Play Dates: What do the Experts Say?
Need more convincing before you feel the pleasure of leisure? Maybe the Academy of Leisure Sciences, a group of 30 learned and successful PhDs, will convince you. According to the Academy’s “White Paper #7: The Benefits of Leisure”, “There is considerable belief not only that these benefits [improved sense of self-worth/esteem, enhanced self-competence, improved leadership skills, enhanced creative ability, increased cognitive efficiency, and more] exist but that they are quite pervasive, of great magnitude, and help promote and maintain characteristics that considerably enhance an individual’s ability to function in, and contribute to, society at large.” ** Therefore, you’ll not only be doing yourself a favor, you’ll be doing others a favor too.
You’ll be doing your body a favor as well. It is well documented that stress causes ulcers and other such ailments. It also increases the risk of heart disease and other health problems. Fortunately, reducing stress lowers the risk of many illnesses and even has a positive influence on existing diseases.
Activities and hobbies such as playing tennis, embroidering, shushing down a mountain, watching old movies, and collecting antiques cause people to forget their problems, thus reducing stress. As the Academy paper on leisure states, many leisure activities “promote psycho-physiological benefits, including reduced tension and anxiety, mental and physical relaxation, reduction in stress hormones…positives changes in mood, and enhanced outlook on life.” Wow.
In fact, both passive and active leisure activities (play) benefit us in several ways. Of course, physical activities such as running or playing racquetball and tennis have the added benefits of increasing muscle tone, lowering cholesterol, reducing risk of disease, etc. But, like most things, too much of a good thing can be bad. Neither couch potatoes nor obsessive gym-goers have the right idea of leisure.
According to Dr. Thomas Collins, a chiropractic physician and author of a health care guide, “A balance needs to be made between active and passive leisure activities.” In his article “Play: A Neglected Element in Natural Health Care” *** Collins states that for most of us a mixture of “sport, play, exercise, relaxation, and socialization” has optimal benefits for us, body and spirit. His idea of one week of leisure includes the moving meditation of T’ai Chi, group worship, high-energy walks in the park, a mountain bike ride, some swimming, an aerobic strength training session, a tennis game, listening to music, dancing, singing, reading, and helping others.
Dr. Collins points out that most of these activities and sports can be done alone or with friends. Sports where “cooperation and improvement of self-esteem [are] encouraged” and which you find “fun, relaxing, energizing, [and] mentally stimulating” are best. He says team sports can provide ways of “gaining acceptance, making friends, expressing hostility, overcoming fear…battling perceived inferiority...” In these cases “the event [is] an effective means for enhancing life…”
Find what you most enjoy, good friends to enjoy it with, and start having some fun now. Squeeze it into your schedule, even if it means occasionally leaving your desk full of papers or your house full of dust. Your well-being, and the well-being of those around you, depends upon it. I’m sure your room-mate or neighbors would rather see you come home from a vigorous game of basketball tired but happy than see you seriously strive to imitate a 17th Century Puritan. This is a new millennium—make it a date for playing!
Don’t know how to start having some serious fun? Why not start with EntertainMates.com! Remember when you were little you’d knock on your friend’s door to ask if he/she could come out to play? Well, just enter our door to find good friends and plenty of fun!
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