The Serious Case for Fun (A Cure for the Winter Blahs)

If you’re like most busy adults, fun has probably fallen to the bottom of the list – somewhere behind work deadlines and the never-ending pile of laundry.

But having fun isn’t frivolous. And it’s not just for kids.

Fun improves mood, lowers stress, and boosts energy – three things that can feel especially scarce in the winter months.

The challenge is that a lot of what we think should be “fun” isn’t actually. A simple way to get clearer on what truly lights you up is to think back on the times when you genuinely enjoyed yourself, and then consider what is consistent across those experiences.

Interestingly, while everyone’s version of fun looks different, researchers have found that truly fun moments tend to share three elements: playfulness, connection and flow – that feeling of being so absorbed that time fades into the background.  

Winter is a great time to make space for more of that – and taking dinner off your plate helps.

Here’s to joyful, restorative, real fun this winter.

Inspired by Catherine Price, Author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again