Why it’s important to enjoy your work

meetings that should use the alternative spelling of the word.
Work in such an environment is devoid of any form of fun and is instead a monotonous mind-sapping routine that has you heading for an early grave.
Work typically consumes a third of an average person’s day.
That is a really big percentage of time to waste doing something that you cannot wait to run away from at the end of the day.
It has been said that the most hazardous place to be is waiting at the doors of a business at closing time. If that is characteristic of your office then something needs to change.
Sometimes I think Zimbabwe is stuck in a 19th century style of office management inherited from Victoria colonial days with its bland brick factories birthed out of the industrial revolution and a period where spirituality was mistakenly equated with stoicism.
Showing high emotion in Victorian times was frowned upon as a form of weakness – hence schools, work and the environment in general were tailored to help mankind avoid any potential lapse into fun and its consequences.
I have a personal theory that the original formal office suit with its starched collars was designed to be as uncomfortable as possible, a personal reminder every time you moved that smiling was not part of your expression repertoire.
Let us talk about schools for a moment.
Many children spend the best days of their lives in classrooms under the tutorage at times of some boring teachers.
We gaily tell them that life only gets worse from there. Compare this to the teacher who, in a brightly lit and decorated classroom, inspires their charges to explore the universe with a sense of wonder and excitement where day after day new challenges unfold to be overcome.
A student of such a mentor could never settle for a second rate existence.
Why not start strategic meetings with a joke or a game to encourage attentiveness.
Order a milkshake instead of Rooibos, or arrange for the cappuccinos to have everyone’s name written on.
Coloured white board markers instead of black, or ditch the white board completely for paper and crayons.
Fun in-house routines for completing a task – a gong to be struck on completion of a deal, pizza on winning a tender, delivering a project proposal though the basketball hoop on the bosses door – who cares as long as it is fun.
Incorporate simple ideas to take the monotony out of work. Change the venue of your meeting to a coffee shop one morning or colour co-ordinate a dress down day for a charity.
Now I am not talking about frivolity or stupidity (putting cling film over the boss’ toilet as a prank does not cut it, nor does excessive sharing of stupid e-mails) but inject a little life into business.
An environment where staff is able to laugh, enjoy life and express their concerns without fear of retribution is far more positive than one where tiptoeing around the boss is the order of the day.
Create an environment where staff do not come to work on time but are early because they love what they do.
Should you find yourself in a job that you hate there are a few options open to you.
One is change your attitude towards work, find a meaning or expression to your work that brings gratification to you.
For example, you are not merely stamping people’s passports, you are facilitating their holiday experience and helping them enjoy the fulfilment of their dreams – get them to show you a picture on their way back to see how much fun they have had.
Change your environment a little both the physical and the emotional.
Put up a couple of framed pictures on your desk, be a bearer of positive news and quit complaining about how badly you are treated, compliment other staff, tell jokes.
Smile. If only one aspect of the job sucks then try delegating that to someone else who loves it.
Finally, and only as a last resort if all else fails, examine your options carefully, then quit before you die and start chasing something you enjoy.
Work may be hard – the very definition of the word implies that effort is required.
It just does not have to choke your soul.