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Ask HN: Is it possible to work and play at the same time?

6 points by hypertexthero ↗ HN
Or are “work” and “play” terms for the left (analytical, procedural) and right (creative, random) sides of the brain so we’re balancing both all the time?

What books about this have you read and recommend?

Which companies have the best balance of work and play?

Consider:

Creativity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5oIIPO62g

Flow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

9 comments

[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 37.9 ms ] thread
JohnFen
For me, the difference is that work is something you have to do no matter what. Play is something you can do purely for enjoyment and don't have to keep doing when it's not fun.

I don't think that you can work and play at the same time. They're two entirely different things. You can, of course, have a lot of fun doing work -- but it's still work, not play.

ksaj
Except maybe jobs like dog walking, and sports, where play is the job, and the only difference is the paycheck.
JohnFen
I don't think those are exceptions. In both of those activities, if you're doing them for a paycheck then they are no longer optional. You have to do them whether you feel like it or not.

For me, that's the essential dividing line between work and play. Play is optional.

theGeatZhopa
You can work and play, if the playing is your work.

But you're right. You can't do it same time. If concentration is needed, one can't do other things except to concentrate. Otherwise, no concentration.

In my experience, alternating playing while working helps a lot to refocus. It's the same when learning things. one just have a timespan of round about 12 minutes of full concentration. after that a short break doing completely other stuff help to refresh the concentration tank.

But, keep in mind, the work progress and understanding of things need to be reread and reunderstood, having a break once. That was my problem. Every 20 minutes a cig and a break for 5 mins. While break talking about the problems fosters creativity. But then, 5 mins are needed to get back into topic. So actually, this was bad :)

So I stopped smoking in an experiment. Guess what. I've finished all the work in 2 days without breaking, while being on it for weeks.

My boss didn't want to pay me more, so I quit quitting smoking. Haha.

theGeatZhopa
If playing while working, then the gameplay should be on topic. That pushes creativity. Just because you aren't concentrating on one thing.

Better than playing is talking on topic.

WhompingWindows
Look up Cal Newport's Deep Work book, he's writing one now Deep Life that you'll probably want to get as it will deal with this very subject.

The idea of working and playing at the same time is a bit fantastical. It's true you can flow, you can be creative, while working, but that's not play, and for probably >95% of workers, work won't be play. Work may be meaningful and purposeful, but really it pays the bills and provides meaning/purpose.

Play is something we associate with children and puppies/kittens, with games and sports and make-believe. Play is an enjoyable amusement which might mimics real-life tasks and skills in a safe environment. Work is real, and it isn't going to be low-pressure and fun for almost all jobs, otherwise why would they have to pay us to do it?

I'd look at finding true depth in the work you do, so you're finishing projects on-time, with high quality, in a non-distracted way that enhances your meaning/life. Then you use the ample spare time left to play.

bosch_mind
The trick is balance and if you don’t practice it, you won’t achieve it.

I tried to make my work the same as play and it burnt me out. I’ve tried to recover with play and lost interest in work.

The trick is to build a routine where the expectation is that you work whatever is required, but not overwork (time and energy are finite), but you prioritize play just as importantly. Play (exercise, social, travel and experiencing life) fuel work. It’s a circular dependency that is key to a happy life. How much of each you do, for how long and what exactly falls into each bucket is what each person on this planet needs to figure out for themselves.

I’ve read the books and tried the apps, but at the end of the day none of that stuff really unlocks anything. For me, baseline is to eat healthy and sleep a lot. From there, things unlock