Having fun will never be considered a bad thing. As Mary Poppins puts it, it can be the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. In every task you take, having an element of fun can make everything a lot more enjoyable. So far, it’s not rocket science. Anyone would prefer to have fun rather than be miserable. 

Making everything more enjoyable is a logical conclusion of what fun entails. But there is more to fun than what meets the eye. So next time you’re told to grow up and focus instead of having fun, here are 5 reasons that instantly validate fun and prioritize it. 

#1. Improving learning

Gamification has proven very helpful in education. Students who explore and test their knowledge through gamification using programs specifically designed for the purpose, such as ABCmouse and similar games, have improved their skills faster than those who don’t. Building a fun and entertaining environment makes knowledge more accessible and digestible. Why keep learning boring when fun makes it more efficient? 

#2. Unlocking your dream career

The things you enjoy doing for fun, aka your hobbies, could also be part of your career. Too many professionals struggle in an office environment instead of embracing their passions. From writing to painting, your passion can be monetized into an income. Making your hobby your main career also presents numerous advantages: 

  • It boosts your motivation
  • Never a bad Monday
  • You are more likely to outrank the competition with your skills

#3. Providing stress relief

Can having fun reduce stress? Doctors reckon that laughing can have both short-term and long-term benefits on your health. Indeed, having fun activates an immediate stress relief response, helping you feel more relaxed. It can also soothe muscular tension, which often appears as a result of stress. In the long term, making fun a habit can significantly reduce your vulnerability to stress factors. Indeed, it improves your mood and personal satisfaction, helping you manage stressful situations more effectively. 

#4. Bringing people together

Those who laugh together stay together! Fun transcends all forms of communication, including languages. People who don’t speak the same language can still build a form of trust relationship and intimacy simply by sharing moments of fun. Perhaps, the more obvious example of fun that ignores language barriers is the digital content released by BTS. The Korean septet has been sharing content with their fanbase, ARMY. ARMY is by far the largest and most powerful fanbase. Yet the majority of the content is available only in Korean, and most of it doesn’t receive subtitles until much later. Still, fans all across the world tune in to share the moment of fun with their idols despite the language barrier. 

#5. Improving weight loss

Can laughing burn fat? Yes, laughing can lower blood sugar levels, increase good HDL cholesterol, relieve pain, and burn some calories. Ultimately, when issues such as diabetes, chronic pain, and cholesterol can add weight to your figure, having fun provides a simple, cost-effective, and low-impact feel-good answer. 

In conclusion, it seems appropriate to quote Randy Pausch, who famously said: 

“I am going to keep having fun every day I have left, because there is no other way of life. You just have to decide whether you are a Tigger or an Eeyore.”

To all the Eeyores out there, it’s time to embrace your inner Tigger. 

Main Image Credit Unsplash – CC0 License