The Best Surfer in the Water is the one having the most fun
Ever heard that one before? There are so many parts of surfing that are full-blown metaphors for life. The above quote is superb in that sense. How you measure success is largely personal, but the inclusion of happiness stands at the core of most definitions, doesn’t it?
All week, we allow stress hormones to build-up within our bodies, robbing us of our youth, our strength, our ambitions, our incredible health, and our innate sense of joy and wellbeing.
Playing is the way to clear them. Play more. Play early. Play often. Turn your actions into play. Inject fun in everything you do. Just go out and play.
Numerous studies have shown that our ancestors spent an average of 4 Hours a day “working” (i.e. hunting, fishing, building shelter), the rest of the day was dedicated to: play time baby. Time spent doing whatever the heck they wanted to do.
In today’s world, the standard is more around 10 hours spent in/and around work daily. If we pause to reflect, it sounds like pure fucking insanity. The perfect recipe for weight gain, fatigue, stress, and simply put, disaster.
If you feel audacious (and we all should), ask your boss for a shorter work day. If you don’t, understand that 20% of your work is usually what creates 80% of your value, so refuse to put in any extras. Focus on the gold, and leave out what should be left out.
To get back to our initial metaphor, let us all remember the importance of making it fun. Play with children, play like children. Play time offers us biochemical benefits in the form of endorphins released in the bloodstream. It creates a broader balance between mental and physical activity. We shouldn’t expect our brains to work at full capacity if our bodies are only getting 10% of the activity they deserve. The best surfer in the water understands this one.
How many hours will you dedicate to some play time today? Write down the minutes spent in the playzone, in the arena. Tomorrow, double it’s length. Notice the effect on your mood and right down how you feel at the end of the day. Do that for a week and watch how your happiness grows.
