9 Ways To Actually Have Fun At Work

Let's face it, the steady Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm isn't the most thrilling concept in life. But it doesn't take a whole lot to change our perspective and invite elements of cheap and easy pleasure into our everyday workspace. While the whisper of fun in a professional setting might conjure thoughts of limp office parties and cringey dad jokes, there are boundless opportunities to bring in fresh ideas of what fun can really look like!

So here it is, 9 Ways to Actually Have Fun at Work:

1. Bring in Plants

When we surround ourselves with potted greenery, we're actively choosing to try and destress our environment. A lot of commonly bought house plants like aloe vera, white ivy, spider plants, rubber trees, and pothos are not only affordable, they've also shown to improve the local air quality and reduce work-related depression and anxiety. By adding even a simple succulent to an empty shelf or spot on your desk it refreshes the area around it, making things appear less drab and monotone, thus allowing us to direct all our energy towards feeling motivated!

2. Play Some Music

Some workplaces may not allow the use of music apps, speakers, or headphones but for the ones that do, playing music throughout the day spikes productivity and invites a lighthearted, positive feeling in the work environment. There are so many amazing music apps that are easy to follow, and free! YouTube, Amazon Prime, Spotify, and Serius XM are all different free platforms you can use to listen to any music genre you want! 

There are hundreds of different genres to choose from, so how do you know which one will suit your store best? Try stepping outside of the box and listen to something you normally wouldn't! Meditation or spa music can definitely destress a space but it won't keep energies high and productive, Indie can be more high energy but it's quite niche and might not be approved by everyone, classic rock is usually a crowd-pleaser, but it can come off as too much for some stores. Try asking everyone what they like best and commit to a decision from there.

3. Set Up a Drink Station

Majority of people come into work with a mug of tea or coffee to get them through the morning, but what if you carried that same energy throughout the day? By taking some time to set up a kettle, coffee machine, or pitcher of infused water, you'll be encouraging others to stay energized and hydrated throughout the day. If you have the available space, you can keep extra tea bags, flavored coffee, and sugar in a cupboard or basket by the drink station.

Anyone up for some teambuilding exercises? Ask other employees if they'd like to help raise money to buy the necessities, it'll bring people together to work towards something awesome that everyone can enjoy every single day!

4. Clean Your Space

I know, this sounds like a given, but cleaning is a must! Being in a disorganized space every day undoubtedly takes a toll on your mental health and critical thinking thought processes. Taking just 5 minutes at the end of the day to organize your workspace ensures you'll be worry-free and ahead of your tasks for the next day, who doesn't love being ahead of schedule?

One of the best habits to practice is once a month, optimally at the beginning of each month, to assess what needs to stay in your immediate space. That would encompass anything on top of your desk or counter area. After that's finished, move onto shelves or drawers you have around you. By exercising this practice routinely you'll efficiently eliminate unnecessary clutter around you, and it'll allow you to think a little more freely.

5. Encourage Others to Join You

Being the change you want to see can be challenging, that's why getting other people on board with your ideas is the key to reinventing your work environment. Adding plants, flavored water, and organization to your space is excellent, but if your coworkers follow along it will change the entire feeling of the store, not only raising productivity, attitude, and motivation, but it'll be sure to impress your daily customers as well.

6. Bring in Treats

If you're lucky, you might already be doing this one! Bringing in baked treats once in a while for everyone is a guaranteed energy raiser, it instantly gets people excited no matter how old your coworkers are. If some people have dietary restrictions you could also bring in alternatives like gluten-free or vegan baking, fruit platters, ice cream, chocolate boxes, or even sweet flavored coffee instead.

7. Separate Work And Home

Whether we like it or not, the majority of us tend to carry our work stress home and that can, unfortunately, lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety, burnout, and generally feeling overwhelmed. As difficult as it might be, it's best to try and leave those intrusive office thoughts back at your desk. In order to accomplish that, you'll need a ready-to-go tool belt equipped with some of the top techniques used for separating work and relaxation.

Consistently having a day end ritual before heading home, like organizing your station, going to the bathroom, filling up your water bottle for the drive home, or taking a minute to reflect on your accomplishments from earlier in the day can help your brain turn off work mode and settle into a more calm mindset.

8. Come in 5 Minutes Early

This trick absolutely sounds counterintuitive, but it's been proven that showing up about 5 minutes early for your shift induces an optimistic and content headspace. During that free time, you'll be able to go to the bathroom if needed, get your morning drink ready, and hang around for a little while before the day started. Subconsciously you'll already be feeling ahead of the game and accomplished before you've ever done any work at all, leading to a much more productive and brighter workday.

9. Dress Comfortably

Small things that don't go our way can rapidly pile up during the day, why not eliminate one of those annoyances by wearing comfortable clothing to work?

Looking chic and feeling cozy at work is a lot easier than you might think. Sticking to complementary neutral tones, adding a statement piece like a red shoe or a cuffed sweater, accompanied by simple jewelry can elegantly harmonize comfortability and professionality. 

Breaking the monotonous routine of going to a bland workplace every day just might be the refreshing wake-up you need! Carrying out these 9, easy tips will definitely introduce a much-needed wave of professional motivation to bring forward your best self and help you create the absolute best work you can every single day!