Every day when I am running, I pass an elementary school and sometimes am lucky enough to pass by when children are at recess. I love the sound of children playing and having fun, screaming and shrieking with unadulterated joy. It reminds me how important play is to children, but also reminds me that play is just as important for adults.

How often in our busy lives do we as adults make time to play, to just have fun and enjoy life. All too often adult play time is relegated to the weekend, but what if we were to schedule time during the week to play, whatever that might be for us? Adult play is important as it gives us time to recharge and remind ourselves to do something just for the sheer fun of it. What do you like to do for fun? Adult play could consist of anything from hitting the gym for some people to joining a pickup game of basketball with friends, going for a leisurely bike ride just to enjoy the scenery. For others play time might mean gardening or coloring or working on crafts.

It is important in our hectic lives to make sure we take time just to do things that make us happy, whatever that might be. Our play time is just as important as recess is for school children. We adults need downtime just as much as our kids do, maybe more so depending on what our jobs are. Sure, finding time during the work week to play can be difficult, but try to think of it as an appointment with yourself and perhaps your friends or even your children. And it is not about finding the time, it is about making the time to do things that simply make you happy. It is about making time to do something that is important to you and is good for your soul, that will help you release stress and recharge your batteries.

I think sometimes we as adults think we do not deserve play time, that we have to be doing something work-related or “productive.” But if you think of adult play time as an appointment with yourself, something necessary to maintain your sanity, is that not productive? Your mental health matters and adult play is important to keep yourself happy. All work and no play puts our mental health at risk. We all work so hard during the week to pay the bills, put food on the table and clothes on our backs, do we not deserve some play time as well? Work hard, play hard.