When you were a kid, how long did your summers feel?
For me, those golden days seemed to last forever. I remember running through the sprinklers, riding bikes with the neighbourhood kids, then going to the corner store to grab some freezies. We only went home when Mrs. Douglas called out into the twilight “Jonathan, time for dinnerrrrrrr!”
Life felt limitless.
How short or long do your summers feel now?
I’m convinced that slowing down time is the key to aging gracefully and preventing burnout. I have two non-superhero ways to slow down time: do less (read: simplify my days, focus on the best then forget the rest) AND play.
We talked a lot about simplicity these last few weeks. Now let’s talk about play.
| Love to Do | Hate to Do | |
| Have to Do | ||
| Don’t Have to Do | the magic ingredient |
I know–it’s easier to say than it is to do! And it’s easier for some people who don’t have invisible expectations thrown onto their never-ending to do list or carry the mental exhaustion of keeping everyone on track.
I get it.
Is there time to relax and play
When the dog has to go for a walk?
When the dishes are piling up on the counter? (and no one else seems to see them…just sitting there…)
When there is patient paperwork to organize for tomorrow?
When the fridge is missing the one type of salami you know your kids will eat?
Play often gets left out of the week because play is non-essential right? Playing doesn’t pay the bills or decrease waiting times in the hospital or get the kids to school on time.
Well, it’s actually much more complicated than that.
Over-scheduled kids have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and shame. Kids need unstructured play to consolidate what they’ve learned, to foster their creativity, and to build connections with others. If you asked your kids whether their summers felt long and free, what would they say? What does that say about modern living?
Adults need the restorative energy of play too. It’s just that it’s not valued.
In Stuart Brown’s book “Play,” he wrote “the opposite of work is not play, it’s depression.” Wowsa. Just let that sink in. We are all missing a healthy dose of play in our lives.
In the hyper-achieving world of medicine and motherhood, your tendency to set goals and be productive may actually be contributing to your burnout and unhappiness.
My list of things I love-to-do/don’t-have-to do:
tickling my kids
“marshmallow” pillow fights
browsing used bookstores for vintage editions of my favourite reads
drinking tea by a window and listening to the rain
drinking overpriced coffee in my local cafe
learning Korean
travel
watching Youtube videos of how other women bake so well
planning outfits for days I don’t have to wear scrubs
growing roses to make my neighbours jealous
putting together a 1000 piece puzzle with my kids (I still can’t tell if this is relaxing or annoying)
Your work will never end.
Leisure time is your chance to recharge. Embrace it! Have some fun.
Question: What does play look like to you? Share in the comments below!
