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Play at Work

Play at Work

Fun at work is essential for a healthy work environment. How do you incorporate play in your work day? (We personally like kazoos and after-hours bowling.)

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Comments

While working at the State University Libraries Texas Music, get us out of our collection of vinyl and CD and play them during working hours at the library. It would stimulate discussion between staff and users. -M

As far as I'm concerned, my work IS play!! As a public library director, I bring play-dough to staff meetings, put out puzzles and games for the public to enjoy, frequently visit our township's skate board park just to talk to the kids, and basically smile all day long. Lucky me!

Thank you for being such a great director. Play dough at staff meetings. Great idea. What are your secrets/tips for being such a great Director?

I love what I do! I smile a lot and always find something to laugh about in (almost) every situation.
My tips & favorite things to do:
* Every single work day, I take time to talk to at least a few of my staff members about things going on in their lives outside of work (that new puppy, their sick father, their weekend, etc.) because I honestly care about them as people and not just employees. They get that and it has come back to me as a boss in more good ways than I can count!
* I approach patrons as I walk through the library -- just to say 'hi.' If they need something and I can help, then that's even better.

Has anyone tried bubbles? What about some kind of contest between staff DURING the workday?

Not all library environments can offer this, but listening to music during my workday makes me a better person. Not all tasks are conducive to listening to tunes, but I love to zone out to my Pandora quick mix during the day as part of my play.

When I need to kick fun up a notch, the kazoo on my shelf helps too. Well, for me - maybe not my coworkers.

I can hear your loud kazoo playing all the way down at the new Huron branch! Please take it down a notch.

Seriously, you make a great point about music being therapeutic. I would rather listen to almost any music instead of no music as long as it doesn't bother anyone else.

While working at the Texas State University Music Library, we would pull out LPs and CDs from our collection and play them during working hours in the library. This would generate discussion between staff and patrons. -M

In that case, we'll keep kazoo-ing! When you kazoo into the bullhorn, and add the wazoo, it's really something special.

I invite all kazoo players to make a surprise visit to the Huron branch and parade through the libary. Now that sounds like fun!

I agree that music is a great way to enhance the work environment. I notice that I am happier if I have Pandora on in the background to help inspire my work.

In the library, playing music is also all about disrupting conventions!
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