When I was growing up I had the good fortune of having parents who taught me the importance of work. They taught me to take pride in a job well done and to put in extra effort to get the job done right. Most importantly they taught me to enjoy the work. Of course they weren't always successful, like the time they made me and my older brothers weed our garden during summer vacation when we really wanted to go swim at the lake. There are always tedious tasks that we must accomplish, and I've learned that doing so is always easier if we make the task fun. That's one of the reasons that for me, work is play.
I had someone mention to me the other day that I work all the time, and that I always talk about my "work" like it's the funniest thing in the world. For me it is and I've noticed that is the exception in the world today rather than the rule. So, I thought I'd share why work is fun for me. Keep in mind that when I refer to work, I'm talking about a 9-5 job in advertising, running a household of 4, and raising 2 daughters.
Why Work=Fun for Lindsey Shumway:
1. I tend to think of every work experience as part of my education. I fully admit that I don't know everything, but I'd like to. Everyday is a chance to learn something new.
2. I pace myself. For example when I feel like I need to clean the "whole house" I look at the clock, give myself 45 minutes and then let it go. Magically, what I thought would take 4 hours to accomplish can normally be done with 80% completion in about 45 minutes. Is it perfect? No, but it doesn't have to be.
3. I reward myself for successes. For example if I have 4 loads of laundry to wash, dry, fold and put away I tell myself that after two loads I get to watch one of my favorite shows on Hulu or I get a handful of M&M's.
4. I think of small victories as major victories. For example I recently put together my first "traffic" at work. The girl I replaced could have done it in 15 minutes flat and it took me an hour. When I was done I leaned back in chair, smiled and mentally pated myself on the back. For me, it was a major victory, and I know I'll get faster as I complete more.
5. I make games out of anything I can. For example, last Wednesday night I got home late and knew my husband would be home even later than me. It was trash day on Thursday and the garbage cans needed to be taken out, but we still had full trash cans all over the house. I was tired from a long day at work, but I smiled at the kids and said, "Ok girls, tonight we are going to have a trash hunt!" We each got a trash bag and stocked around the house to pounce on trash. In the end, the kids were laughing, the trash was ALL out of the house, and my husband didn't have to worry about it when he got home at 10 PM. It was way more fun than work.
6. When I think about work or share my experiences with others I accentuate the positive. Why complain? Negativity is a downer. Work is what you THINK it is...so think about the good things!
7. I make sure I have adequate sleep and food to keep me going. This may or may not involve M&M's. :)
8. I look for ways to lighten heavy chi. For example I play up-beat music, I dance in my chair as I type, I make sure to give a hug or a smile to co-workers who may need them.
9. When I need a break, I take one.
10. I cut other people some slack. No employee in any company, in any industry, on any level is perfect. We all have off days, we all have slow days, we can all be crabby from time-to-time. When the people I work with aren't perfect I shake it off and remind myself that I've been there.
I've "worked" at a concessions stand in a movie theater, as a lifeguard, as a bookstore manager, a timeshare telemarketer, a retail store manager, a director of marketing, an acquisitions editor, an author, an account manager and in many family and community roles. I love my life and I love my "jobs" and I wish you my kind of fun in completing your life's work.
