Title: Why You Need More Fun in Your Life, According to Science • Mike Rucker, Ph.D.
Headings: Why You Need More Fun in Your Life, According to Science
Why You Need More Fun in Your Life, According to Science
Content: These strong bonds developed with our colleagues have been linked to improved performance and productivity (Kansal, Puja, & Maheshwari, 2012). Fun makes us smarter
According to science, one way to improve our memory and concentration is to have more fun. Partially, this has to do with the stress reduction that happens when we engage in something we enjoy. However, the benefits of fun activities seem to stretch further than that. The British Cohort Study — a study that has been following 17,000 people born in 1970 — found that reading for fun improves our language skills, and more surprisingly our proficiency in math as well. It appears that fun activities that introduce us to new ideas and concepts foster self-directed learning. The rewards we gain from these experiences might expand beyond the obvious benefits. Scientists are now also exploring if reading for fun can also protect us against cognitive decline as we age. Fun reduces stress
You probably do not need science to inherently know this already: engaging in enjoyable activities can be an especially powerful antidote to stress.