Many of us pride ourselves on how hard we work.

 

We wear the hours we’ve (over)worked and how busy (and out of control) our inboxes are like a badge of honour.

 

We rush from this meeting to the next, never really present at any of them as we obsessively check our smartphones.

 

We have no time in our diary for play.  We have no time in our diary for family and friends.

 

This all sounds a little backward to me.  A balance has been tipped but the good news is we can redress it.

 

Work is a necessary part of our lives.  There are often lessons to be learned in the process of work itself – it can teach us much.  The ability to work hard and earn something, is so often more rewarding than just being given something.  We need to spend a little of ourselves.  But work isn’t everything.

 

Play is just as necessary in our lives.  Perhaps work is play for you, in which case lucky you.  For many of us this is not the case.

 

Play is our time to really let our hair down and have fun.  Where we can reset and be with the people that matter most to us.  Where we make time for our hobbies and passion projects.  Where we can listen to music or create our own music.  Play can even be as simple as being curled up on the sofa with a good book and cup of coffee.

 

We can make time for play.  We can make space for friends and family.  We can put our smartphones down.  We can unplug.  We can say no.  We can choose to work smarter, not harder.  We can even choose to work less.

 

Work hard but make ample time for play as well.

 

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