Remembering to Play in Business

**Outta Hand** · 11-02-2006 07:21 AM

The thing i've noticed lately is that a sense of play is one of those things that you can lose sight of at times in your life. You get so wrapped up in developing a business that you simply forget to play. Not sure if anyone else has noticed this or not or has a different experience but i'd love to hear about it.

Do you play video games, are you learning how to fly a plane, are you taking an acting class?

- How do you play?
- In what ways do you play?
- Do you feel that play is an important part of who you are and what you are doing?

**ronsharon** · 11-02-2006 07:49 AM

Going bungee jumping this weekend…

**The Stealthy One** · 11-02-2006 08:20 AM

Hmmm, this is a god point. I can't remember the last time I really did something for fun. My life has been so consumed with working and school for the past year-and-a-half that maybe it's time to take a break.

**Outta Hand** · 11-02-2006 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by The Stealthy One

Hmmm, this is a god point. I can't remember the last time I really did something for fun. My life has been so consumed with working and school for the past year-and-a-half that maybe it's time to take a break.

Glad i could point that out Stealthy... i think that you've got to put more leisure into your life sometime and go have some fun. You'll come back to your business with better ideas and a better outlook on things.

**Outta Hand** · 11-02-2006 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by ronsharon

Going bungee jumping this weekend…

Sounds great!

**Nigami Enterprise** · 11-02-2006 04:52 PM

I find i come up with my best ideas when im not working and not stressed. When you try and actually think of an idea it never comes to you. It's when your relaxed and enjoying life that you think the best.

***MissBiz*** · 11-02-2006 06:50 PM

This is a great subject.

I've been taking my B Comm undergrad for 5 years, working two and three jobs for the last two and starting my own business on top of that.

It wasn't until I went home this summer that I realized what "all work (and stress) and no play" had done to me. Because school had ended, and two of my jobs ended (they were both school-related), I was in complete shock when I only had one job to concentrate on for the summer.

Essentially I had major insomnia for 2.5 months of the summer. It only began to disspipate after I took on a second job, just to keep my mind off of not being as busy as I was before. It could have also been the pressure of dealing with the fact that in a year I was going to be graduated and out of school. I had to literally force myself to relax for those gruelling 2.5 months. It wasn't easy.

Being so ambitious, my attitude was basically that it was okay to almost kill myself with stress and work as it would eventually pay off later. I learned my lesson, thankfully. I'm better now.

I finally realized that in order to enjoy what you do, you have to seperate yourself from it once in a while. Even if you don't make it a point to go out and do something for fun, at least take mental breaks when you can - watch a movie, write in a journal, or go for a run (which is what really helped me this summer - I started running).

Nobody wants you around if you're a bag of nerves all the time. Take one day at a time

**sicnarftea** · 11-02-2006 08:03 PM

think I'm a prime example of all work no play, everytime I get invited to parties and what not, I seem to end up refusing to go, fearing that I would be wasting my time.

IN reality, playing is a form of relaxation to help with your mental (and physical) capabilities during business operations. It trains you in people skills as well as gives you a more relaxed and approachable personality.

Its all good in the end

**akula** · 11-03-2006 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by Outta Hand

The thing i've noticed lately is that a sense of play is one of those things that you can lose sight of at times in your life. You get so wrapped up in developing a business that you simply forget to play. Not sure if anyone else has noticed this or not or has a different experience but i'd love to hear about it.

Do you play video games, are you learning how to fly a plane, are you taking an acting class?

- How do you play?
- In what ways do you play?
- Do you feel that play is an important part of who you are and what you are doing?

Great point

I thought hey! why not make the best of both worlds, so I'm gonna try to open some sort of a wine scouting shop, as an excuse to spend some days away from the city, sampling wine up in the high country and bringing it back to restaurants in the city

personally, I think there might be something to these "lifestyle ventures"...kind of like of johnny depp and viper room

I'd also like to spend more time studying kyudo

**Deejay** · 11-03-2006 12:32 AM

I think business should = play/fun

If you don't enjoy it why even bother doing business in that field? I retail, and could easily spend all day working without getting bored - but actually enjoying it.

