S
ll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is a saying that has been said since the 17th century. It means that when a person fails to spice up her life with interesting and entertaining activities — concentrating instead only on what needs to be done — she ends up flat and frustrated.
She’s bored because her activities are all task-oriented; they’re necessary but fail to inspire or “spark joy.” Brushing teeth, cleaning dishes, tending to the needs of the family, the home, and the job — all these tasks need to be done. They’re beneficial and necessary, even meaningful and important, but lack the quality of “fun.” They’re good, but not pleasurable. (Of course, some may find many aspects of basic tasks like cooking and cleaning to be deeply pleasurable.)
When someone enjoys an activity, it fills her with positive energy and revitalizes her mentally, physically, and spiritually. She looks forward to doing it, thinks about it, plans it, perhaps even daydreams about it. Knowing that she’ll soon be doing it makes the time fly by so the stress of the less satisfying but necessary activities is reduced. The “play” aspect of life enlivens all other aspects. Without it, the other aspects can become drab and gray.
Someone who focuses only on responsibilities is not just bored, but boring too. She emits her drab and gray energy to others. Her lack of passion or joie de vivre drains those around her. She isn’t interesting. She isn’t fun.
