Is it possible to work and play at the same time?

Look up Cal Newport's Deep Work book, he's writing one now Deep Life that you'll probably want to get as it will deal with this very subject.

The idea of working and playing at the same time is a bit fantastical. It's true you can flow, you can be creative, while working, but that's not play, and for probably >95% of workers, work won't be play. Work may be meaningful and purposeful, but really it pays the bills and provides meaning/purpose.

Play is something we associate with children and puppies/kittens, with games and sports and make-believe. Play is an enjoyable amusement which might mimics real-life tasks and skills in a safe environment. Work is real, and it isn't going to be low-pressure and fun for almost all jobs, otherwise why would they have to pay us to do it?

I'd look at finding true depth in the work you do, so you're finishing projects on-time, with high quality, in a non-distracted way that enhances your meaning/life. Then you use the ample spare time left to play.

The trick is balance and if you don’t practice it, you won’t achieve it.

I tried to make my work the same as play and it burnt me out. I’ve tried to recover with play and lost interest in work.

The trick is to build a routine where the expectation is that you work whatever is required, but not overwork (time and energy are finite), but you prioritize play just as importantly. Play (exercise, social, travel and experiencing life) fuel work. It’s a circular dependency that is key to a happy life. How much of each you do, for how long and what exactly falls into each bucket is what each person on this planet needs to figure out for themselves.

I’ve read the books and tried the apps, but at the end of the day none of that stuff really unlocks anything. For me, baseline is to eat healthy and sleep a lot. From there, things unlock

are “work” and “play” terms for the left (analytical, procedural) and right (creative, random) sides of the brain

There is creative work, so I don't think so. Creative work involves instrumental play toward a goal. This in contrast to free play.

https://www.tuni.fi/playlab/considering-play-from-method-to-...

For me, the difference is that work is something you have to do no matter what. Play is something you can do purely for enjoyment and don't have to keep doing when it's not fun.

I don't think that you can work and play at the same time. They're two entirely different things. You can, of course, have a lot of fun doing work -- but it's still work, not play.

There are paid game testers.

If playing while working, then the gameplay should be on topic. That pushes creativity. Just because you aren't concentrating on one thing.

Better than playing is talking on topic.