BALANCING WORK AND PLAY
For
almost all office workers, the simple act of stepping back to take stock of an
average workday is likely to yield startling results. On average, a desk job
requires 8 or more hours staring nonstop at a screen, often with lunches taken
at the desk. This lifestyle is a surefire pathway towards all forms of physical
aches and incredible levels of stress. In America, a recent study found that an
entire one third of employees experience chronic stress related to work.
Chronic stress has been commonly linked with increased risks of strokes, heart
attacks, and can often exacerbate other health issues, such as acne, obesity
and depression.
BENEFITS
OF PLAY
People
often forget the immense benefits that play has for adults. Aside from endless
personal health benefits that include acting as an antidote to depression,
isolation, loneliness and anxiety, the lessons that play teaches can even help
one further one’s career significantly.
Companies
are sitting up to take note of the increased levels of creativity and
innovation, perseverance, motivation, and energy when they encourage their
employees to engage in play. It has been demonstrated that employees who can
better manage their stress become more productive, and are able to contribute
more effectively to their companies. Companies where employees report high
stress levels often find that productivity levels plummet and result in higher
absenteeism, resulting in expensive liabilities. The project of stress
management is one that everyone has a vital stake in and should be approached
as such.
The
poster child for a play-centric culture is, of course, Google. Google’s culture
is legendary, structured around the core philosophy of creating “the happiest,
most productive workplace in the world”. The company lets its employees have
almost free rein to design their office spaces to push the boundaries of the
workplace to foster maximum levels of fun and creativity. Employees are also
literally paid to play beach volleyball or go rock climbing in their California
campus.
However,
Dr Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, notes that merely
adding toys or redesigning a workplace does not immediately create a playful
workplace environment. He describes play as a “state of being”, which is
individual to each person. He encourages people to commit to engaging in
activities which make them happy in their free time, and for companies in turn
to ensure that employees maintain a healthy work-life balance to pursue their
chosen “state of plays” as well.
All
work and no play does not merely make Jack a dull boy. Play is as essential to
life as breathing, and the sooner individuals and companies alike realise that,
the better.