Have you traded the freedom of play for the confines of productivity? That bargain may be costing you more than you realize.

According to one expert, unstructured play is one of the easiest ways to boost mental health, relieve stress and reconnect with the nourishing influence of our own inner child.

“Everyone benefits from playing,” Cas Holman, author of the upcoming book Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity , told The Post. 3

He said that adults, in particular, need to engage in activities for the sheer joy of it, as most of us start skipping unstructured play around age 9.

“We’re overly focused on productivity and outcomes, so we don’t listen to the part of ourselves that wants to be silly in a meeting, explore a new route to

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