The lighter side of work

“Fun at work!”

When someone says that they are having fun at work, people think they are in a non-serious job. Even a big percentage of people who are part of the top tier of management think that having fun at work means the employees are not giving their best and are distracted.

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Thanks to the rise of informal company culture, the trends are changing. When someone like Elon Musk says,” Everybody around here has slides in their lobbies. I’m wondering about putting in a roller coaster?—?like a functional roller coaster at the factory in Fremont. You’d get in, and it would take you around [the] factory but also up and down. … It would probably be really expensive, but I like the idea of it.”, we can see that times are changing.

I am, on a personal level, a big advocate of the concept of having fun at work. We spend a really big part of our life at work. So, why should it be just a means to earn money so that you can finance your weekends? Why can’t it be a place where you can enjoy?

I adopt these practices with my team so that they can have a purpose at their job, and not just drag through the day. I bet you would also want to give them a try -

Smile and laugh, whenever you can

Smile is the most undervalued possession. A smiling face can be a problem solver. It can boost the morale of your team. It can ease the stress out of communication. It can inspire you to come back at work tomorrow when you are completely drained today! It can be a complete game changer

Even science says the same. Smile boosts your mood by releasing happiness hormones such as endorphins. And, these hormones can take your productivity through the roof. Besides, people who smile and laugh more often are at lesser risk of many medical conditions like stress, anxiety, diabetes and more.

So, smile more often and laugh whenever you can. It won’t cost you anything. But, it will start a chain reaction that will lighten the atmosphere. And, make your team more productive.

Strict serious is way more dangerous than any joke

Inspiration does not strike when you sit at your desk, with eyes glued to computer screen for eight hours straight. Inspiration strikes at the most unusual places and in the most unexpected manner.

I fail to understand the concept of spending more number of hours at the desk to be more productive. It is important to sit at the desk and work. But, it is also important to maintain a workplace where everyone’s free to work in their own way. To inspire your team to come out of their box and create something unique and innovative, you need to inspire them to enjoy whatever they are doing.

Trust me, it works.

You never know where inspiration may strike!

Make yourself approachable and perceived as human

Working in a strict work environment, where seriousness is everything, is not inspiring . You are working like a machine. You spend eight hours working at your desk. And, pick up your bag and leave for home at the end of your shift. What kind of work culture does this imply? How long can you survive in such a work culture? Not for long, I’m sure.

You need to remember that we humans are social animals. In order to work our best we need to interact, involve in team building activities. And, maintain a culture where everyone is approachable.

From the team leader to the manager, everyone should encourage open communication. This will help to share the experiences, get to know each other and let everyone learn from each other.

When we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.

See the lighter side in everything at work

It’s all in our mind. The way we look at things defines how we are going to handle them. As they say, when we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.

Deadlines. Too many tasks. Change in work strategies. And, similar other things might look difficult. But, think of them as a way to learn something new. Perceive them as an opportunity to show the boss your skills and capabilities.

If you will approach everything with a negative approach, you are never going to make it to the top. Inspire your team to see the lighter side of everything, and work will not feel like work. Grab the chances that come in your way, and give it a try with full heart! Even if you fail, you’ll have an experience; a story to tell others. And that will make life all the more interesting!

When you find a job that you enjoy, you won’t have to work a single day in your life.?—?Confucius

At the end of the day, you should not have the guilt

Nobody ever said on their deathbed ‘’I wish I had spent more time at the office’’. So, make the most of the time you have. Whether it is at office or at home. Because at the end of it all, you don’t want to end up regretting you could have spend more time with family, when you were busy working on a project?

Think about the lighter side of work, and inspire your team to have the same approach. If you are able to achieve this, trust me you will get more done from your team. And, this time they will do it without you have to micromanage them.

As the age old saying from Confucius goes “when you find a job that you enjoy, you won’t have to work a single day in your life”.

So, what do you think now about the lighter side of work now? Feeling inspired to change the way you work? I bet you are!

About The Author

Sandeep Kashyap is the Founder of ProofHub. You can connect with him onTwitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Originally published at Medium.