactly Is Play? 

Play isn’t just one thing, and it’s not limited to toys or games or perhaps more structured activities. It’s actually anything you do because it feels good, makes you smile, or helps you get away from your usual routine for a bit. 

So you might want to do something like sing along to songs in the car, solve a puzzle, build a LEGO set, do some doodling, go online for a fun pool game, or anything else you love. It doesn’t have to have a specific goal or any particular outcome, it just needs to be fun. 

There’s no right or wrong way to play (as long as you’re being safe and not causing a problem for yourself or anyone else), and results don’t matter (which is usually quite different from the rest of everyday life), so in a world where most things are measured and tracked, that’s really refreshing and can be the motivation to play more in itself. 

Why Does Play Matter?

Play isn’t just feel-good silliness - there’s actual research showing how play benefits adults just as much as children. Neuroscientists and psychologists, as well as other experts, have done research into this exact optic, and they say that play is linked to better mental health, more creativity, improved problem-solving, and even stress reduction, which has to be a good thing. 

That’s because when we play, our brains release endorphins, which are handy little chemicals that boost the mood and ease stress. Play can actually lower cortisol levels (that’s the stress hormone, and although we need a little of it, too much is an issue), improve cognitive function, and even make relationships better because you can share the experience of play and enjoy laughter and good times with friends and family. 

Plus, playing gives your brain a break from the constant problem-solving and decision-making we have to do as adults all the time. When you finally get a break from that, you’ll realise just how much energy and time it was taking up. 

Why Adults Forget To Play

The truth is that modern adult life is generally built around being productive. You’ve got work, family, social obligations, notifications pinging constantly, and so much more, and the fact is that being busy is a badge of honour in many cases (or at least it’s seen that way), and we don’t get a lot of encouragement to slow down and do something that’s just for fun. 

Sadly, somewhere along the line, play started to feel like a bit of a waste of time - we’re told to hustle, grind, be efficient… even our hobbies can often feel like they need to be turned into side hustles because there’s an idea that everything has to mean something. And that pressure to constantly be achieving something makes it harder to justify things we do just because we like them. But still, that’s exactly what we need more of in life. We need some space to relax and enjoy things without any guilt, and we need the chance to explore new ideas without everything hanging on the outcome. If you think that sounds nice, then it’s time to add some more play into your life, in whatever way works for you. 

What Happens When We Bring Play Back

Think about the last time you laughed until your stomach hurt, or the last time you got so into something that you lost track of time completely. It’s that amazing feeling of being so completely absorbed in something that you feel totally joyful and utterly relaxed at the same time. Well, that’s what play is. And when you allow yourself to do that and experience it, life just gets better. 

You might start noticing small changes, like feeling less overwhelmed, sleeping better, coming up with ideas more easily, and so on. Perhaps your conversations are easier and flow better, and maybe you’re just happier in general and your overall wellbeing is good. On top of that, play can help you find your curiosity again, and it means you can be as creative as you want without any boundaries or anyone waiting for results. What could be better than all that? 

Easy Ways To Add More Play To Your Day

You don’t need to schedule hours of playtime or change your current routine to squeeze it in just to feel the (many) benefits of play as an adult - the trick is just to find small ways to add it in, and to make sure you’re not putting any extra pressure on yourself when you do because that’s just going to defeat the purpose. 

Why not try with a few minutes doing something you enjoyed as a child? That could be colouring, kicking a ball around the garden, playing a forgotten game you used to love, and so on. Even things like cooking a new recipe, doing a silly voice when you’re reading to your child, or making up a song while you do the housework can be a good way to play if you let yourself enjoy it. 

And of course, play can also be digital. A lot of adults find plenty of joy in low-pressure online games that help them unwind without needing loads of time or energy. It could be a casual puzzle game, an online adventure, virtual versions of things like pool or Monopoly, and so much more - there’s literally something for everyone. 

Let Go Of The Guilt

One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to playing as an adult is guilt… it always feels like there’s something else more useful you should be doing, but the fact is that rest, fun, and play are so important that in the end, they should be seen as useful things themselves. Without them, you’re much more likely to experience burnout, and life just won’t be as good as it could be. 

Remember that you’re allowed to take time for yourself, and you’re allowed to do things that don’t have a point beyond just being fun. In fact, you’re encouraged to. When you do, you’ll find you get to move out of survival mode and really start living, and if that’s not motivation to make a start, we don’t know what is. 

Final Thoughts

Play might feel as though it’s something we’re meant to grow out of, but it’s actually something we’re meant to keep doing - perhaps adapted to adult life, but there nonetheless. It’s not childish, it’s human, and if you can keep that in mind, life will be a lot more fun. 

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