When I was a kid, I worked hard to play hard. It was a byproduct of being homeschooled. I learned that I could complete all my work in three or four hours and be free to do as I pleased the rest of the day, which sometimes meant bike rides, extra trips to the library, or a continuation of whatever story I was directing on the set of my bedroom floor.
I somehow forgot my work-hard, play-hard philosophy during my undergraduate years – I focused on schoolwork and multiple jobs and little play – and I paid the price for it. I didn’t burn out or lose an interest in school, but I noticed the lack in myself. I am not a very content person if I don’t make room for play. My spirit and, in turn, my writing and other creative endeavors suffer.
Noticing the lack resulted in a change: I set aside time for play during my graduate school years. For me, this meant investigating the world of martial arts. It also meant wandering around the outlet mall even if I had no money to spare. I needed to get away from my work space, a one-bedroom studio apartment, and myself for a while. Wandering and training provided opportunities for just that.
I’m now several years removed from my graduate school days, but I still believe in the importance of play. It’s why I’m in CrossFit. It’s why I run. It’s why I’ve returned to salsa dancing. All those things feed essential parts of myself, parts that cry out in protest when I ignore them. Those things may cut into work time or cause me to wonder how I’m going to accomplish everything on my schedule, but they are essential. They are necessary to my ability to work hard so that I can play hard.
Image: David Baker (CC BY NC 2.0)
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