Having fun at work is an act of rebellion in a world that sees us as “human resources”. Here are some tips that work for me to make my day at work better. Obviously, it is always nice to be far away from work and enjoy a day off but with the right mindset, burnout is avoidable.
Be nice. Smile. Be friendly. Don’t be an arrogant asshole or wise-ass. Don’t be cynical (I get it, it feels good sometimes but it will make you sad and miserable) and don’t look down on people who clean the toilets for you, bring you food, heat or cold.
Say “Happy Monday/ Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Thursday” instead of just Happy Friday. Are you alive? It’s a happy day.
Send a love bubble to a colleague. These are little DMs where you say something you appreciate about them. Like, “You made our team look so good in that last meeting. You’re the best. Thank you. I really appreciate the work you have done etc.”
Be creative. Rearrange the furniture in your office so it feels more comfortable if you can. Get candies, a coffee machine and such things if you share an office. Start Pizza-Tuesdays.
Don’t stress out over nothing. Usually, nothing is eaten as hotly as it is cooked. Wait, relax, and let time pass.
Listen to music when you can. On your break, watch something nice or read a book.
Give your best. Always. Don’t slack. Don’t look sloppy.
Have a 10-minute workday. Pretend you only have 10 minutes to work today. Pick what you’ll do. It’s likely your highest leverage activity, and/or the thing only you on the team could do given your expertise/position. Don’t do anything else until you finish that thing. Focus on getting this one thing done. Then off to the next.
Arrive early. To everything. The Japanese concept of “yutori” means “arrive with enough time, and then look around slowly.” It will give an otherwise harried day a sense of peace. And your best ideas might just meet you there.
Move. Duh. Go get yourself a snack. And while you’re at it, have an “exercise snack” too. 30-seconds of burpees or squats. Or climb some stairs.
Compliment a colleague’s humanity. Humans like to be seen as humans.
Defend those you love from your overwork. Tempted to take the late meeting or overtime (all the time)? Your partner, your friend, your parent—they can’t decline the meeting, even though they’d love to spend that time with you. As they say, “The only people who will remember you worked late 20 years from now are your kids.” Maybe give it a thought that all we really need is time. Quality time away from work such as time for yourself first and your loved ones. Consider not buying X, Y, and Z (do you really need to buy it?) so you don’t have to slave for that Overtime.
Decide that your days and time off matter.
Eat something healthy (at work). Smoothie day at work is good too. Fruit, veggies, you name it. Watch out for yourself. Don’t eat vending machine food and unhealthy garbage.
Fill your figurative ice trays. Do one thing today that will make future-you happy. Help someone. Help yourself. Tidy your desk etc.
Make your work friend’s task disappear. You know, like in those political thrillers when a fixer says, “Consider it handled.” Wouldn’t you love it if someone did this for you? Get out of your way to help a colleague in need.
Make today’s success metric “minutes laughing.” Show your team the funny video you saw. Do a 15-minute “what’s the most hilarious solution to our problem” brainstorm. Note: this is not a bad metric for life either.
Talk like a human. Forget the jargon and swear a little. Use the words “shit and fuck” sometimes even though your middle school English teacher feels it in their soul like a voodoo doll. And shoutout others when they have really good ideas, regardless of whether the idea included the words “Mandatory Online Training.”
Remember, when you wish away the workweek, you wish away your life. You can learn to enjoy even the bad days if you thin-slice your joy. You don’t need to love every minute, but you must love at least one. If all else fails, get yourself a fucking croissant.
Because we deserve to love our days. And remember: Everyone is dealing with bullshit. Don’t judge people and still be nice.
Even Monday-Friday.
