We all spend so much time at “work”, yet many of us relate to it as if it really is “work”. Why is that? One would think that we would want to enjoy what we spend so much time doing. Many go to work because they have to pay their bills. Some go to work because it affords them the lifestyle they really enjoy. The simple philosophy of “work hard, play hard.” Well what if we transform our total experience of work such that it actually becomes just an extension of the fun we have in the rest of our lives?
Novel concept? I don’t think so. As I start the New Year, I’m committed to experiencing much more fun in my life, and I invite you to do the same. Work doesn’t have to be monotonous, tedious “work”. Neither does doing the laundry or the dishes for that matter! You can choose to relate to any and all aspects of your life this way if you’d like. It just isn’t necessary. It’s a choice.
Recently, I facilitated a 2-day HR leadership summit with one of my favorite client groups. Heading into the 2 days, I had all kinds of distracting thoughts about that event as being “work”. I had to review all of the content and prepare for the session to ensure my delivery matched that of the 2 other facilitators. I had to have my parents babysit my kids overnight so that I could stay in Newport Beach between sessions. I had to drive 2+ hours in traffic just to get there an hour “late” on the 1st day. And even arriving onsite, I then started to get nervous about how I could possibly mirror the delivery of 2 other people I had never really worked with before. A part of me even wished I could just be back at my office overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean selling another big consulting engagement. Fortunately, it only took a few minutes and some presence of mind to let all of these distractions go and relate to the 2 days simply as having fun with some really wonderful people.
I trust that reframing it completely changed the experience for me. More importantly, I’m confident that it completely transformed the experience for everyone in my learning group by significantly enhancing my facilitation with them.
Work does not have to be work in the traditional sense. Work can be fun. Work can be a game. I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone who didn’t like to play games, so what kind of game can you play at “work” today – and always?
