Reconnect with play

For adult human beings, regular play is a critical part of a healthy lifestyle, says psychiatrist, wellness expert and author Shimi Kang.

During a talk entitled The Future-Ready Mind, hosted by the Alberta Teachers’ Association in March during the Women in Leadership Summit, Kang explained that play and exploration are a key area of human intelligence that individuals must engage in regularly to be healthy and happy.  

“Play is a direct road to adaptability, innovation and creativity,” Kang said.  

Given the constant change, polarization and uncertainty that pervade modern society, play is more essential now than ever, Kang said.

“There’s no instruction manual, so we have to play,” she said. “It’s about learning from mistakes. It’s about being comfortable with the abstract and the uncertain.”

On a neurological level, play and creativity are linked to increased levels of serotonin, a hormone that is a natural mood stabilizer and contributes to overall health and well-being. Perfectionism is the opposite of play, Kang says, as it creates stress, which releases the hormone cortisol, which is toxic if left unchecked for extended periods.

On her blog, Kang advocates for adopting a “play mindset,” which involves trying new things without self-evaluation or pressure to achieve a specific outcome. She suggests that adding play to your life as an adult starts with remembering how you played as a child.

“We all had play mindsets as children. We tried new things, made mistakes, pivoted and kept trying. If you have deviated away from that, get back on track!,” Kang writes. “Having a play mindset, enjoying the process and reflecting on the development journey can all be powerful motivators.”

Life diet

A healthy “life diet” for humans involves spending regular amounts of time on three key areas of human intelligence:

1. Play and exploration 
2. Connection with others 
3. Down time 
   - Dr. Shimy Kang

What does adult play look like?

For adults looking to reconnect with their sense of play, an important first step is to find your “play personality,” says Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the U.S.-based National Institute for Play. Based on thousands of interviews and observations, Brown says that most people tend to have one dominant play personality type and one or two minor types. He has identified the following eight primary play personality types.

1. The Collector 
   Experiences the thrill of play by gathering and holding an interesting collection of objects or experiences. 
2. The Competitor 
   Accesses the euphoria and creativity of play by participating in a competitive game with specific rules. 
3. The Creator/Artist 
   Finds joy in making or fixing things such as works of art or functional objects. 
4. The Director 
   Is a born organizer who likes to make things happen, whether it be a party, a great excursion or a talk show. 
5. The Explorer 
   Achieves a play state through physical, emotional or mental exploration. 
6. The Joker 
   Engages in play through some kind of foolishness. 
7. The Kinesthete 
   Derives pleasure and satisfaction through movement, such as sports and dancing. 
8. The Storyteller 
   Feels engaged in stories, and experiences the thoughts and emotions of story characters. 

Playing tips

- Having fun—playing—is the healthiest way to spend your time (after feeding and housing yourself).

- The activities that evoke fun feelings are unique to each of us.

- If you are enjoying yourself, you’ve got it! If you’re not having fun, try something else.

- National Institute for Play