There have been times, as silly as this sounds, that I am walking to my garden in my backyard or taking a beach walk that I have an urge to do a cartwheel (and let me tell you, I do!). Really, haven’t you had a similar urge? We, as adults, are quite serious- we are workers, thinkers, problem solvers. We strive for focus and efficiency, trying to stay on task. Being an adult is hard work! When my friend told me that her office had ping-pong tables in the middle of the workspace, for a second I thought this was insane! I thought isn’t she too old to be playing pingpong and maybe she should find a new job. I soon realized that having fun at work is just as productive as working. I am not saying to slack off, but rather we all need to laugh a bit more and indulge in playfulness. Free, open-ended, pointless play is important to all of us at all ages. As adults we can enjoy some of the same benefits that children get from play, like enjoyment, release from stress, or enhancement of memory and imagination. Being creative, spontaneous, fun loving and lighthearted allows one to better cope with stress and have an active and healthy lifestyle. In a recent survey, researchers noted that young adults who had played more as children were more likely to be healthy, to eat nutritious diets, and to get regular exercise. We should all let ourselves play more - or at least be more playful.