chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in The Importance of Play AND Work

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

yuregininsesi — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:42:05 -0000

Both. I've accomplished next to nothing today, but I did watch a good animated movie with my family.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Clintus — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:32:20 -0000

Love that you have started doing videos in your posts again!

Great point. You MUST have a good work to fun ratio for all this stuff to work.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Trilby Jeeves — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:44:15 -0000

Am I happy to hear what you have to say! Yes, we all have to work hard but if we don't play, our work and soul can suffer. What so many of us don't realize is that if we don't take the time out to play and be in our "childlike state" we can block some great opportunities for our subconscious to come up with great ideas & solutions for our work. How many inventors say their ideas came to them when they weren't "working"? So playing has a great by product of actually being more productive! We just need to trust that, let go and play... That's why I teach buffoonery! :) Thanks for your video!

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Brad Montgomery — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:35:47 -0000

I love your blog, especially the videos. This post is especially fun for me as it is what I preach : humor in the workplace increases productivity.

I have a blog carnival that is right on this topic. I wonder if you'd consider letting us include this post in our next carnival? (We've only done one, but it was pretty successful w/ traffic.)

http://www.bradlaughs.com/2...

Thanks Chris.

Brad Montgomery

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Jamaaludeen Khan — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:48:20 -0000

Hi Chris. I think you've made some good points here. We have to work hard, but work with some smart and fun mixed in as well. I think that you should enjoy your work as much as you can. Because of the type of work we do, we can work anywhere - so I regularly work at coffee places etc. It gives me different perspectives, a new environment for a few hours, and this boosts my productivity.

I regularly go to the beach as well. My office is in the city, and the beach is 5 min away - but I bet I'm the only one in my building who does this. People get so caught up in their stuck-at-the-desk mindsets that they forget to have fun. I normally go there to have a break, lunch, or even just a coffee, other times I'll read, catch up on Twitter, but when I leave there, I'm totally refreshed and energised.

I also believe in investing in the best work tools. Expensive wireless mouse that does a few neat tricks, etc etc. My work experience is a totally fun one. So it's 9.47pm now in South Africa and I'm still working - because I enjoy it.

Who said hard work had to be dreadful?

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Todd Henry — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:12:31 -0000

Great point. I think the difficulty is when "play" and "work" become indistinguishable because we are so passionate about what we do. That's when we need to stop and build some disciplines around this stuff so that we don't fry.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Catherine E. White — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:10:51 -0000

If you are interested in the "how" to find time to play, I humbly suggest that you check out the Life Balance software, (mac, windows, palm, iPhone), which helps busy people to carve out the time to do... fun stuff or whatever you want. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a co-author of the software, and I just happened upon this site via a Twitter link from Guy Kawaski, who seems to Twitter just about everything these days! Anyway, our software isn't for everybody, but if you care about the issues concerning division and intergration between work time and play time, and want to be more flexible, less stressed, and manage your time better, it's worth checking out a different kind of tool to get that to happen. For the people that like what we do... it works well. End of shameless, but on topic, pitch. Now go play! :-)

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

James A Woods — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:58:26 -0000

Both. I've accomplished next to nothing today, but I did watch a good animated movie with my family.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Play Parks — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:40:57 -0000

I'd just add:

1) Remember to play WITH your kids, too. If you've got them. It's the best quality time and will get your creative juices flowing.
2) Consider buying a pass to your favorite parks (county, state, national, etc.). Guy Kawasaki tweeted that National Park attendance is down 13%. We need to play more! Buying a pass makes you more invested in play - you paid for it - might as well get your money's worth. It's like getting permission for recess!
3) Kaboom.org has a Playspace Finder widget on their website for adding to blogs. Add a playground to it. Or use it to find a new park.
4) OC Play Parks just made it onto Alltop for its geographical region - but there are not enough feeds for PLAY or PARKS to make it a viable topic! Huh? Start blogging, people.
5) Why not post about your play time on your own blog? It's not enough to say "Go play." Inspire someone with a "how" or "where." Lead by example. Get out and play. Thanks for the reminder, Chris.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Annie Tsai — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:19:41 -0000

Absolutely. Work hard, play harder. Off to work after playing all day in SF. ;)

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Sonny Gill — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:25:30 -0000

For sure - I really believe in a fair balance of work and play. Makes life more fun that way :)

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Daniel Tsekhman — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:02:21 -0000

Great reminder! There's a fantastic TedTalk you should check out about play being important when it comes to creativity --> http://blog.ted.com/2008/11...

