When did we become too grown up to make time to play?
Let’s start with two questions. First, are work and play mutually exclusive parts of this life? And second, are you able to have fun at work?
A while back one of my Facebook friends posted this to her feed…
“That’s a first…. just saw an email from a corporate higher-up that ended, ‘I do not have time to play.’”
Wow! Let that soak in for a minute. It speaks volumes, doesn’t it? And the thing is, too many higher-up people never allow themselves time to play or have fun. They’re too busy trying to get even higher up.
Then the problem spreads when that way of looking at the world trickles down to the rest of the troops.
You remember trickle-down economics, don’t you? Well, this is trickle-down leadership in action. If the boss is unhappy, no one is happy. Eventually, the workplace becomes toxic, and no one is enjoying their work.
You wouldn’t be surprised by how many of those who chimed in on her I-do-not-have-time-to-play post had also worked under someone like that. Or even worse, what if we might have been one of the higher-ups that had fallen into the trap of believing we’re too busy to have time to play?
What is it with this Puritan Work Ethic? Why do so many of us believe hard work is noble? Why do 55% of Americans NOT take all their paid vacation days? (Fact!) Why do so many of us feel it’s only okay to “play” when all our work is done? Since, for many of us, our work is never done, we never find time to have fun. We just get more and more run down.”
—Sam Horn, author
Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism, asks “Why must fun and work be separate activities?” He explains there’s something fundamentally wrong with phrases like, work hard, play hard. “It suggests we must endure what we have to do in order to get to what we want to do. Of course, not everything… is enjoyable. But you can make almost any tedious task better when you pair it with something you love.”
Have fun, joke around, and play every chance you get.
Fun is central to LifeUntucked® but I’ve never said life should be all play and no work. In fact, I believe your work is a big deal. When I talk about it, most people I talk to get the idea of living LifeUntucked®. Although every once in a while, someone accuses me of living in some imaginary dream world.
This is my challenge for you – Let’s inspire imagination, capture moments, and create room in our lives. Let’s regain control over our time, our work, our choices…
Let’s make sure we make time to play both in our work and in our lives.
Don’t think it’s possible?
You know Jimmy Buffett, right—he built an empire on the concept of taking it easy! So, I rest my case. Work can and should be fun. Unless of course, you’d rather slog away every day at a job you loathe just so you can have an extra car in the driveway.
Do you think the higher-up who proclaimed “I do not have time to play” is inspiring to work for? Would she be much fun to hang around with? How often does she get invited to go out with the team? Or, is going out with the team even a thing at her workplace?
Life is short my friends. Hug the people you love. Make a renewed commitment to not take life so seriously and have more fun.”
— Jim, a “friend” on Facebook after losing someone special. He also happens to be a “higher up”—but one of the good ones.
Make time to play and have fun every chance you get, my friend.
You can do it! If you haven’t already, get started, then see where it goes… it’ll be, well, fun…
Be untucked.
p.s. Know someone who might like this post? Maybe forward it or share it on your favorite social media platform. Thanks, and…
p.p.s. Thank you for reading LifeUntucked® today. It really means a lot considering you have over 31 million other choices. I strive to make it one of the most helpful and entertaining blogs in cyberspace. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome!
Copyright © 2023 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved – written by an actual human
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