Tips for Producing Stronger Work … and Having Fun Doing It

By Kristy Bonner
VP Digital Services

If you haven’t spent time with a child in a while, there is a lot you can learn if you just take a few cues. Sure, in general, the very young have no verbal filter – especially in public – and they can create havoc in what seems like the blink of an eye. But, their unjaded approach to life is truly enviable. And, if you take time to really think about it, a child-like approach is actionable in your adult world as you strive for innovation.

Be Ever Curious

Children between the ages of 2 and 5 ask an average of 40,000 questions, according to author Warren Berger. And surveys of moms agree that they are fielding about 200 to 300 questions per day from their toddlers. Now, jump ahead to the adult workforce. On average, we ask only about 20 questions per day, by some estimates. Wow! It is hard to innovate without asking questions … and remember, the only stupid question is the one never asked.

It can be an enlightening experience to adopt a child-like curiosity in your work. Although parents with grown children, if asked, may admit that they don’t miss the days of a thousand “whys” from an inquisitive child; the bigger question is, why aren’t we asking “why” more often. Consider the impact you’ll begin to see if you question everything and then take action. Consider applying these simple questions to your next project, task or even company.

• Why are we still doing ___________ the way we’ve always done it?
• Why are we doing this at all?
• Why are we using this ______________ to make our product?
• Why are we only serving ________________ region?
• Why are we only selling to ___________________ industry?
• Why do our customers buy ______________________?
• Why do they buy from our competitors?

Look for opportunities to question the status quo whenever possible whether it involves product manufacturing or marketing your services.

• Why are we using these tactics to attempt to reach our customers?
• Why do we think this messaging will engage our users?
• Why do we think this visual will make someone click on our ad?

Follow your curiosity wherever it takes you and consider alternatives that could move your strategic efforts in a new direction.

Get Lost in Thought

Ever watched a child at play become so engrossed that they lose all track of time? Can you remember the last time you didn’t feel controlled by the clock? How often do you simply sit and think, visualize solutions or let your imagination run wild? It doesn’t matter if you are a marketer, engineer or CEO, taking time to wonder is time well spent … and pays off.

According to inc.com, Warren Buffett – you know, one of the richest people in the world – has spent about 80 percent of his career just thinking and reading.

Medium.com recommends the following ways to incorporate thinking time, based on gathered data from successful CEOs.

1. Schedule in. Block off time in your calendar or plan a day out of the office. Or go all out like Bill Gates and take a thinking week twice a year for deep reflection.
2. Cut interruptions. If you know that you will be disturbed in your office, go somewhere else.
3. Take notes. As ideas pop into your head, be sure to write them down, even if you are just holding on to them until you can dedicate more time to them later.
4. And, they agree, be ever curious. Asking questions can be a game-changer for your work.

Go All In

When you start something, do you work like you are on a mission? We are not talking about the bare minimum to check all the boxes before it’s time to run out the door at 5. I mean really commit. Like the child who doesn’t want to eat broccoli and will sit at the dining room table all night to stand their ground. With lips sealed with what seems like Super Glue, it is clear they are not backing down.

Take the young adventure-seeker who was warned not to climb too high to spare themselves injury, but will later adamantly deny they are hurt as they sneakily limp along with scraped and bloodied knees and elbows. What could you accomplish with this type of dedication in your work? Most likely, you’ll see results like never before … and maybe even your personal best work.

Phoning it in impacts more than just your job. According to HR Cloud and Gallup reports, only 36% of employees are engaged at work. And, this comes with a hefty price tag for the U.S economy, as they report that employee disengagement costs $450 billion to $550 billion every year.

On the bright side, HR Cloud reports that a highly engaged workforce increases profitability by 21 percent. This is something companies are now paying more attention to as at least 16 percent of those surveyed are using technology to monitor employee engagement.

They Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say

Most of us have witnessed that moment when a child said something in public that made us giggle while their parent wanted to hide. Although this may not be the best communications strategy for client relations, there is value in just putting the truth out there.

Add a little more tact than a 4-year-old but sometimes, if the product or service isn’t good enough, you just have to put it out there. Or, maybe you need to fess up that your skills need some work. Adding a little brutal honesty to the mix may help get the discussions moving toward actionable solutions.

Fun Anyone?

The young can turn anything into an adventure or a game. As adults, we forget the joy of this special skill. Though this estimate seems very low for the industries we work in, the average American spends about 34.4 hours a week working and at least 7 percent of us are taking work home, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Shouldn’t there be some fun in there somewhere?

If your job requires creativity, strategy, problem solving, innovation or motivation – so everyone – putting some fun into the mix will enhance your performance and satisfaction; meaning you’ll stay with it long enough to get really good at what you do and achieve a higher level of performance. Maybe even uncover creative solutions that have never been introduced to your market.

As adults, we are yoked with so many responsibilities and stressors. If we can tap into our child-like innovative spirit; we can unlock a new world of potential. So, yes, it is OK to have fun at work.

At Foster Marketing, we agree having fun on the job makes us better at what we do – whether it is sharing a laugh with a client or scheduling a day to gather our entire team to brainstorm ideas as we did at a recent quarterly meeting. Contact us today to discuss how our team can assist with your marketing efforts.

Let’s get started! Call us today at 281-448-3435, contact us online or connect with us on LinkedIn.