Play and work—surely opposites… or maybe not? Work fills a major part of our lives, yet how we experience it varies widely. Is it mainly an obligation that pays the bills, or can it also spark creativity, joy, and meaning? In this post I take a closer look at those questions.

I’m Rebekka Sendatzki, research associate and PhD candidate in personality psychology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. My dissertation explores playfulness at work: what it looks like, how we can measure it, and which other factors it relates to.

Drawing on research and personal experience, I show how a playful mindset can help you navigate the challenges of the doctoral phase—and ideally even enjoy the process. Although I write with doctoral researchers in mind, anyone engaged in any sort of work, paid, unpaid, or in-between, may find a new perspective or a few practical tips here.

When you hear “playfulness,” you might picture kids, leisure, or silliness—rarely work or science. Yet studies suggest that playfulness is a genuine asset in professional settings (Mainemelis & Ronson 2006; Petelczyk et al. 2018; Proyer & Sendatzki 2025).

In psychology we define playfulness as a personality trait that differs from person to person. Playful people reframe or reshape situations, so they become more engaging, enjoyable, or mentally stimulating (Proyer 2017). That doesn’t mean cracking jokes nonstop. Playfulness isn’t the opposite of seriousness; it’s another way to tackle challenges and bring work to life. It shows up both in social exchanges and in our inner stance: approaching problems with child-like curiosity, shifting perspectives, or improvising often leads to surprisingly effective solutions.