Office Play Can Reduce Work Stress

All work and no play makes you a dull and most certainly stressed out person. We have heard for years how important it is to “stop and smell the roses,” but I am here to tell you, that philosophy does not stop at your home's threshold.

If you are reading this article and you are not one of the millions of Americans who begins the day with the loud buzzing and ringing of the alarm clock, the bright lights of the bathroom, the hurried routines of grooming, running the kids out to the bus stop, grabbing a cup of coffee as you rush out of the house, pushing the accelerator to warp speed just to come to a screeching halt in the daily traffic jam and then literally jogging into the office, then “good for you.” You are not part of the workforce that this article is specifically written for. However, not to minimize your stress too, many of the suggestions, tips and techniques offered here may help with your “homebound” stress.

The stress at work comes from many different avenues, I won't bore you with statistics, suffice it to say, it would be very unusual to go to work every day and never experience the symptoms of fatigue and anxiety related to workplace stress. Where does it come from? Headaches and eyestrain can be attributed to the constant, bright fluorescent lights and uninterrupted hours at the computer monitor. Neck and back stress can be attributed to incorrect posture, ergonomically incorrect seating and long periods of time sitting in one position. Anxiety and fatigue can be attributed to emotionally upsetting or worrisome issues such as employee conflicts, large project deadlines looming, job insecurity or just plain missing the kids championship ballgame or ballet recital because of a work commitment.

A significant amount of that stress can be reduced or eliminated with some very simple techniques and strategies. Don't get me wrong, I’m not offering a panacea here as there will always be some degree of work stress, but there are ways to reduce it.

Did you know that it is ok to play at work? How many of you sitting behind a desk actually have an arsenal of toys stashed in a favorite drawer or (even better) sitting on your desk in plain view? Play is not only for children and many adults bogged down with daily adult activities forget how to play. Playtime is a time for the mind, body and soul to relax and enjoy the moment. It is a “time-out” from the stressful activities of the day where you can simply partake in an enjoyable activity. By just taking a 15 minute break a few times each day to mentally and physically relax you can boost your productivity by increasing concentration, resolving body aches and drastically reducing emotional anxieties. All it takes is a minimal amount of play.

We've all heard of the stress balls that you can squeeze to release tension, but office toys can be so much more. A new toy, called the Find It Game can ease emotional tension by taking a few minutes to mindlessly look for objects reminiscent of childhood days. This toy in effect is a self-contained cylinder of plastic “sand” with small objects mixed in it for you to find. It is similar to the old game of “I Spy.” Another way to cheer an office environment is to introduce the silly sounds of our Gund plushes and animated toys. Lighten your attitude by listening to the delightful sounds of meowing kitties, barking puppies, “boing…ing” frogs or a jiggling bug. Take a Gund Quacklin duck to one of your committee meetings or corporate organization, place it on the table and state emphatically after squeezing him -- ”We need to get all our ducks in a row.”

These are just a few ideas on how to introduce play into your corporate world. Sometimes just a brief little distraction is all it takes to break up office tension.