“只是玩toy toy而已，不要做东西” (or: I just want to play toys, and not do anything).
Wise words from my 5-year old nephew about his ideal day made me crack up, but also made me wonder: When did I stop having fun?
—
Last year, I ruminated a little on having fun, with the full intention of trying out a year of fun. Then, in typical me fashion, this all got pushed to the wayside because of work, and also because of the bigger health concerns I discovered during that same time.
But it’s really plain to see: I have grown really, really bad at producing serotonin. If I’m not doing work, I’m thinking about work or work-adjacent things, like mentoring and productivity and optimizing. If something I’m doing doesn’t build towards learning, I feel guilty.
Here’s a laundry list of things that I do already do that I think are fun, and also ways I have made them… just a little bit stressful:
| Activity | Stress-inducing approach |
|---|---|
| Writing | Worrying about feedback and engagement |
| Reading | Setting yearly targets that I cram into December |
| Playing | Getting the best times, or perfect scores |
| Watching cleaning videos | Wondering what I’m actually getting out of it |
Then there are the other buckets of activities that require money, and, well. I’m someone who takes about five years to make money decisions.
So, given this, I’ve asked my friends on Instagram to give me suggestions.
The suggestions
(Curated, based on physical feasibility)
Physical activity: Walking/hiking, skating, dancing, geocaching, bouldering, yoga
Non-physical activities: Watching nature, Drinking, K-Pop, skincare, shopping, reading
Games and puzzles: Legos, chess, video games
New skills: Knitting/crocheting, guitar, photography, cooking, painting, baking, drawing, cycling, pottery/carpentry
Volunteering
—
I think it’s a pretty good list to get started.