Grown-Ups Need Recess Too

Remember recess?

That sacred sliver of time between reading groups and math worksheets — when the bell would ring, and we’d bolt outside like wild horses set free. It wasn’t about achievement. There were no objectives to complete, no goals to crush. Just the freedom to move, to play, to imagine, to be. We ran. We climbed. We invented stories. We laughed. We made up new games with no rules, then changed them halfway through. Recess taught us how to connect, how to dream, how to be in the moment.

Somewhere along the line, we stopped.

Adulthood whispered (or shouted) that recess was childish. That play was optional. That time off must be earned and time spent must be productive. Our calendars filled with meetings, obligations, errands, and goals. There’s always something to plan, improve, optimize. We tell ourselves we’ll rest later. We’ll play when we retire. But the body doesn’t forget what it needs, and the soul doesn’t stop yearning to roam.

Here’s the truth: Adults need recess too.

We need space in our lives for unstructured joy. We need time to connect with friends that isn’t scheduled around productivity. We need permission to do something simply because we like it — not because it burns calories or builds a skill or contributes to our five-year plan. Recess is still sacred. It still matters.

Your recess might look different now. Maybe it’s a walk around the block without your phone. Maybe it’s jumping into a lake, dancing in your living room, drawing just for fun, or getting lost in a conversation with someone who makes you laugh. Maybe it’s lying on the grass watching clouds pass by, or wandering a bookstore without a list.

Whatever it is — go find it.

Because without play, life can start to feel gray. Monotonous. Like you’re living from moment to moment rather than in them. But when we give ourselves recess — real, joyful, aimless play — we remember that being alive isn’t just about achievement. It’s about presence. Wonder. Delight.

So this is your invitation: Go outside. Go make time for something that brings you joy for no other reason than joy itself.

You haven’t outgrown recess. You’ve just forgotten how much you need it.