It’s playtime! It’s Friday, the weekend is here, and spring is in the air. What are your plans for the weekend? One of the neat things about Facebook and other social media platforms is that we get to see all the fun things our friends do, from beach trips, to bar hopping, to gathering with extended family, girl or guys night out, and this list goes on. But some of us (me included) REALLY struggle in the time for fun category. If you are like me, I have to pry myself away from what I consider priorities to relax and enjoy my family. And if you are an introvert (like I am), then doing things with others may be a rare occasion. There’s a great book out there by Susan Cain called Quiet. If you or a family member is introverted, I highly recommend you read it or watch her Ted Talk. Very insightful!

Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, has some great insights into expanding your leisure time. Here are a few ideas that she and some of her readers have suggested to put the work down and have more time for play:

1.     Take the time to be silly. She suggests that we infect each other with good cheer to bring out the happiness.

2.     Go off the path. Have new experiences to help you discover what’s out there. Do you even know what your interests are? Or what other interests you might have? Gretchen Rubin talks about keeping an Interest Log to capture ideas that catch your attention when you are out and about. Or try looking up events that are happening in your city and actually GO to them!

3.     Start a collection. I had a number of collections as a child. As I write this I’m wondering why in the world I gave them up? I still have my coin collection but haven’t looked at them in years. Perhaps it’s time to get them out! I also had a post card collection, a small box collection, doll collection, and probably more that I don't remember.

4.     Create a happiness box. What makes you happy? Be creative. Think of things to put in your box that you can periodically pull out as a reminder to spend more time having fun.

5.     Do something fun outside. There are so many outdoor games and activities that can be fun for a group of people or your family. For Christmas, I got my family a set of golf disks because I had seen people playing on a disk course at the nearby park where I walk. The few times we’ve gone to play have been a lot of fun.

The weekend is here, so get out and enjoy it. Make sure you carve some time out for friends and fun. The work can wait….