Person making objects with clay

Your Result

Boost your sense of creativity and play by making time for fun and exploration

To be happier, consider a habit that will boost your sense of creativity and play by making time for fun and exploration.

Why this aim is likely to make you happier

As children, we left the classroom every day to enjoy recess. Recess gave us free time to play games, talk to friends, explore the playground equipment, work on little projects, wander around alone, or examine leaves or ants or clouds. It was a necessary break from the discipline and focus of the classroom.

As adults, it can be a challenge to make time for this kind of unstructured break. But rest, fun, and the freedom to pursue our interests can give us the boost of energy we need to meet our other responsibilities.

Aims you might consider

Set aside time every week for creative play—you might get your kids or friends involved or protect that time for solo exploration

Take yourself on weekly artist dates and visit places you find interesting or inspiring

Spend an hour or two in nature every weekend

Explore a new neighborhood in your hometown once a month

Go for a daily walk—for an extra creative boost, set quests for yourself or treat them as scavenger hunts

Know Yourself Better

Self-knowledge is an essential aspect of happiness, because we can create a happy life only on the foundation of our own nature, our own values, and our own interests. 

As you consider ways to boost your sense of creativity and play by making time for fun and exploration​​​, ask yourself:

  • What did you do for fun as a child?
  • What would you do for play if you had more time? More energy? More money?


Consider your Tendency. Learn whether you’re an Obliger, Questioner, Upholder, or Rebel by taking the
free Four Tendencies Quiz.

  • If you’re an Obliger, joining a group or taking a class can offer the outer accountability you need to make time for yourself. 
  • If you’re a Questioner, embrace your love of research and information.
  • If you’re an Upholder, schedule time to be unscheduled—if you put a break on your daily calendar, you’re more likely to do it.
  • If you’re a Rebel, you likely already enjoy unstructured time—find a way to balance it with periods of productivity by making could-do lists or gamifying your activities.

A few notes of caution…

  • Remember, what’s fun for someone else may not be fun for you and vice versa.

  • Many people—Obligers in particular—often struggle to make time for themselves. Especially when we feel pressure to be productive, for our activities to be useful or helpful to others, when we have so many other demands on our time and energy. Remember that when we give more ourselves, we can ask more from ourselves. We can’t help others if we’re feeling burned out, neglected, and drained.