“Having fun we get more work done.”
Having fun is definitely something we all look forward to. We are always excited to know that there is fun in our future. Maybe we have a party to attend on the weekend or a vacation coming up. These opportunities to have fun in the future can really help us stay a little happier than usual until that FUN time arrives. I remember a time not so long ago when the fun stopped. There was not much FUN to look forward to. Here is what I mean.
About three years ago this month, the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly stopped the world. Everything shut down, and everyone was sent home to wait for further directions. We had the essential and non-essential worker classifications, but for the most part, almost everyone was home.
It seemed like it wouldn’t be such a big deal at first, but as the stay-at-home protocols continued, people started to become mentally fatigued. Many may not realize why, but as I look back I believe I understand what happened. People had no fun in the near future to look forward to.
The restaurants, bowling alleys, arcades, amusement parks, movie theaters, bars, resorts, and just about everything else that people associated with fun were closed. One of the few things that stayed open during this time was TLC. Maybe not the entire building, but shipping was definitely open.
Now here is the ironic part of this. All of a sudden, everything that people associated with fun was closed, leaving people with nothing to look forward to. But what if your work was still open? Well, what I witnessed and even felt myself during this time was that coming to work became fun, even for those who usually didn’t enjoy it.
It became something to look forward to, not because there was music or daily pizza parties (which really did happen) but because there was nothing else to do! Suddenly, the thing that used to be #47 on people’s most-fun-thing-to-do list became one of their favorite things to do. This was simply because there was nothing else we could do!
And so in 2020, work became the FUN that some people looked forward to having because it was the only fun most could have.
It reminded me that perspective is such a powerful thing. I had always known this, but I learned in those times that a small change in perspective can make a big difference.
Many people felt as if they were in jail when they were at work in 2019. Just one year later, they very much looked forward to going. What made this even more fun was that TLC is a fun place anyways, so I was smiling every day. My neighbors, on the other hand, stayed home and bickered all day long with their families about what Netflix series they would re-watch since they had already watched them all!
I was told those arguments were really heated and definitely not fun. I’m glad I was busy going to work and having fun instead! So today I remind you of something that a mentor of mine, Dr. Wayne Dyer, used to say: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at start to change.”
What if we changed the way we looked at everything that we might not think of as fun? We don’t exactly associate the gym, the dentist’s office, our workplace, or many other places with fun, but what’s the alternative? Bad health? Rotten teeth? Being homeless?
None of that seems fun to me, and I am sure it doesn’t to you either! It’s not a secret that when we have fun, we can get more work done. But when we can view something as fun before we even get there, it can be even more fun!
We already know that a great playlist in the gym can make our workouts a little more fun. But what if we reminded ourselves on the way there that the gym is making us healthier and helping us live longer? I’m sure it would become even more fun, right?
This is true in so many examples. So let’s do it! Every day, we label things as fun or not fun either out loud or in our minds. A few years ago, the world reminded us that everything we do or are able to do is taken for granted. Let us not forget!
I am still having fun at work every day even after all the FUN places have opened back up. Honestly, it’s because of the great men and women I work with who help me have fun every day. It’s also because I have kept my perspective on the place that I have grown to love called TLC. It’s still fun for me no matter what!
For those of you I have the pleasure of seeing every day, thank you for bringing fun into my life. I hope you all evaluate your perspective on all the things in your life and figure out a way to make it fun! Life is too short not to!
