I was reminded about the importance of playing a while back when my brother and I were out in the Sea of Cortez fishing for marlin.  I noticed a huge group of spinner dolphins as they worked a school of mackerel into position so they could enjoy an afternoon snack. 

It looked like a lot of work so when 20-30 of them broke from the group to have some fun swimming in the bow wave of our boat my initial reaction was surprise; however  my secondary take was that play is instinctive and fundamental in the lives of all animals, including humans.

Check out the video, below, as man and dolphin literally play together in the ocean surf.

According to experts, play isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity and is as important to our physical and mental health as getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising. And taking the time to replenish yourself through play is one of the best things you can do for your career. Here are just a few of the benefits of play:

Keeps you functional when under stress

Refreshes your mind and body

Encourages teamwork

Helps you see problems in new ways

Triggers creativity and innovation

Increases energy and prevents burnout

 So now I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  Today is Friday, July 2 – the beginning of the 4^th of July weekend and up until this moment I was planning to work all day tomorrow.  Instead I think I’ll do the responsible thing and go outside and play!