By Contributor,Janine MacLachlan

Copyright forbes

Bree Groff knew that work would be more rewarding if it was more fun. Her book “Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously)” outlines how.

Does work feel heavy these days? The challenges of navigating economic uncertainty and disruptive technologies (hello, AI) mean that maintaining optimism and effectiveness is a challenge. In this environment, we also expect that work can be fun?

The incessant pressure also means that too often work is not fun. Author Bree Groff maintains that it doesn’t have to be that way and, indeed, work can be fun.

Yes, Bree Groff believes work should be fun. Not just occasionally during those offsite excursions, but every day. In her new book Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously), she challenges the grind culture with a bold proposal: what if we stopped treating weekdays as something we wished away?

Groff became an evangelist to help people enjoy every day, not only two days tacked on the end of five grueling days of stolen joy. Today Was Fun sprang from Groff’s lived experience as a caregiver for her mother fighting terminal cancer.

“We were at the cancer center for my mom’s treatment, where everyone is hoping for more time. I got a text from a friend who said ‘I can’t wait for this week to be over’.”

It’s a normal sentiment, in the middle of a grinding week, to be wishing for the weekend. But this simple exchange was an epiphany for Groff.

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“If we’re only enduring five sevenths of every week, if we’re just trying to get through those days, we are essentially giving up days of life,” she said. Groff decided it didn’t have to be that way. She set out to identify ways big and small to invoke our workday with enjoyment.

“If we dislike our workdays, we’re disliking a grand portion of our lives,” she said. Yes, there’s the business case that satisfied workers perform better. But as workers, the stakes are much higher. Groff doesn’t make a typical business case for employee engagement. She makes an existential one.

What resulted is a primer on injecting every day with joy, whether in rethinking work or building in little moments that boost energy. Even her chapter titles are fun, such as “your brain works whether you’re wearing a suit or stretchy pants” and “shoveling sh*t is fun if you like your co-shovelers.”

Her suggestions beg for readers to flag pages with sticky notes for future inspiration. Here are a few to consider:

Thin-Slice Joy Like Prosciutto

Using the approach of “a little goes a long way,” Groff endorses the idea that every day can hold a sliver of delight.

Groff recommends identifying “tiny things to like,” such as a 1:30 p.m. smoothie break, a favorite tea during meetings or a lighthearted exchange with a teammate.

“Sometimes we just have to get really, really small,” she said. Or go bigger with what might seem like a big departure, like having a performance review meeting at the nail salon. Because nothing neutralizes a high-stakes meeting like a foot soak.

Go Deep On Work Friendships

Groff cites the Gallup research that demonstrates that people who have a best friend at work are stronger contributors to business outcomes. She goes deeper by pointing out that friendship is good for enjoying life and coins the term “cozy teams” who help each other, share crazy ideas and do amazing work by navigating challenges together.

Groff suggests new teams create a user manual to exchange get-to-know-you information like whether team members have siblings or pets, or other info that can create connection but that might not come up in everyday work conversations. Also include situations that help them thrive and ways they might need help. This foundation helps keep things smooth when a project hits a snag.

Skip Overworking And Step Into “Overliving”

Rather than overworking, Groff suggests identifying ways to “overlive.” Try visiting the library mid-week and go on a book “shopping spree.” Or eat Tuesday dinner by candlelight using the good dishes. Upgrade your coffee order and stand still to savor the first sip. I’ll add that you create your own dopamine menu to have a handy list of what might add value and energy to your day.

Remember That Pain Is Optional

Groff reminds us that the best work is work we are excited about. This might be large projects and new initiatives, but it also can be the everyday choices we make when we deliver value. The pain is optional. Groff quotes Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame “if it’s not fun, it’s not done.” Using joy as a compass beats fear every time.

The bottom line is that work can be fun with creativity and intention. Her 20 short rules for better days at work include slices of brilliance like pretend you only have ten minutes to work today. Talk about prioritization! Or have an exercise “snack.” Or “fill figurative ice trays,” meaning do things your future self will appreciate, like tidying digital folders or thinking ahead about a meeting agenda.

Ever the pragmatist, Groff acknowledges that some situations are “not funnable.” But even in dull or stressful jobs, people can carve out corners of joy. “Think about the classic sitcom The Office. Selling paper wasn’t meaningful, but they found ways to have fun,” she said.

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