Work and play are equally important because work pays the bills and play rests the mind. Making time for both work and play means having a good work-life balance and prioritizing both professional growth and personal enjoyment. Note that people who make time for both work and play tend to give equal attention to their career and personal goals.
They strive to maintain a thriving social life, develop healthy habits and find time for the activities they enjoy while advancing in their career successfully. Note that people’s health and well-being are improved once they are able to get involved in meaningful and pleasurable activities.
According to experts, the most important components of playfulness in adults are creativity, curiosity, humor, spontaneity, and pleasure. Playfulness is an internal bias that lets adults incorporate play in both work and leisure activities.
Various activities can be pleasurable for different people and can also be pleasurable at one time and more of a chore at another. For instance, cooking dinner for the family after a long day at work is not always as enjoyable as cooking for friends and family on the weekend.
Note that once an individual fails to gain meaning or pleasure in his work and life, he may become burnt out or his performance may be affected. Finding that balance between play and work is very important, especially in this modern age.
Making time for work and play is not easy. Relationships with others, both at work and in your personal life, are a very critical part of whether your life will seem manageable and enjoyable. While most professionals have a schedule for work, making time for play can be difficult.
You can leverage a calendar, planner, or scheduling software to note the times you intend to spend on work. Ensure to add your meetings and projects coupled with your commute and any time you plan to spend making arrangements for your job.
After that, consider the personal goals you have for the week, the habits you would like to partake in, and what activities you might enjoy. Note that concisely planning your play time outside of work can help you understand your schedule, reach a better work-life balance and commit to your personal goals.
Importance of Making Time for Both Work and Play
Making time for both work and play is about separating your personal and professional lives and ensuring to aggregate substantial time for both. Have it in mind that both are important and none should ever be neglected. Nonetheless, here are the importance of making time for both work and play;
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Helps To Maintain Your Mental Health
Truth be told, employers don’t place enough emphasis on the mental health of their workers. This is the reason why burnouts are very common. According to experts, burnouts happen as a result of immense pressure put on a person, which has led to “chronic stress.”
This stress could be caused by a wide array of things, from massive workloads (and no work-life balance) to simply not feeling appreciated for the hard work you do. If for any reason you feel that you have been acting out of character lately, then it may be time to start re-evaluating your work-life balance or speaking to a professional.
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Increases Productivity
Every successful business needs employees who are genuinely hard-working and productive. Most often, staying for unnecessarily long hours at the office might make you feel like you are investing so much time and resources in the office; meanwhile, the quality of work is probably worse, which is making the effort much less productive.
Reports in recent times have shown that individuals who make time for both work and play tend to be more productive than those who do not.
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Become a More Rounded Individual
Today, people’s lives revolve mostly around work thus making them lose a lot of other positive dimensions that make them attractive to people. Note that having healthy interests outside of work will improve your skills and make you a more rounded and interesting individual.
Also note that you will have good experiences, memories, and knowledge to share with other people. In recent times, this is becoming one of the most important things employers are looking for. This is why you are expected to include a hobbies section on your CV.
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Guarantee Your Physical Health And Wellbeing
You need to understand that one viable way to maintain your mental health is to ensure that you are physically healthy too. Most often, these include regular exercise and eating healthy but also not outdoing yourself at work too.
Money can buy happiness in certain situations, but if you invest all your time working or thinking about work, then you won’t likely get satisfaction. It is imperative to understand that the stress caused by such a lifestyle can lead to other physical issues like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Conclusion
We all need to work to earn a living; however, to live a full life, one also needs play and leisure. Making time for play is necessary because it helps you breathe and offers you the platform to discover yourself and grow. Aside from that, it helps to satisfy the needs that are not fulfilled at work.
Taking time off to participate in what interests you genuinely makes you a better person. It will help you have a positive attitude to life, develop a balanced perspective and make you see situations in a more relaxed way.