The benefits of gambling, also in pandemic

Our nervous system needs to rest. We live in a context of uncertainty and over-demand. In a pandemic, our routine has been altered; the boundaries between work / study and leisure have been blurred.

Therefore, our brain has been constantly alert for months. It is urgent that we re-prioritize gambling in our lives.

It is vital that we can order priorities and recognize that life cannot be just obligations and concerns. Nor is it about doing and thinking with a productive (economic) purpose. Leisure is vital for our brain and body to stay healthy.

• Related article: "Psychological well-being: 15 habits to achieve it"

The importance of gambling in the context of the pandemic

Playing is creating, expressing yourself, sharing, imagining, learning. We know that play is important for the development of the baby, the child, the adolescent. But we tend to neglect its importance in youth, maturity, and old age.

The baby, the child and the adolescent express themselves mainly through play. The baby first plays through her mouth, and then incorporates the other senses, becoming more and more independent. Little by little, so we are learning cognitive skills, but also social skills. In this way we learn to tolerate waiting, to get frustrated, to share, to manage anger, to win and to lose.

As we grow, the game becomes more and more social and regulatedsuch as board games and sports. However, the game does not lose its sense of creation and communication with others.

Today's society is tending to limit gaming to a screen. Even more so in a pandemic. It is increasingly worrying to see how families associate the game with the cell phone, the console and the tablet. Technology is part of modern life, however, it is impossible for it to replace the traditional game.

For a harmonious development, the child needs to get dirty, run, climb, ride a bike, play ball, climb into a hammock, play house, draw, tell made-up stories, dress up, fly a kite, gaze at the stars, explore bugs and plants, reading stories with mom / dad, playing tag, making clay dumplings, playing with pets, painting, playing board games, playing an instrument, dancing and sing.

The adolescent, on the other hand, enjoys some of the games of the previous stages, favoring activities with peer groups.. For this, it incorporates the regular practice of sports or some artistic activity, such as dance and music. He also enjoys solitary hobbies (self-knowledge), such as writing.

• Maybe you are interested in: "The 9 stages of the life of human beings"

Leisure in adulthood

When we become adults is when Obligations and worries occupy almost all the time, and we forget to dedicate enough time to enjoyment, to leisure. That is why we have to make an effort to incorporate the game into the weekly agenda. In this vital stage, hobbies that do not involve a screen are essential. Precisely, when it is essential to keep body and mind active, both in the company of others and in solitude.

Although the previous forms of play are options in the adult, the preference for the recreational practice of other modalities appears, such as: the practice of regular physical activity, participation in a literary workshop, spending time outdoors with children or grandchildren, spending time painting mandalas, doing crossword puzzles and board games, reading stories to others, hiking, get involved in solidarity activities, do manual projects such as: fixing things, participating in a choir, gardening and gardening, tissue, etc.

Playing we connect with others. We allow ourselves to "waste time" and go back to being children. We push away worries, we express ourselves, we create, we laugh and we live in the present. What are you waiting for? I suggest that you stop reading this and “go out and play”.