Working Fun Instead of Living Work

When you start a business, it's easy to fall into the trap where you begin living your work. That type of constant thought and effort can weigh on a person and eventually ruin motivation, so it's important to lighten up the work environment from time to time.

This is not to say that you will be putting less time into your business (after all, you hopefully didn't start your own venture because you were hoping it would create more free time for you). What it does mean, however, is that when you find yourself in an "all-work-no-play" kind of pattern, there are ways to reintroduce the play back into your work.

For example, involve your business in following a local sports team. You can have a company outing to catch a game or (for some sports, like football) even set up your own tailgating tent. Let your customers know by posting calendars, etc. around the store space. It's great for icebreaker conversations with new customers, too.

The same is true for hobbies. Do you have a unique hobby or one that lends itself to sponsorship? You can arrange for an event and invite the community to take part. This allows you to get involved in something you already enjoy, while demonstrating your business's active involvement in community enrichment-all-around value.

Finally, consider other ways of having fun. You may not realize it until you try it how rewarding charity and school outreach can be. Volunteering as a business again makes a statement about how your company factors into the overall fiber of society. Reminding people that support for your business has secondary and even tertiary benefits is a great use of time and energy. And that's all above and beyond the good feelings you and your coworkers will get from helping out.

Getting away from work doesn't always have to mean getting away from work. Sometimes work and play go hand-in-hand so well that you'll be refreshed and invigorated without even knowing you did it something positive for your business at the same time.