Tip of the Week: Give Yourself a FUN Audit
All Work and No Play…
We tend to put fun in the “later” bucket, something we get to do after our to-do list is done. Not so fast!
Science gives us a great reason to prioritize fun: it’s a key ingredient for good mental health.
Studies show that having fun is linked to better mood, lower stress, and stronger immune system. It promotes the release of feel-good endorphins and suppresses the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
Fun is something we do for intrinsic enjoyment, not for a reward. Performance doesn’t matter. You know it’s fun when these three factors are involved: playfulness, connecting with others, and flow.
Be wary of fake-fun - activities that masquerade as fun but are missing these factors. It feels fun in the moment but leaves us feeling empty vs. fulfilled.
How’s your fun factor?
Give Yourself a Fun Audit
Grab a piece of paper or open your Notes app, and write down three fun memories.
They can be from yesterday or a decade ago. If you’re smiling as you write, you know you found some good ones.
Next to each memory, write down:
What you were doing
Where you were
Who you were with
When it took place (time of year or day)
Step back. What are the patterns? What activities, people, places show up multiple times? How long ago was it? Use this insight as inspiration.
On the flip side, what’s your version of fake fun? Notice how you feel next time you’re in it. Ask yourself how you might swap it out for some real fun.
Your well-being Rx: have some real fun!
In other words …
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw
“When you stop doing things for fun, you might as well be dead.” - Ernest Hemingway
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” - James Howell ... and Jack Torrance
Want to learn more?
Fake Fun vs. Real Fun w/ Catherine Price, bright&quirky.com
Here’s Why You Should Make a Habit of Having More Fun, NPR
Behaviors That Make Us Happy: Flow & Fun, Yale’s Science of Well-Being for Teens