This past Tuesday night I watched as 70 women and girls gathered in our school gymnasium to dance, sweat, laugh, and have fun at our annual Move to the Beat Zumba Night in support of our Individualized Learning Programs. The ladies that attended included moms, professionals, high school students, and some elementary school students. One of the things I thought about that night when I looked out into the crowd of relaxed smiling faces is how beneficial play is for adults.
For me the word play conjures up images of young children playing a game or running around outside with their friends and is not primarily associated with adults. Studies have found that play has both physical and emotional benefits for adults in including stress relief, improved brain function and social connections to mention a few. One of my favourite authors and Social researchers Brene Brown has researched the benefits of play for adults and she explains that play doesn’t need to have a purpose. We do it for the pure joy it brings us.
As busy moms and professionals, it is so crucial to make the time for play without a specific purpose. It took me years to realize this! I have to admit that my day is so filled with responsibilities at home and at work, which I am grateful for, but I also need time for play. So what do we need to do to make it happen on a regular basis and it become part of our daily or weekly rituals? Here are some ideas that I would like to share with you.
Find something that makes you feel good and you get pure enjoyment out of. For me it is zumba and dancing (for those of you who know me!). Sometimes it is just having a silly moment with a friend and laughing until we literally pee! It could be meeting a special friend weekly for a coffee just to chat, walking outside, or gardening. The important part is that you like it and you are actively involved in the activity. Basically it becomes a ritual for you.
Make play a priority. Whether it is once a week for fifteen minutes and you build up to more just make it happen. There is always so much to do - cooking, helping with homework, organizing the house, the list is endless! Don’t let that get in the way.
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Look for opportunities to engage in play with your spouse and children. We tend to do activities that are goal directed. Go swimming to learn to swim, ski every weekend to improve the skill and techniques, or play a board game to learn how to follow instructions. As a family sometimes we just do things for the fun of it. In the summer, I like to take my children to the mountain to be in nature and share in time together. My older children used to complain that there is nothing to do there. After a few Sundays walking around, chasing butterflies, exploring trails, and laughing they began get pure enjoyment out of this time together.
Spring is on the way - finally! Take the time to engage in play as the ladies did on Tuesday night at Hebrew Academy. Many left the room at the end of the night asking for another evening of dance soon, which brought me so much joy. I am forever grateful to Vered Haiun and Ylana Cohen for taking time from their busy schedules to leading our ladies in Zumba and dance on Tuesday night and to all the ladies and girls who came out to support our education programs, which are an integral part of our school. Keep coming back ladies and keep playing!
Shabbat Shalom and Have a great weekend!
Beth
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