Lessons Learned on How Play Can Help Your Business… and Wellness

I recently completed a 14-Day Play Challenge, inspired after reading Brene Brown’s book The Gifts of Imperfection. Having successfully grown my business to achieve major milestones, I knew I did so at a cost. A cost to my well-being. So when I came to her Guidepost #7, Cultivating Play and Rest chapter of her book, I decided to do more than just read her words, I decided to take action. I made the decision to incorporate play into my daily routine for fourteen days, so I could first-hand experience the impact of play on my business, to myself as an entrepreneur and to day-to-day interactions.

I posted this challenge on Instagram within minutes of my decision. I not only wanted to invite others to ‘play’ or follow along, I was also holding myself accountable. Accountable to more play in life.

The results were mixed. In part because I made a public commitment to daily play, there was added pressure to document and share – one more thing to do every day on top of a busy schedule. If you watched closely, you may have noticed that I had a day break here and there. This was actually a benefit of practicing play – let’s call it lesson #1. I learned to not take myself so seriously that I had to be 100% on every day. Would anyone really care if I spread my 14-days of play out over 17 or 18 days? Answer: NO! And that’s exactly what I did. After all, this was supposed to be fun.

Don’t get me wrong – the play part was absolutely worth it. I get it now! In addition to sparking creativity and problem solving (expected results), I learned that taking time to play also helps you connect with life, connect with others, and can bring back wonderful memories. I had more than one belly laugh, the first of which when I hit a line drive with the softball right to my husband’s shin during our photo shoot. Can you say immediate lump! It’s okay, we can laugh – he was laughing too, and he healed in no time.

Perhaps this leads me to the second lesson – ‘playing’ can lead to some bumps and bruises. If you go out and play hard in life or work, you’re going to get some bumps and bruises along the way. But that’s how we learn and grow. You might need time afterwards to step back and recover, analyze and then move forward, but you will be moving forward. In a nutshell, living in a bubble to stay safe isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, and chances are you won’t achieve your goals, let alone live the life you’re meant to live.

Let me explain. Having daily chronic pain and limited mobility from an accident a number of years ago, on top of multiple autoimmune disorders, I don’t get to ‘play’ without paying the consequences. After our first ‘shoot’ – not only could I not get to sleep that night – even after a couple massages and applied heat – once I did finally get to sleep, it did not last long. The pain was intense, so my husband was massaging the pain away again in the middle of the night. The price paid continued into the entire next day. Does this mean the ‘play’ was not worth it? Absolutely not! Sometimes to live, to fully enjoy life, you have to find a way to overcome the challenges holding you back and to manage the consequences. Then, and only then, can you move forward.

Lessons learned on how play can help your business and your wellness:

1. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
2. Sometimes it’s worth getting a bit banged up to have fun and even learn new lessons. (day #2)
3. Play brings out the best in you. (day #11)
4. Play increases your creativity.
5. Play energizes you and gives you clarity of mind. (day #12)
6. Play helps you connect with others.
7. Play gives you a lot to laugh about.
8. Play helps you learn to be flexible, to adapt, and to learn new solutions. (day #7)
9. Play helps you better manage life’s unexpected and disheartening news and events. (day #13)
10. Play helps you connect with yourself, especially if you take the time to hunt down some old vintage toys and games from your childhood. (day #9)
11. Play helps you create the space to come up with solutions that were otherwise elusive due to mental blocks (day #10)
12. Play improves your problem-solving abilities.
13. Play can bring new perspective and calm to your life. (day #6)
14. Play helps you overcome fears. Did you know I HATE to dance? That’s why day #1 was such a bold and freeing move on my part. (day #1)

View all on Instagram: #14DayPlayChallenge   Follow me on Instagram

Are you ready to take some time to play? While I don’t necessarily suggest calendaring daily play, I do suggest keeping it in your tool-box for the next time you’re feeling stressed, find yourself trying to solve a business problem or just want a break from technology. Comment on my #14-Day Play Challenge Wrap Up with how you have recently benefited from play!

About the Author: Simone G has been helping entrepreneurs market their businesses for over 10 years by helping her clients start conversations with their audience using email marketing. Besides virtual training and coaching, she previously conducted hands-on workshops for email marketing and social media to small business owners at her storefront in Pittsburgh, prior to moving to Florida. In addition to helping her clients with their email marketing setup and monthly campaigns, she now also offers online coaching courses to help more entrepreneurs grow their business. She is a certified Constant Contact Solution Provider and was recently selected to be 1 of 14 in the country to represent all solution providers at a panel workshop.