What is your PQ?

Have you been feeling drained out lately? Does life feel like an endless grind? Does your body feel heavy and sapped of energy? Can’t remember the last time you had a good belly laugh? If your answer to most of the above questions have been ‘no’ then chances are that your Playfulness Quotient (PQ) is quite low.I have to admit that this is a term I have coined (with help from my ‘fun experts’—my children) as a measure to understand the ‘seriousness malaise’ that seems to be hitting us city folks. When I ask people to list their playful activities they mostly talk about movies, dining out, shopping, parties. These activities admittedly provide pleasure but they may not necessarily be playful. When I say playful, I mean getting in touch with the free, spontaneous child within each one of us and just having pure fun.Think about a child totally absorbed in his play. It could be just the gleeful giggling as she swings up to the sky or merrily chases a butterfl y in the garden. It’s as if the world has stopped existing for her; living totally for the moment; extracting every bit of joy from it.When I ask people to list their playful activities they mostly talk about movies, dining out, shopping, parties. These activities admittedly provide pleasure but they may not necessarily be playful. When I say playful, I mean getting in touch with the free, spontaneous child within each one of us and just having pure fun.

Think about a child totally absorbed in his play. It could be just the gleeful giggling as she swings up to the sky or merrily chases a butterfl y in the garden. It’s as if the world has stopped existing for her; living totally for the moment; extracting every bit of joy from it.It seems a bit ridiculous to talk about playfulness in the grown up world, isn’t it? It probably sounds frivolous, juvenile, and even silly. But what if I told you that it could add years to your life? There is an amazing body of evidence (reviewed by Easterlin, 2005) which indicates that playfulness reduces stress hormones like cortisol, adrenalin and norepinephrine.

On the other hand, it increases happiness chemicals such as endorphins and immune-boosting killer T cells, lowering blood pressure, relaxing muscles, reducing pain, and accelerating healing. Another interesting fact is that we connect much more deeply and meaningfully to people when we are playful. Joyfulness produces a healthy dose of happy hormones like oxytocin and serotonin which can nurture and strengthen deeper and genuine bonds.Boost your PQ
• Body Talk We often carrygrownupness as inhibited stiffness in our bodies. Try letting your body go and feel yourself come alive. Roll up your sleeves, loosen that tie and kick off those heels. Crawl with your toddler, jive with your teenager, shake a leg, kick the ball, splash in the pool, goof around in the local park. Do anything.as long as it has no hidden agenda (I need to lose belly fl ab, I have to improve my dancing skills).

• Hearty Laugh Try a little exercise. Just laugh out aloud. Notice how your whole body and mind suddenly feel injected with refreshing energy. Some studies have indicated that when we use our facial muscles to express emotions, we trigger specifi c happy hormones. Scientists studying the effect of Botox discovered that when depressed patients were treated for frown lines, they were no longer depressed! Change of facial expression can change feelings too. (Waynebaum, 2005). According to another study, on an average, children laugh 200 times and adults just 15 times a day.

• Be Silly We have grown up hearing, 'Don't be silly', for so many years that to do the opposite might be a little tough initially. However, do not give up. Belt out that Bollywood number while taking a shower; walk barefoot in the park; play hopscotch; go and give everyone at home a bear hug. Just like that. And feel the years slipping away leaving you invigorated and ready to face life.

Believe me, PQ is one of the most vital ingredients for our well-being. So get that spark back in your life. Have fun!