"It's awesome to profit from spreading the word about things you care about while making a difference in the lives of others and profiting too."
If you don't play, you get stale and crusty. Being plugged in all day makes it harder to wind-down. Everything feels urgent: you become wired - and rarely inspired.
We know working non-stop is bad for us. Stress makes you blow up at others, implode, or become a zombie. Over-stimulation raises your cortisol levels and weakens your adrenals and immune system, guaranteeing energy crashes. It will even extinguish your sex life.
There's more: busy distraction kills creativity. Creativity is juicy; it needs time and space to satisfy you. Make the time. After immersing yourself in something delightful, you will return to your "normal" life with fresh new ideas and energy. That's when the good stuff pops.
Force yourself to play, for your sake and everyone around you: your boss, your employees, your lover and your kids. Paradoxically, the more delight, the better for the biz. To keep your edge, you need fun and pleasure. Right afterwards you often will receive new ideas and visions that feel like they've been downloaded from above. If you feel you can't give yourself permission to relax or play because it feels non-productive, chew on this: in today's business climate, you have to communicate differently and uniquely. You need those bright best ideas that only come when you empty your brain, after you've distracted it enough to "reboot".
Full immersion is required. Be as obsessed with your playtime as you are with your Blackberry. Going that deep will quell your mental soundtrack. You will find your "off" switch and wonder why you didn't do ballroom dancing, painting, chi gong, playing video games, hiking, knitting, sculpting, karaoke, or playing piano sooner.
You aren't just a human doing -- you are a human being. Do something daily that will make you smile. Call a friend, brainstorm chore sharing, take a walk with a silly friend and watch Comedy Central before bed. The lighter we can be, the greater the gift we can offer the world and to ourselves. Give yourself permission to feel good - it's a really good thing. You will like yourself better, and your clients will, too.