Lately, I’ve read a ton of stuff about how important it is to play. It is a valuable part of the creative process, and by creating games, we can even help motivate ourselves to meet goals and be more productive. Who knew that Peter Pan complex would pay off?
“Play is the highest form of research.” -Albert Einstein
I’m not gonna lie — I’m a kid at heart, and a sucker for a cupcake. What brings out the kid in you?
Here’s some of the childlike inspiration I found over the last several days.
Motivational Mind Tricks – Ever think about coffee loyalty cards? I don’t know about you, but they really do make me feel like I’ve accomplished something every time I get one of those satisfying stamps. Fast Company’s article explains how to apply this technique and 2 others to keep yourself focused and progressing on the projects that are important to you.
“We Want More” – This is one of my favorite commercials. AT&T has a whole series of them where the lead actor, Beck Bennett, improvised with young kids in rehearsal to come up with the final script. Brilliant.
Bert & Ernie at Work – I loved this guest post by Kelly Batke on the Humor at Work blog. Take a cue from the Muppets and get along better with your collaborators! Are you a Bert or an Ernie? I’m definitely an Ernie.
Imagination is Key – On Today, an article outlines potential drawbacks of kids’ lack of time to daydream. I’ll admit it: I daydream a lot. I take walks every day and dream stuff up. Some days, I feel guilty because I didn’t look productive. But most days, all that “imagination time” helps me find the most efficient solutions to whatever I’m working on, and I swear time morphs and I get more done than the clock should reasonably allow. So, for me, there’s really something to it.
In a playful challenge to myself, I shot a little video that teaches how to properly hold the camera to take a great selfie. Using Celtx‘s online script management program, I wrote a short screenplay, and even did my own make-up! I managed to compose a lot of the footage myself, selfie-style, on my DSLR. (With the use of a tripod, of course.) I’ll be playing around in Final Cut to see what I can put together. You’ll see the video up on YouTube soon!
Take any time to play and daydream this week?
