What has play got to do with work? For your productivity, the answer is ‘the more the better’. At our best we operate mindfully, focused on the present, on the process, not the future and the (often uncontrollable) result. We feel purposeful, engaged and creative. Does this sound like a state of work or a state of play?
Think about it – work is defined as ‘to engage in activity to produce a result’. We work in exchange for a future benefit. With work, the payoff is downstream – and we are perpetually upstream. Play is defined as ‘to engage in activity for enjoyment’. As in, enjoyment NOW. In the present. So with play it doesn’t matter if we are upstream, midstream or downstream – we are only in the stream coz we find; merrily, merrily; life is such a dream there.
WORK = future outcome focus
PLAY = present activity/process focus
When we measure performance, ideally we are targeting the controllable process, not the uncontrollable results.
The the science of human motivation shows we perform best, for longer, on activities aligned with our intrinsic beliefs and interest, rather than in response to external motivations (such as money). The more congruence between purpose, values, strengths and activity, the more powerful the motivation. We also know that external rewards dilute the intrinsic appeal of activity. This story explains…
An old man frustrated by young children playing on his front lawn offered the kids $1 each to play there on Friday afternoons. After paying them the $1, he announced next week he was dropping the rate to 50 cents. A week later he dropped it to 25 cents. Each week fewer kid showed up so by the time he stopped paying the them at all, no kids turned up to play.
In the kids minds payment altered the activity from play to work. It went from ‘for the fun of it’, to ‘for the reward’. Mythical or not, this psychology has been validated in countless experiments, with both adults and children. In other words, payment alters our perception of what we find intrinsically appealing, potentially disguising the appeal of activities we might otherwise enjoy. Having worked in volunteer organizations for over 25 years I’ve seen 1000’s of people happily engage in tasks that within a non-elective work context they’d consider tiresome chores. Play is generally elective, work mandatory. It changes the way we think about the activity itself. Yet with awareness and good job design we can rekindle intrinsic motivation and bring the positive power of play to our performance.
WORK = extrinsic/external motivation
PLAY = intrinsic/integrated motivation
The cult of mindfulness within business is based on the enlightened knowledge that being present in the moment leads to clarity of thought and heightened output. By definition play is a mindful activity, focused on the now. Yes, play can be frivolous and trivial. Play is fun, work is serious. But play is also energising, intrinsically engaging and process orientated, all qualities we value for productivity. By making work play, we make play work, for ourselves, our performance and those serious outcomes we get paid for.
DARE TO PLAY