Work and play.  Do you think of these things as opposites?  Can they ever be the same?  And do you think of work and play as part of your overall wellness picture?  We all should, as almost all of our waking hours are spent in one or the other! 
   Let's start with work.  There are many definitions of "work" and what the dictionary says isn't what is important here.  How YOU define work is.  Most people associate work with what we do that makes us money - and we could probably all agree to that part.  Beyond that definition, however, is where we can see how work is associated with wellness.  Does your work give you a chance to share your skills and talents?  Does it give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment?  Or is work something you dread?  What words do you use to describe your work - rat race, dog eat dog, drudgery, treadmill, madhouse?  These are words that might hint at, or openly declare!, that your work is not contributing to your wellness.  Do not doubt that your relationship with your work has a direct impact on your health and wellbeing.  If your work doesn't contribute to your health in a positive way, it will help to start reconsidering that relationship.  There are life and work planning resources available to help pinpoint your skills and goals and match them to fields of work that may be more suited to you.  If you cannot change your work for whatever reason, however, you always have the choice to change your attitude toward it.  It can be a challenge to think differently about your work place and/or co-workers, but it might be life saving to do so!  Discover what exactly is stress-producing in your work environment and take active steps to reduce that stress.  Changing your way of thinking and approaching people and tasks can shift not only your own stress level, but may snowball into a lighter environment for everyone.  We can each strive to make the work part of our day uplifting, giving our best efforts, sharing our talents and brightening each interaction with a smile.  Healthy and wise ones make their "work" a positive contributor to their wellness.
   And so we turn to play.  Our culture does not place a high value on play.  In fact, our previous discussion about work would be considered heresy by some!  WORK is the American way, get a job, work hard, tough it out, nose to the grindstone!  This, of course, adds to our stress about work.  No one wants to be viewed by others as lazy, shiftless, skill-less, idle or otherwise uninspired and a drain on society.  An exception to our un-valued play is competitive play.  We learn about competition and play early on - and one of the lessons is that there are winners and losers in play.  A corollary is that if you aren't good enough to win, there isn't much use in playing - and maybe you're not good at much of anything.   
   But play, in its best sense, is the farthest thing from a waste of time or a prize to win.   Play is referred to as recreation - or re-creation.  Play is what makes us new, vital and inspired.  It is nourishing to the soul and spirit - and sometimes to the mind and body as well.  It is something you EXPERIENCE - not necessarily a particular activity.  Children play much differently than most adults.  They don't start out with an activity planned to bring about the end result of fun.  They bring fun into whatever experience they're having.  Openheartedly being engrossed in the cardboard box or swing or frog.  Blissfully unaware of rules forbidding imagination and fantasy - blankets as magical capes or wilderness tents or thrones for royalty.  Adults would be wise to take a lesson from our younger friends!  To experience activity  with wonder and a fresh eye can rejuvenate us in many ways.  And this rejuvenation is some of the BEST medicine for your overall wellbeing!  We need to recharge keep a healthy balance between the work and play part of our life.  Play gives us a chance to shed our often-too-serious roles of "work" us, to laugh, to creatively gain a new perspective, and come back lighter, rested, calm. 
   It's true - All work and no play does make Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl.  Take a look at the balance in your life.  Look at what re-creates you and find ways to put it into your schedule.  Every part of your life and wellbeing will benefit!