Did you know human performance can improve by over 500% through flow? After 20 years in the education and healthcare sector, burned out despite her mastery of play, Acey Holmes explored the neuroscience behind this peak performance phenomenon. She uncovered play's essential yet overlooked role in catalyzing flow via a cyclical framework anyone can access. Acey shares the journey of rediscovering playfulness to avoid hustle culture and achieve healthy optimal experiences and a fulfilled life. Acey Holmes is the founder and CEO of BoredLess, a company that helps professionals rediscover the power of play. With a background in pediatric speech pathology, Acey has studied and experienced how play can enhance learning, creativity, and well-being for children and adults alike. With a cliche pandemic pivot, Acey decided to follow her passion for playfulness and help companies spice up their culture. She now works with solopreneurs, teams, and organizations to design playful experiences that spark innovation, collaboration, and joy. Acey is also a speaker, coach, and consultant who shares her insights and expertise on playful work design, based on the neuroscience of play. She is on a mission to spread the message of play to the world through her TEDx talk. Acey believes that play is not only fun, but also essential for human development and happiness. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx