Movement is Medicine: Grown-Ups, Get Out and Play!
When trying to find that work-life balance, things like club sports or recreational activities are usually the first to go in attempts to make time for family and work responsibilities. While the importance of play is well documented for kids, new research is focusing on its’ benefits for adults and the findings may want to make you re-think your priorities.
There is a reason that companies like Facebook and Google have an abundance of dedicated space and time for their employees to recreate. There are some obvious benefits of getting out from behind your desk and doing something active, but it is the things you may not have thought of that may be the most important. Playing games in the workplace has been proven to reduce stress, facilitate creative thinking and build social bonds between co-workers. Some researchers go so far as to make the link between play and increased laughter, which can lead to decreased inflammation and improved vascular health.
Playing outside the office, however, is where I feel the real benefit can be had. Becoming involved in church leagues or club sports – whether that means pick up basketball or indoor soccer – can make a dramatic difference to not just your emotional health, but your physical health as well. You may think that a strictly regimented workout plan is the best way to stay in shape, but I would contend, without an opportunity to put that fitness into action, whatever workout regime you are on – it will be lacking. Playing sports against others offers many things that gym-based workout programs cannot.
This first benefit is a level of motivation. Even the most die-hard gym rats eventually get bored of simply ‘going to the gym.’ It’s almost impossible not to – there is only so much variability that can be introduced and most of the time, it is a solitary pursuit. Competing at almost anything, however, introduces a level of motivation and creates a desire and drive to push yourself and perform in a way that no gym workout can.
The second benefit is the dynamic nature of games. Take soccer for example, a game like so many others, where you are forced to react and move in almost every way that your body will allow. Moving your body up and down, cutting back and forth, sprinting and jogging – all dictated by the game without warning. This type of activity stresses your body and builds a resilience that gym workouts in controlled environments can only dream of. The third benefit is that it is FUN! If you haven’t been out to play lately, you may have forgotten how fun even a simply game of ping pong can be. The more social the game, the more fun there is to be had, and in this day in age – having fun cannot be underestimated.