**Outta Hand** · 11-03-2006 04:56 PM

Hello MissBiz,

Sounds as though you've got a fair amount of stress. Sounds as though you definitely need to have more fun at what you are doing (everything in moderation).

I think the thing with working too much is that when you finally have time off you aren't sure what to do with yourself. What did you decide to do to have more fun and involve a sense of play into what you were doing?

What are you working so hard at? See the thing i realized so that i was working hard/smart now so that someday i don't have too and my problem was that if i spent years doing this and i achieve that level of success i wouldn't stop to enjoy it, and that to me is a problem.

Cheers and talk soon

Luc

Originally Posted by *MissBiz*

This is a great subject.

I've been taking my B Comm undergrad for 5 years, working two and three jobs for the last two and starting my own business on top of that.

It wasn't until I went home this summer that I realized what "all work (and stress) and no play" had done to me. Because school had ended, and two of my jobs ended (they were both school-related), I was in complete shock when I only had one job to concentrate on for the summer.

Essentially I had major insomnia for 2.5 months of the summer. It only began to disspipate after I took on a second job, just to keep my mind off of not being as busy as I was before. It could have also been the pressure of dealing with the fact that in a year I was going to be graduated and out of school. I had to literally force myself to relax for those gruelling 2.5 months. It wasn't easy.

Being so ambitious, my attitude was basically that it was okay to almost kill myself with stress and work as it would eventually pay off later. I learned my lesson, thankfully. I'm better now.

I finally realized that in order to enjoy what you do, you have to seperate yourself from it once in a while. Even if you don't make it a point to go out and do something for fun, at least take mental breaks when you can - watch a movie, write in a journal, or go for a run (which is what really helped me this summer - I started running).

Nobody wants you around if you're a bag of nerves all the time. Take one day at a time

**Outta Hand** · 11-03-2006 04:59 PM

hahaha sounds like a good excuse to get silly for a few days Akula

Awesome none the less.

mmmmm alcohol and walking... could be a good combination

Definitely relaxing Daniel!

Lucas

Originally Posted by akula

Great point

I thought hey! why not make the best of both worlds, so I'm gonna try to open some sort of a wine scouting shop, as an excuse to spend some days away from the city, sampling wine up in the high country and bringing it back to restaurants in the city

personally, I think there might be something to these "lifestyle ventures"...kind of like of johnny depp and viper room

I'd also like to spend more time studying kyudo

**Outta Hand** · 11-03-2006 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Nigami Enterprise

I find i come up with my best ideas when im not working and not stressed. When you try and actually think of an idea it never comes to you. It's when your relaxed and enjoying life that you think the best.

What do you do to relax and unwind in your spare time?

***MissBiz*** · 11-04-2006 11:58 AM

Outta Hand,

It was just having three jobs (business editor and columnist for our university paper, working in the university communications department, and being a marketing director for a new company) along with starting a tech company and going to school full time that took its tole on me. I didn;t know it while I was caught up in it.

When summer came and most of it stopped, I kind of went into a little depression, I guess, and I couldn't sleep.

Like I said, it only lasted a few months. I started to walk and run recreationally which REALLY helped. I also read a lot. I stopped stressing out about the future so much by making "plans", and I realized that most people who are graduating soon are all in the same boat - and unsure about what the next few years will bring. I also started another business that allows me to do what I love, and that is business writing/ journalism. I feel like I can take my time with this as it is my own business, and not a partnership.

I am still the business editor for the paper, I am still the marketing director of the start-up company, and I am still going to school full time - but I guess I just stopped taking myself so seriously. I learned to just 'be' I suppose.

**businessportfolio** · 11-04-2006 12:32 PM

I tend to find that there is a strong correlation between success and work dedication. Success in itself is motivational which can directly make you take on even more work. I agree with an earlier point, most individuals will come up with their best creative ideas when they are relaxed and stress free. Of course, it's also important to give yourself a break. I need to remind myself of that frequently, there is clearly no point in earning money if you can't enjoy it. This in itself is demotivating again suggesting the most efficient and successful entrepreneurs find a balance between work and play.