The Power of Play: How to Use Fun to Fuel Your Creativity

In this episode, I share a personal story about how a simple, playful act helped me overcome creative block, and I offer three practical strategies to incorporate more play into your daily life. We’ll explore the importance of scheduling playtime, embracing childlike wonder, and finding creative inspiration through playful collaboration with others. Plus, I’ll tell you how a spur-of-the-moment road trip to the shore and a fun gathering with fellow songwriters sparked new ideas for me.

Whether you’re spending the weekend relaxing or gearing up for the fall, this episode is packed with insights to help you keep the spirit of play alive and fuel your creativity all year long. 

And if you enjoy this episode, please take a moment to leave a review—it helps others discover the podcast and join our creative community. Thanks for listening, and happy Labor Day!

SHOW NOTES—

0:00—Introduction

1:20—The Importance of Play in Creativity

3:10—Strategy #1

4:20—Strategy #2

6:00—Strategy #3

7:20—Final Thoughts and Weekend Challenge

Episode Transcript

Jennifer Logue (00:10):
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode
of Creative Space, a podcastwhere we explore, learn and grow
in creativity together.
I'm your host, jennifer Logue,and today, just in time for
Labor Day weekend, we are goingto talk about the power of play,
how to use fun to fuel yourcreativity.

(00:31):
So Labor Day marks theunofficial end of summer, right?
So it's a final chance to soakup the sun, enjoy time with
friends and family before we hitthe ground running for the fall
, when it's back to school, backto work and back to the grind
for a lot of us.
But what if we could take thatspirit of playfulness that we

(00:56):
tend to have in the summermonths and carry it with us all
year long?
How could it help us lead morefulfilling long?
How could it help us lead morefulfilling, creative lives?
It's important to understandthat play isn't just for kids or
vacation days.
It's a powerful, powerful toolthat can unlock new ideas, shift
our perspective and reigniteour creative spark.

(01:18):
So, as we all unwind thisweekend, let's explore why play
is so important for creativityand how you can incorporate it
into your daily routine longafter summer is over.
First, let me share a quickstory from my own life, a quick
example.
That really was a greatreminder as to the power of play

(01:40):
.
A few months ago I was deepinto a project that had me
completely stressed out.
I felt stuck.
I had no new ideas, noinspiration.
So that afternoon I just had tostep away from the work and do
something completely different.
So I grabbed a Frisbee I hadlying around, went outside and I

(02:02):
started tossing it around witha friend.
It was such a simple, playfulact, but it made all the
difference.
And as we laughed mainlybecause I am really bad at
throwing a frisbee, let's justbe real here but I could feel my
mind relaxing and suddenly thedots in my head started to
connect and by the end of thatimpromptu Frisbee session I had

(02:26):
the breakthrough idea thathelped me move forward on the
project, and that experiencereminded me that play is a
catalyst for our creativity.
Play is a catalyst for ourcreativity.
Now let's dive into how you canuse play to fuel your

(02:46):
creativity, not just in thesummer, but every single day of
the year.
Now here are three simplestrategies to get you started.
Number one schedule playtime.
Even as you enjoy the longweekend, think about how you can
incorporate play into yourregular routine.
Just like you scheduled timefor work or for exercise, set

(03:11):
aside a few minutes each day todo something playful.
It could be a quick game, acreative hobby or even a fun
activity with friends and family.
You know, for example, Irecently started setting aside
15 minutes a day each morning toplay the piano, not for
practice or perfection, but justto play.

(03:33):
And I'll play whatever comes tome.
But sometimes it's lighthearted.
Sometimes I write a whole songor parts of a song, but I just
sit there and I have fun with it.
I just let the possibilitiesunfold naturally.
And it's just amazing how sucha small amount of time dedicated
to play for the sake of playand creating, how that can have

(03:57):
a ripple effect on yourcreativity for the rest of the
day.
So, number two embrace childlikewonder.
Now remember when you were akid and the world was full of
possibilities.
Try to tap into that same senseof wonder in your adult life.
And one way to do this is toexplore something new, a new

(04:23):
place, a new activity or even anew perspective.
By stepping outside of yourroutine, you open yourself up to
new experiences and ideas whichcan lead to creative
breakthroughs.
And I'll give you an example Idrove to the shore for the day
for the sole purpose of takingmy friend's yoga class on the

(04:43):
beach.
She's an amazing teacher and Icouldn't think of a better way
to spend the last days of summerthan by taking one of her
classes.
I could have done my usual yogaclass at home, which is amazing
, but sometimes you have toshake things up, and I had so
many ideas come to me duringthat 24-hour getaway.

(05:04):
And even the thrill of drivingis something I have childlike
wonder about.
I didn't really drive until my30s, so I spent a lot of my
adult life being a pedestrian.
I lived in big cities where youdon't need a car.
So now, having that freedom,simply hopping in my car and
driving to the shore, I getdownright giddy about that.

(05:25):
Like anything feels possible onthe open road, you're not
limited by the transit map.
But anyway, I digress this ishow I embrace childlike wonder.
I guess I can best describe itas treating everything like an
adventure, or like you're seeingsomething for the first time,
being alive to the present.

(05:47):
So which brings me to numberthree Play with others.
Creativity doesn't have to be asolo endeavor.
In fact, playing with otherscan spark even more ideas.
Whether it's collaborating on acreative project, engaging in
group games or simply having afun conversation with friends,

(06:09):
just interacting with otherpeople in a playful way can lead
to unexpected inspiration.
This weekend, you'll likely bespending time with friends and
family, so why not use thesegatherings as opportunities for
playful collaboration?
As an example, I had such agreat time on Saturday at the
Philly Songwriter Circle SummerBash and it was a lovely group

(06:32):
of songwriters from all over thePhilly region gathered together
just to perform for each otherand support each other, and
there was also amazing food.
It was just a really fun timebeautiful setting, lovely people
and whoever made the turkeyempanadas?
They were a fire.
They were so good, oh my God.
So I hope you found some ofthese tips helpful.

(06:54):
As you enjoy these last days ofsummer, remember that creativity
isn't just about hard work anddiscipline.
It's also about joy,exploration and yes, a little
bit of playtime, whether it'sthrough a game, a creative hobby
or just some downtime with thepeople you love.
Stop being so serious for asecond and enjoy yourself.

(07:25):
Put away the list of things todo.
Put down your phone.
Please put down the phone andjust be present.
Notice how it makes you feeland see if you can carry some of
that playful present energyinto the rest of 2024.
Anyway, that's all I have forthis episode of Creative Space.
If you love the podcast, pleaseshow your support by leaving a
review on your platform ofchoice.
Thank you.