The Surprising Power of Play and Creativity

Key Takeaways

• Play is not the opposite of work. It is where creative thinking actually happens.
• The power of play for adults goes beyond fun. It resets your mind and reconnects you to purpose.
• Founders and CEOs who make room for play report sharper decisions and clearer vision.
• If you are feeling stuck or burned out, unstructured play may be the missing piece.

Play and creativity are more connected than most driven adults want to admit. We tell ourselves that rest is a reward, that play is for weekends, and that the next breakthrough will come from working harder. But something quieter is often true: the clarity you are chasing rarely shows up at the desk. This piece explores why, and what you can actually do about it.

When Slowing Down Feels Almost Impossible

I recently returned from spending six weeks in Europe with my family. The time was meant to be an experiment in living overseas part of the year. We intentionally designed it to be a time of slow. Rather than renting an apartment in Paris or Rome, some of our favorite cities, we chose a small village in Provence.

I was surprised how hard I found it to slow down.

Compared to the many years I spent as a founder and CEO, my life now is in some ways unrecognizable. There is certainly less grind and more down time. You would think I might have improved at slowing down and relaxing!

And yet...the propensity for doing is there.

Doing is my default.

Maybe you can relate?

I found it hard in that small village to really slow down and just be.

I realized as an adult I have forgotten how to spend unstructured time. And that is exactly where play and creativity lose their chance to breathe.

I have forgotten how to play.

How Long Has It Been Since You Really Played?

For as long as I can remember, it has been hard for me to simply play: to rest, to do something just for fun, to relax and let achieving subside.

I recently spent time in a session with a CEO who had just returned from her first two-week vacation in several years. As we caught up on her time back, she shared how much clarity she felt coming into work after the break.

Since returning, she had made one tough decision to let go of an under-performing employee, she had led the team through a revitalizing offsite, and she had come to explore a much broader company vision for the mission than they had ever held before.

None of that clarity came from doing. It came from rest and playing.

What Play Does to the Creative Brain

Play is not just enjoyable. It is neurologically different from focused work. When you shift from goal-directed thinking to open, exploratory activity, your brain activates the default mode network: the region most associated with imagination, insight, and creative problem-solving.

This is why the shower gives you great ideas. This is why the CEO above came back from vacation with a bolder vision for her company. She was not thinking harder. She was thinking differently.

Play unlocks creativity in several specific ways:

• It disrupts habitual thinking patterns, making space for new connections.
• It lowers the stakes, reducing the anxiety that blocks original ideas.
• It reconnects you with intrinsic motivation, which is where your best work comes from.
• It signals to your nervous system that you are safe, which is when the brain is most innovative.

If you are a founder trying to navigate burnout, this matters even more. Burnout is not just a sign that you are tired. It is a sign that you have forgotten what you are doing any of this for.

The Real Power of Play and Creativity

Play is a critical part of the human experience, and it is a powerful part of the creative process.

Play reminds us what we are doing it all for in the first place.

Play and creativity reinforce each other: the more you play, the more freely your mind works when it is time to create.

Play helps us reset.

Play helps us connect: connect with ourselves, connect with purpose, connect with what it is to be alive.

What play gives you vs. what overwork costs you:

An Invitation to Reclaim Your Play

If it has been awhile since you have cut loose and played, even for an afternoon, you may find yourself, like me, a bit disoriented. I would invite you to lean into the discomfort.

Take a break. Experiment. It doesn't have to be a summer in an obscure European village nor a two-week vacation (although it could be!) It might be a few hours in a park, drinks with a good friend, or time with a favorite video game.

And if you are a founder dealing with founder burnout, I want you to hear this: play is not something you earn by finishing the to-do list. Play is medicine. You do not need to deserve it.

Finding yourself feeling a bit buried in the stress of the year?

Fighting burnout?

Feeling a bit lost in your vision or purpose?

Rather than trying to figure it out with your intellect, it may be more helpful to set the laptop aside and go play.

And if it feels a little wonky at first, don't worry. You are in good company!

Playfully yours,

-Matt

Looking for some support? If you are navigating burnout, loss of vision, or just wondering how to show up better as a leader, reach out here to explore coaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the connection between play and creativity?

Play activates the part of your brain associated with imagination and insight. When you engage in open, unstructured activity without a specific goal, you allow your mind to make connections it cannot make under pressure. Most creative breakthroughs happen not during intense focus, but after it.

Why is it so hard for adults to play?

Most adults internalized early that their worth is tied to productivity. Play feels indulgent because it does not produce a measurable outcome. But this belief is exactly what blocks creative thinking. Reclaiming play means unlearning a story about what you are supposed to be doing with your time.

How much play do adults actually need?

There is no universal prescription, but even a few hours of unstructured, enjoyable activity per week can meaningfully shift your mental state. The goal is not to optimize play, but to stop treating it as something that needs to be earned. Start small: a walk with no destination, a game with no agenda, a meal with a friend and nowhere to be.

Can play really help with founder burnout?

Yes. Founder burnout is often a signal that you have become disconnected from the intrinsic motivation that got you started. Play is one of the fastest ways to reconnect with that energy. It does not solve every problem, but it creates the mental conditions in which solutions can actually surface.