These Nine Things Will Change Your Culture Effectively and Sustainably
An Hour of Play has never been so excited to launch a new product!
The Nine Little Boxes of Workplace Culture truly represent a team effort at An Hour of Play Inc., and because this product works for all industries while producing the best that play has to offer, we are glowing as we announce this launch!
Research has shown that when employees do more of these nine things: move, laugh, give, create, let go, celebrate, care, relax, and connect, they feel affirmed and enjoy a strong sense of togetherness. They have more energy and feel welcome and valued where they work.
Move: every day new studies are showing how exercise makes us better. Trouble is, our workplace habits are not encouraging it. We sit for too long and move too little. The Move cards get circulation going and heart rates up, even if it is only for a few minutes.
Laugh: laughter is the best medicine. It lowers blood pressure and reduces stress. It makes people receptive to new ideas. It is contagious. It calms and heals. When we do it together, it strengthens relationships and creates a sense of community.
Give: Winston Churchill said that we make a living by what we get, but a life by what we give. Giving makes our work more meaningful and gives us a higher purpose.
Create: A creative act such as crafting can help focus the mind, and has even been compared to meditation for its calming effects on the brain and body. Even gardening or sewing releases dopamine, a natural anti-depressant. Creativity reduces anxiety, depression, and stress… and it can help you process trauma. Plus, the more we create, the more creativity we have to work with in our jobs.
Let go: the idea of “letting go” naturally implies that we’ve been holding onto something. Based on how we all tend to hold on too tight, we all have something worthy of letting go. Whether it is expectations, ideals, or dreams, sometimes our attachment to these things causes us innumerable problems. The Let Go cards help you do it.
Celebrate: moments of celebration make us pause and be mindful, and that boosts our well-being. When we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience—even mini-celebrations can plump up the positive emotions that make it easier to manage daily challenges.
Care: developing empathy for others and providing for their emotional needs helps them and us. An old Chinese saying states: “If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Relax: stress causes incalculable issues for your body. High blood pressure, headaches, muscle tension, ulcers, and weakened immune system are just a few of the many health issues stress can trigger. Relaxation helps counteract these effects by giving your body a chance to calm down.
Connect: one of the contributing factors to depression is too much seclusion. Social isolation and the resulting loneliness continually drain our emotional energy. We are a social species and we need each other much more than our handheld technology allows. Pick a Connect card and connect.
An Hour of Play Inc. has taken these nine activities and turned them into a heart-warming a fun set of activities in nine boxes of playing cards. Through humor, relaxation techniques, and random acts of kindness, these nine little boxes will transform your workplace. Within weeks your team will feel joyful and connected. The best part? None of it is dictated from above – the employees made it happen. This gives them a sense of accomplishment and ownership of the results.