The document discusses how play is an important part of creativity and work. It argues that play is more of an attitude or state of mind that can be infused in any activity. When people focus too much on avoiding mistakes instead of doing interesting things, it stifles creativity and playfulness. The document also suggests that jobs become stale when people stop playing, creating and enjoying their work, rather than work becoming stale causing people to stop playing. It encourages blending play into work to promote relationship building, relieve stress and improve performance through nurturing creativity.

1. PLAY Defined
• Consistently looking for ways to be
creative and enJOY your work by
letting curiosity and
lightheartedness fuel a sense of
enthusiasm within you.

2. PLAY: THE CURIOSITY-CREATIVITY
CONNECTION
• PLAY is the spirit that fuels a curious
mind, activating the right side of the
brain, which is unlimited in its ability
to make creative connections.

3. YEAH, BUT …
• Many educators acknowledge that
learning should be fun, yet they
believe that PLAY and work are
separate activities: if you’re
PLAYing, then you can’t be working.

4. THE CRUX OF THE MATTER
• PLAY is more an attitude than an
activity. It’s a state of mind and
spirit that is infused in all we do.

5. INSTALLING VERSUS INSTILLING
Work describes what we’re doing.
PLAY describes how we do it.

6. THE BRUTAL REALITY
• PLAYfulness and, hence, creativity are stifled
when we focus on avoiding mistakes and missteps – on doing things right – instead of
doing the “right” things; when “rules” rather
than values guide us and our thinking.

7. THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG
CONUNDRUM
• We don’t stop PLAYing, creating, or
enJOYing our work because our jobs
become stale; our jobs become stale
because we stop PLAYing, creating,
and enJOYing our work.

8. PLAYing IT SAFE versus PLAYing
When we limit PLAY to a specific time slot, the
unspoken message is that work isn’t fun the
rest of the time. This reduces PLAY to an
antacid.
When we find ways to blend PLAY into our
work, we promote relationship-building and
help relieve stress, lift spirits, and improve
performance by nurturing creativity.

9. THE PLAY-MAKE THEIR DAY CONNECTION
Research shows that fun is the foundation
of creativity, which, in turn, fuels our
imaginations, unlocks our highest levels
of intelligence, and boosts our sense of
hope and optimism…and theirs.

10. DON’T INSTALL: INSTILL
Hope and optimism breed confidence
and efficacy … for us and them.
Confidence and efficacy, in turn, breed
both a sense competence and a
willingness to take on challenges. Like
play, these outcomes cannot be
installed: they need to be instilled.