Inspiring Workplaces: The Power of Mini-Moments of Fun at Work

Published: Wed, 01/24/24

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Inspiring Workplaces 
The Way Work Ought to Be!
ISSUE 1,005 - Jan. 24, 2024
   
    The Power of Mini-Moments of Fun at Work
   










 
Friday, January 26 is official Fun at Work Day!

So, try adding a little extra spontaneous fun this Friday. Hold a ten-minute Zoom or in-person dance party, try some stealth disco (where you silently disco dance behind someone while being secretly recorded), hold a paper airplane flying contest, try a "third person" theme day where everyone refers to themselves using their own name, or celebrate official Clashing Clothes Day (also this Friday) by encouraging everyone to wear the most outrageously clashing clothes they can.

Now, long time subscribers know me well enough to know that I'm going to tell you that ideally, every day should be fun at work day, but this isn't to suggest every moment of every day is going to be a barrel of laughs, after all, it's called work for a reason!

There are parts of everyone's job that are about as fun as a root canal (unless, you know, you're a dentist and you find root canals oddly satisfying) so expecting work to be consistently fun is a recipe for unfilled expectations and disappointment. We also need to give ourselves permission to have some bad hair days at work from time to time. 

Having said that, given the enormous physical and mental health, happiness, relationship-building, and creativity benefits associated with having fun, make it a goal to look for simple ways you can infuse a spirit of fun into your daily routines and look for opportunities to practice mini-moments of fun. It could be as simple as tossing a colleague an imaginary ball of energy as you pass by them in the hallway, playing a round of "rock-paper-scissors" to decide who has to do a coffee run, or yelling out "I'm riding shotgun" to claim the favorite seat at the meeting table.

Infusing your day with mini-moments of fun will have a profound impact on not just your life, but the lives of your teammates and friends and family members as well. 

rule1
   
    Mike's Fun at Work Tip
 
Today is official Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day and Belly Laugh Day, so it seems to me you could probably have a good belly laugh if you award a prize for whoever (and you can always do this tomorrow or Friday or whenever) does the best impersonation of a grizzled prospector or who can maintain it the longest throughout the day.
rule1
    Quote of the Week

 “Connect the dots between individual roles and the goals of the organization. When people see that connection, they get a lot of energy out of work. They feel the importance, dignity and meaning in their job.”  Ken Blanchard
rule1
 
    Funny Business
 
A little humor at work found on a workplace safety sign:
 
THIS IS A VELOCIRAPTOR-FREE WORKPLACE!

IT HAS PROUDLY BEEN

25,915,000,000 DAYS

SINCE THE LAST INCIDENT

rule1
 
 
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