Act Your Shoe Size with Royal Caribbean

February is just a few days away, which means that almost half of you have already broken your New Year’s resolutions. But don’t worry, we’ve got one thing you can promise to do for the rest of the year…be more playful.

At Royal Caribbean, we think playfulness is really important. It’s at the heart of everything we do, from building our ships to how our team members work. In fact, we think it’s important enough to study. So we did! We took a close look at the playfulness of individuals, families and businesses, to see just how playful we are in our day-to-day lives.

What exactly does it mean to be playful? We measured it as the ability to act in a way that is ‘carefree’ and ‘fun’ and typically more associated with childhood. So how can you do this? By starting to act your shoe size, of course! Before the study we teamed up with our friends at the Centre of Economic and Business Research and experts of play, Playful Being, to see how playful people felt across the UK and Ireland. Here are just a few of the findings from our Act Your Shoe Size Report.

Almost one third (31%) of adults feel their life is too serious.
A fifth of adults laugh just twice a day or less, yet children laugh 300 times a day.
More than half (52%) wish they could go back to a time when they delighted in the smallest thing.
Over half (52%) of parents would like to act more playfully with their children and believe it helps them laugh as a family more (60%) and strengthens family bonds (57%).
82% of adults believe playfulness reduces their stress levels. This has direct benefits for businesses given that 43% of working days are lost due to stress-related causes.

These stats have caused us to think about what it takes to be playful. We’ve decided to make it our mission to encourage people just like you to become more playful, every day. It’s time to shake off sensible and start acting your shoe size today, with these handy tips and things to do from play experts, Playful Being!

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Listen to your favourite song when you wake up in the morning

Do you love music? Try listening to it more! Getting up in the morning and putting on your favourite tune while you get ready is a great way to start the day.

Take a different route to work

One thing that came up in our study was the feeling that being stuck in a routine can stifle playfulness. If possible, try taking a different route to and from work, or on your way home, just once a week. You could walk through a park, drive instead of taking the bus or scoot instead of walking!

Spend a day unplugged

We love technology, but it’s important to take a break sometimes. Why not spend one day during the weekend unplugged from your devices. Spend time playing board games, read a story or go for a walk with the family.

Delight in one thing

Day-to-day life can get pretty busy. When was the last time you stopped and appreciated one thing for a whole five minutes? Try going to a gallery or museum and spend five minutes looking at one thing. Focusing your attention on one specific thing is a great way to relax the mind.

Get outside

Get moving! Check out any local sporting events taking place, visit the nearest leisure centre or park and take part in something that really gets you going.

Remember that mistakes can be seen as opportunities

If something doesn’t turn out the way you expected, so what? It might turn into a mini adventure. For example, messing around with the kids while making and decorating a cake can be great fun – even if the end result isn’t perfect! Curiosity, laughter and a laid-back attitude are just some of the things that we associate with kids and playfulness. So the next time you’re worried about how you’re perceived, try to remember that everyone could use a little more play in their lives!