All Work No Play summary

When Dale was ten, he would often visit his 100-year-old great-grandmother. She was one of the most content people he knew, and she loved playing games. Her favorite was Snakes and Ladders, and the two of them would play together – sometimes for hours. Their 90-year age difference didn’t make it any less exciting or competitive. 

His great-grandma’s love of games no doubt helped maintain her mental health, astuteness, and youth well into old age. But too often, when we hear the word “play,” we tend to think exclusively of childhood. For Dale Sidebottom, that’s a problem.

We just learned how play is an integral part of human life, whether you're eight years old or 80. But maybe you bristle at the idea of adults playing. You think, That’s nice for others, but it’s just not my thing. Especially for those out of practice, the idea of play might feel embarrassing. 

But play doesn’t mean you have to crawl around the carpet or make a fool of yourself. There are all kinds of play: it can be structured or unstructured; scheduled or spontaneous; a specific activity or simply a state of mind. 

Dale knew his four-day hike up to Machu Picchu would be memorable. He was with a large group of trekkers from several different countries. But from his years as a play coach, Dale also knew how to bring an extra touch of magic to the experience.

So one morning, Dale initiated a silly game of Evolution, which is like rock-paper-scissors in high gear. In no time, middle-aged Canadians and South Africans were squatting on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. The next morning, he was asked to facilitate another game to pump everyone up before the day’s trek.

Midway through the half-marathon, Dale’s friend and colleague Dr. Craig Daly was slowing down. While he’d done all the necessary training, he’d failed to pace himself in the first half, and now his body hurt. He lay down in some grass beside the road and wondered if he could even finish.

Then he heard a familiar voice: “Ganbatte-ne, Craig-san! You can do it!” It was Sato-san, the smiling, gray-haired Japanese man who Craig had met earlier that day. Something about Sato-san’s words and demeanor lifted Craig’s spirits, and he picked himself up and got back in the race.

Many adults think they don’t have time for play. For years, Dale thought the word “busy” was a badge of honor. But busyness won’t bring happiness. So isn’t it time to slow down and reconnect with the things that bring us joy? 

To help him do exactly that, Dale developed a daily practice centered around Play, Exercise, Gratitude and Giving – or PEGG for short.