Work Up the Nerve to Play

When did work and play become such epic rivals?

First of all, it’s not a competition.  Don’t get me wrong, working hard can be very rewarding! And playing hard is its own kind of fun. 

It’s not a matter of either/or. It’s a matter of both/and.  So all work and no play …well, that’s not going to work! 

So what am I playing at? I’m still working up to it…

It’s great to have fun at work…. We can still be taken seriously without having to take ourselves so seriously.

How?

One small grammatical shift can allow a huge paradigm shift to occur in your life and your company culture.

Right now we treat both ‘work’ and ‘play’ like two verbs in competition for our actions.

However, in terms of the way we actually live our lives…work is a noun!  Because it’s not only a thing…it’s a thing we all want and deserve to really embrace!

Look at all the other things you love in your life: your children, your pets, your partner, your hobbies...don’t you enjoy them and show them your love by engaging in play? Why would you approach work any differently?

By letting the verb act on the noun, we invite ‘play’ to transform from a rival force…to a reviving force.

Finally, a play on words that actually…works.

How will you incorporate play into your work today?