Playing strengthens your relationships. Laughing and having fun with others can increase intimacy, trust, and other positive emotions. Picture: Alena Darmel/Pexels
It’s not news that millennials are dubbed the unluckiest generation. Putting aside the stereotype-filled terminology that they are categorised under.
It has been reported that millennials and post-millennials, and those born after 1981, are constantly exhausted and burnout has become a defining characteristic of their lives.
For a myriad reasons, this has already affected the way they see the world and approach work. Depression, stress and burnout are reported among the top reasons, and for South Africans this reality is much grimmer, with some millennials losing jobs and others still paying off education loans.
New roles are emerging and wellness and well-being are everywhere, but how do we tap into that?
As has been clear over the past few years, exercising and drinking green juice are not the only things that help people stay mentally healthy.
Lego recently surveyed a group of adults and discovered that 86% of them felt calmer after playing with the popular building blocks for kids, and 91% of them felt considerably better afterwards.
Chasing dreams has made us feel like playing is something that is exclusively for children, forgetting that none of us are born adults. We have to learn everything as we grow. It might be time for adults to reconnect with their inner child if they want to continue learning and growing, joyfully.
Parents are aware of the benefits playing has on their children’s health and overall well-being, including how it can increase their capacity for creativity, emotional stability, and problem-solving. But how much do they know what playing can do for them?
Lego’s audience marketing strategist, Genevieve Capa Cruz, told the “Washington Post” that adults with high-pressure jobs use Lego to disconnect from the mania. Their goal is to have a relaxing, calming experience, and they like instructions because that helps them to focus.
Additionally, new research connecting play with mental well-being and a marketing campaign aimed at health-conscious millennials found things like playing sudoku, doing puzzles and even Lego encouraged feeling zen because they require concentration and limited anxious self-reflection.
The connection between playing and mindfulness:
While mindfulness has been used for decades as a means to relieve anxiety and stress, there is no denying how much the pace and hustle of today's world have taken over our lives and as a result well-being has taken a back seat.
“From a biological evolutionary standpoint, play is nature’s means of ensuring that young mammals, including young humans, acquire the abilities that they need to acquire to develop successfully into adulthood,” explained Peter Gray, research professor of psychology at Boston College, in a Ted Talk.
More studies are showing that play has numerous advantages for adults, including the following:
Reduces stress levels: Playing can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. These alleviate pain momentarily while promoting general health.
It enhances cognitive function: Playing mentally demanding activities, like chess and puzzles, can boost brain function and prevent memory issues. Additionally, it may prevent depression.
It activates and stimulates your thinking. And it increases your productivity.
It strengthens your relationships. Laughing and having fun with others can increase intimacy, trust and other positive emotions.
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