Reclaiming Play: The Key to Being a Responsible Adult

PLAY.  Just take a few moments to envision what comes to mind when you hear that word…play.  If you’re like me, there is an image of a child, some joy or laughter, the feeling of being carefree. For many of us, that seems like a long-ago experience, before deadlines to meet, bills to pay, children to feed, and responsibilities to be …well…responsible for.

Just that word, RESPONSIBILITY, bears a heaviness to it.  As adults, we gradually take on more and more of it, in order to feel like productive citizens contributing to our families, workplaces, and communities. Unfortunately, for many of us, the more productive we become, the more drained we feel. Drained of enthusiasm and spark, like a weighing down of our spirit.

But with spring in full bloom, and summer fast approaching, the pull of the outdoors is a powerful force, one that often feels counter to the forward march of productivity and responsibility. Buds have blossomed, birds are chirping, and new life is calling to us. It seems like the perfect season to give this word, responsibility, a new life of its own.

Reimagining Responsibility

Let’s break it down, shall we? At its core, responsibility means the ability to respond. Remember that a response can be small yet powerful: a loving glance, a reassuring smile, or a squeeze of the hand. When distilled to these basic parts, responsibility doesn’t seem so daunting. It feels doable…perhaps even inviting?

One of the most essential responsibilities we have is to ourselves. I like to think of the mini life lesson we get every time we board a plane: always secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others. For many, this can be much harder than responding to others. What does it look like to be able to respond to ourselves? To our own needs?

One of our most vital needs as adults is the need for play. Not surprisingly, this is often the most overlooked. While we prioritize and plan playtime for children, it’s often last on our long lists for ourselves, if it even makes the list at all.  You might even be thinking that you don’t have time for play, but in fact, you can’t afford NOT to play! 

The Science of Play

Did you know that play can boost levels of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins? These are the yummy brain chemicals associated with pleasure, social connection, and improved mood. Play has been shown to increase mental focus, help cope with stress, enhance emotional states, and improve overall well-being. These benefits can be key ingredients for problem-solving and motivation. 

Play can also increase physical activity which has plentiful benefits for our physical and emotional health. Sounds like play has a lot to offer those of us committed to our productivity. 

It can help to remember that play can look like many different things and doesn’t need to take a lot of time. Like the ability to respond, moments of play can be small yet powerful. Chances are, you are already incorporating play in some form. Perhaps all you need to do is more of it!  

Here are some fun tips for sprinkling play throughout your day:

• Sing aloud to that song stuck in your head

• Make someone laugh, even yourself!

• Create a fun little doodle

• Do a blind taste test (Twizzlers vs Red Vines, anyone?)

• Dance to that guilty pleasure song

• Listen to a podcast episode that has nothing to do with your work or kids!

• Whip up a yummy recipe

• Experiment with crazy outfits

• Do a cartwheel 

• Add unexpected color by adding food coloring to a staple meal

• Toss a frisbee

• Squish some slime

• Anything that’s spontaneous, creative, or just lights you up!

So, next time you feel as though you are drowning in responsibilities, remember your most important responsibility of all...YOU. 

Now, be a responsible adult and go play!

Ready to reconnect with yourself? Contact office@anacortespsych.com to connect with Nicole Casper and discover how play, joy, and self-care can support your e

motional well-being and help you feel more grounded, energized, and alive.