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Mindset and wellness coach and founder of Clear Space For Joy, Julie Vincent, and global joy speaker and bestselling author of Messy Joy: How Joy Can Begin Before Your Difficulties End, Robin Shear, agree that in adulthood, we often tend to rob ourselves of fun, intentionally or not.
"As adults, fun is often (incorrectly) seen as a luxury. It’s something we focus on for our kids or on vacation, but see it as a nice-to-have instead of an essential component to our whole life wellness," says Vincent.
"All of the shoulds, beliefs, and stories pile up, adding in the unnecessary pressure that keeps us busy, overwhelmed, and unfulfilled. With mindset shifts and small daily rituals, you can consciously create more fun and joy. It’s a whole new way to see and move through life—one where you’re deeply connected to yourself, family, and friends."
"Think back on the joy of childhood. Do you remember how exciting it was when the recess bell rang? What did it feel like to play and have fun for 15 minutes? While you may not realize it, your teachers were counting on these intentional joy breaks to energize you and keep you on track for the rest of the day. And then, we grew up and became adults, often leaving fun behind, focusing instead on success," explains Shear.
"Generally speaking, we were prepared to be productive members of society from a very young age and fun wasn’t just forgotten, it was even discouraged in many aspects of adult life. The good news is, we need to view fun differently. It's often considered frivolous when it should be included as foundational."
Incorporating moments in our day-to-day that allow for some joy and excitement can improve our well-being and make us more productive. And we don't have to plan big or elaborate activities to achieve this. It's all in the little things!
"I cannot stress enough the importance of dripping in small things each day that just make you feel good. Despite modern society's mindset that silliness, play and good old fun isn't a priority, there is growing evidence that is actually an essential part of our well-being (I'd even say it's the secret ingredient!)" says Vincent.
Having more fun throughout the day also doesn’t have to mean adding more activities and more things. Sometimes, the opposite is true. Removing things from our schedule and freeing up some space in it can allow play, connection, and flow to flourish in our day-to-day lives. Eliminating not-so-fun activities that consume our attention, like phone time, gives us more time to do things that are enjoyable without getting too overwhelmed.
"The Harvard Business Review determined that regularly pausing a couple of times during the workday not only improves our well-being, but when we avoid screens and include movement (the new recess!), it helps us be more productive. What a win! Imagine how you'd feel on Monday morning if you expected your day to be less stressful and more successful because recess breaks were scheduled in," suggests Shear.
If you’re struggling with ideas on how to find fun things to do in your routine, Shear recommends trying to think like a child for a moment.
"As a global joy speaker helping burned-out audiences have more joy in life, my most requested talk is about the transformative power of inviting the joy of childlike wonder back into our adult lives. Could we please have more fun? Yes, by thinking like a child.
When's the last time you blasted your favorite song and enjoyed a rowdy 4-minute dance party in the kitchen? Or started a timer just to see how quickly you could walk around the perimeter of the building... aiming to beat your record by one second a day, just because you could?" she asks.
"Seeing our situations through the eyes of a child changes everything," explains Shear further. "Need a tip? Think back to what it was like to begin sentences with, "I wonder what would happen if..." and then find out what happens more often. Recess breaks are just the beginning. To feel less depleted and more alive, inviting your inner child's voice back into the conversation is a game-changer."
