How does play fit into out our lives?  Is it an important aspect, or just something that we should think about on the side?  I have been on an efficiency and productivity kick for the last few months now.  Thinking and talking about productivity related issues is easy for me, I enjoy it, and I am always looking for ways to better myself in that area.  I think we can all agree that being productive in your work and efficient in your lifestyle is ultimately a good thing.  However, people in and of themselves are just not efficient.  Or, to be more specific, relationships are not efficient, and it is easy to put relationship on the backburner as we pursue our optimum levels of productivity and efficiency.

This month, as I have begun tackling the goals I set for myself this year, I began placing more and more emphasis on my level of productivity and less and less emphasis on my relationships.  Thankfully, Kelly pulled me aside and reminded me that efficiency and productivity is not everything, and that I needed to re-engage in my relationships.  She went further and suggested that it would be wise to re-engage in my relationships through play – particularly with my son, but also as a family.

So, Kelly and I sat down and thought of ways that we can incorporate play into our weekly rhythm.  We made time to go roller skating on a Saturday, play a game of Uno after dinner, and even a pizza party on a Friday night.  The results from our time of play were excellent – conversations that would have never started were begun, opportunities to laugh and even to learn together became a reality.  Plus, I felt a lot more relaxed in the evenings.

So why is play so important?  In his book Play, author and psychiatrist Stuart Brown, MD, compares play to oxygen. He writes, “…it’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing.” This might seem surprising until you consider everything that constitutes play. Play is art, books, movies, music, comedy, flirting and daydreaming, writes Dr. Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play.

Here are three ways I have found that we can be intentional about play.

1. Change how you think about play: Play is important in all aspects of our lives, not just the weekends. It is important that we give ourselves permission to play at any time or any place. For example, play can be as simple as sharing a story with a colleague or listening to a joke.  Maybe the best way to get our creative juices flowing is to go toss a ball around or enjoy a quick walk around the parking lot.
2. Take the time to play with your kids: Playing with our children lets us see the world through their eyes. Whether we are playing a game of horse out at the basketball hoop or having a “tea party” in the living room, entering into our children’s world through play is one of the best ways we can connect with them and deepen our relationships with them.
3. Be intentional about setting one day aside for play: For me, this means actually putting it on the calendar and making it a part of my weekly rhythm. Setting this day aside gives me something to look forward to – and motivates me to keep my focus during the challenging times of the week.

It’s been a joy to be reminded of the importance of play – I am pleased to see how it has been a source of connection between the members of my family and myself as well as a catalyst for creativity in my work.  Above all, we need to be intentional about our play and not let our quest for efficiency and productivity drive the other good things of life to the periphery – after all, as Dr. Brown says, “Play is the purest expression of love.”