I was out taking a walk and stopped and sat down on a shady bench in our neighborhood park. As I was sitting there, two cars pulled up on the other side of the park and people just fell out of the cars (it reminded me of clowns coming out of a tiny car). Finally, an older man in a silky-looking western suit wearing a cowboy hat stepped out and helped an older woman in a wedding dress out of a car.
I was watching the group as they were all laughing and pulling out cameras. Then the groom seemed to have a great idea to get on the seesaw and take some pictures. It took a few people to get his bride on one side, and then the group helped lower the other side so the groom could get on. The entire time, they were just laughing and giggling as they were taking pictures.
It got me thinking about how important play is to create a successful life and business. The ability to laugh at yourself, have fun, and get out of your environment for a bit is critical.
When you have your own business, you can tend to feel like you have to work 24/7 because you don’t want to miss an opportunity. Or, you may think about your business all the time, so it feels like all you do is work. When you are in this mode, it feels chaotic and super busy, like there isn’t enough time in the day.
Throw in a few children, a husband, and a couple of pets – and boom! – you’re exhausted, and you feel like you’re not doing anything well. When you are working, you feel guilty and think you should be spending time with your family. When you are with your family, you feel guilty because you think you should be working… And on and on it goes.
This is a road to burn out.
What’s the solution? Bring a little play and time off into your life. It may feel like you don’t have time, but you also don’t have time not to.
When you take the time to shut the work door and play, you re-energize yourself. You laugh and get dopamine released and running through your body. You begin to relax, and let go of stuck energy.
There are so many benefits associated with play.
Also, there may be times you are feeling a little stuck, and nothing is really working. When this happens, it may just be time to take a little trip. Change your environment.
When you put yourself in new environments, it pulls you out of your ruts and routines. It spurs on inspiration and creativity. You see new things, get around new people with new thoughts and ideas that inspire you. You give back to yourself by playing and exploring. Going on a new adventure always brings in new ideas, new inspiration, and new ways of thinking.
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
You have a lot you want to accomplish. You want to build a successful business, raise amazing children, and have great relationships. To accomplish all that you want to accomplish, you need energy and vitality.
When you are an expression of energy and vitality, you will attract the right people, the right ideas will come, and the support you need will show up.
Here’s the kicker…
To play, you have to receive and take care of yourself. Ouch, I know this is a tough one sometimes for women, but the dividends to everyone around you will be ten-fold.
If play and taking time out and off is tough for you, here are a few quick tips to get you started.
- Do something for you everyday. This doesn’t have to be an extravagant amount of time. It may be working out first thing in the morning, locking yourself in the bathroom and taking a luxurious bubble bath, stealing a few minutes in your day to read, go for a walk, let someone else cook dinner for you and enjoy a class of wine (without the urge to get up and help). You may want to create a morning, afternoon, or evening routine of self-care. I do all three – morning exercise before I talk to anyone (or it won’t get done), afternoons I steal away to a noon yoga class that just puts the rest of my day right, evenings reading and meditation (although sometimes I do fall asleep :-)).
- Take time off from work every week. Make sure you have a least one day a week you totally take off. Just play and focus on fun things you want to do for yourself and your family. I talk to a lot of my clients about this because I find they are working 7 days a week. You may be saying, “Yes, but I’m only working a few hours or just making a few calls that day”. I say give it a try. You want a day where you don’t even have to think about your business. My clients find when they do this, they are more energized and productive in their business than when they don’t take at least one full day off.
- Change your environment. Get out of town for a few days, an extended vacation, or even just overnight. Put yourself in a new environment. When you are in a new environment, you experience new things and different people. You expand the experiences you can draw upon for you work. I know that when my creativity takes a halt, I need to change my environment from the mountains to the water. Being around water always brings in inspired creative energy for me. Explore and have new adventures. You’ll be amazed at how this can positively impact your business and life.
- Laugh. Your ability to laugh has an enormous impact or your life and your business. We all make mistakes, we all fail, and sometimes we all hit it out of the park in one way or another. To be able to laugh when you fall and laugh and celebrate your successes, is so important. When you laugh, you reduce the chemical cortisol (stress hormone) and release dopamine into your system. You feel better, you are more relaxed and patient, and you can respond better to all of life’s turns. A win-win in my book.
You are here to be amazing. To play, have fun, and serve. Life can be serious business, but with a little laughter and play it can be a whole lot more fun!