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Jon at zhiing — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:07:38 -0000

Good reminder. It's easy to get completely caught up in work.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Wayde McKelvy — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:21:17 -0000

Hey Chris,
Man, you said it! The whole point of working hard is to make the time to play hard - working without reward is like working just for the money, and why do that? Glad to hear your view on the work/life balance. Keep having fun Chris!
Wayde

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Mike — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:57:23 -0000

I'd like to know what you, Chris, do for play. I'm assuming you're not talking about exercise (working out - or work), cocktails (mentioned in a comment, probably not the healthiest pastime), blogging (which I do when I'm not working)... maybe a couple of examples from your own life would help me figure out what play means at this point in mine :)

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

krissy knox — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:44:57 -0000

Hi Chris! This is a message I need to take to heart. Sometimes I work for hours, and forget to play. On the other hand, sometimes I do play, and am met by adults who are very stuffed shirt about it and put off by it, acting scandalized. They can't loosen up. "Adults don't play," I have actually heard! Fortunately, I come from a family that has always known how to play, and never lost that playfulness, even into adulthood. Thanks for the reminder to not take myself too seriously and stop and play at times. Yes, work hard, play hard!

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Nathan Hangen — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:17:23 -0000

Having fun really makes the work worthwhile. In the right line of work, having fun can equal work and visa versa.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Daniel Scocco — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:50:17 -0000

What if your work is play at the same time for you?

I think that is the ideal situation.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Ari Herzog — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 03:30:10 -0000

There is a stigma in society that one must "work" from 9 to 5 which is why those who try to change the system, e.g. telecommuting, are frowned upon. This relates to a 15-year-old statistic I recall from Patty Seybold that the average American hates his job because he views it as a "job."

When will work and jobs stop being viewed in the same sentence? I'd like to think I am conducting work right now by reading your advice, reading other people's comments, and sharing my own thoughts. Yet, the manager of the above "worker" would think I am playing right now.

Something to think about. I'm always working and always playing.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Sarah Cook — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:53:08 -0000

The whole "work, work, work" mentality is what drives people to burnout. I had that feeling in my previous career and the lack of any kind of fun made me miserable and less effective at my job.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Hustlers Home — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:54:28 -0000

I do both. Work and Play...I can't just work it would suck the life out of me.

Great message.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

jeffpulver — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:30:27 -0000

Chris you know I take having fun seriously.

I was never someone who looked for permission from anyone to do the things I did. I just did them. And I had fun doing it And I still do. And from this I learned that while we can outsource many things, it is not possible to outsource fun.

Which in turn reminds me that we can not outsource our life. We need to make our own fun happen. Which I try to do whenever I can. Sometimes the fun is subtle and other times it is obvious. But it is something always on my mind. Maybe it is because I feel as if I’m still a lonely 11 year old kid inside and not a grown up. And maybe it is because I don’t ever want to grow up.

Chris, I hope we both help make fun and share fun in 2009. :)

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Blog Expert — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:22:24 -0000

I usually just work my butt off instead of any playtime. I find that working hard brings success much easier. I know I should always leave time for playing though. It just seems like I have way too much to do though.

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Matthew Snodgrass — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:41:45 -0000

Here, here. Since being laid off, I've had a chance to work when I want, which mean spending a lot more time with the family. That has refilled my soul. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of balance in our lives!
-Matt

Re: The Importance of Play AND Work

Colin Browning — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:59:54 -0000

Good advice Chris! I like Holly's point too in combining fun with work. I have always recognized that if work stops being fun for me, it is time for a change (or perhaps time to take a break and play). ;-)

Hope no one is reading this and instead out playing this weekend!

-colin