Everyone in their childhood, some also when they become adults, love to do sports, including many team games like football, cricket or volleyball. Many families trade-off the physical health of their children for school grades. Education is a significant factor for success in life however, without a healthy body and mind, it will not be able to prove useful. To live a healthy life, we should prioritise sports activities in our daily schedules.
Sports contribution to our success
Lailah Gifty Akita author of the book ‘Think Great’ says “your productivity will double with increased physical activity”. Sport doesn’t only keep us healthy and boosts our immune system, it also teaches us discipline, hard work, a thirst to win, acceptance of loss and our weaknesses. A healthy balance between education, career and sport is a key to success and happiness.
An unbalanced life
Some people dedicate all their time including leisure hours to their work or studies. They work day and night, including weekends, sacrificing physical activities. We should understand that physical activity is very important for both body and mind, and even a small but regular activity can improve our lives. Among many other benefits, regular exercises have a positive impact on our productivity and creativity, help to concentrate, sharpen memory and thinking.
Governments role in a healthy lifestyle
The government of Pakistan and many developing countries do not focus on this such an important aspect of life which is a sport. Most of the urban areas don’t have any playgrounds or parks for people. Schools often don’t receive funds for physical education and few don’t utilize them on physical activities. Moreover, there is no infrastructure available for physical activities. Lack of awareness is another issue to tackle, in many cases, parents don’t let their children play since they believe it's a waste of time.
What can be achieved with sports?
There is an infinite list of positive things that can be achieved by introducing sports in our lives and I am only going to mention just a few major ones. Firstly, an increase in sports and physical activities will enhance the individual and overall productivity of the country. Secondly, increased physical activity means a healthier society which can lower the cost of health care and can play a noteworthy role in increasing the life expectancy, which in Pakistan currently is around 60 to 65 years. Last but not least, sport plays a great deal in the economy of the country, it is a billion-dollar industry, especially in developed countries.
We can begin the change in our attitudes towards sport, and in my opinion, schools can play a significant role in initiating it. With the limited sports budget, the education department still can organize various sports events to increase the interest of students, involve parents in those activities and raise awareness about the importance of physical activities.