Yes, You Can Have Fun During a Recession

Jan Norman at the Orange County Register today posted a portion of my article on having more fun and reducing stress at work. Here is the post on her blog. Even if you don't live in the Orange County area, Jan's blog includes some great articles to help managers and business owners find success.

For Jan's readers (and really everyone else) here is the entire article.

Twelve Ideas to Reduce Stress and Have more Fun at Work

It’s hard to have fun at work during stressful times. Your stress builds after each media report about the recession. You start hearing whispers of a merger, layoff or the all encompassing “restructuring.” Your manager does not listen. Your customers don’t listen. The guy that sells sandwiches in the lobby does not listen. Maybe it is just easier to be cranky.

Maybe your sales numbers are down this quarter. Clients are taking longer to make decisions. You start to worry about expenses. What happens next? You walk into your next important meeting a bundle of nerves, tension and worry. Do you really think you are at your best?

It is time to stop worrying and relax. Give yourself a break. Stop letting the media feed your fears with the dreaded “r” word. Even during an “r” people work. Companies manufacture, transport, distribute, sell, market, advertise, produce, grow, research, develop, entertain, build and purchase. We have to figure out a way to do it without being cranky and stressed. Yes, we need to have more fun.

I sense that many of you have thrown this magazine down on the table, rearing back from these words with a shriek. How dare we have fun during a merger/recession/layoff/restructure/something else that takes up time before retirement? Fun is scary. Fun does not work. We are not fun people.

Yes, you can have fun. And in the process, reduce your stress and help create a more productive, innovative and fun work environment. First, we have to create a foundation so that fun can exist. Here are twelve simple ideas to reduce your stress at work and have more fun.

1. Be patient and positive in your tone of voice. Sounds simple, but a reassuring and patient tone in your voice will do wonders for teamwork and for helping reduce stress. You will rarely see a stressed, impatient person having fun. Watch people stand in line at the airport. The guy in the suit with three carry on bags and a phone hooked into the Matrix is not having fun. The guy in the Hawaiian shirt and hat made from palm reeds is relaxed and having fun. Same standing in line. Different attitude.

2. Take a break. Again, a simple idea but something that has very real results. Ever try and assemble something from the store? Ever get frustrated? Ever throw the directions across the room in frustration? Stop, take a break, and then reassess. Just a few moments away will give you the energy to move forward.

3. Think about what makes a great day at work. The next time you have fun at work, take a moment to reflect. Write down what happened that made the day so great. What did you do? What did you say? You now have your “great day” list. You know what you need. Work toward it. Fun is different for everyone. Remember the kid in your high school algebra class who got really excited when he solved a complex math problem? That is fun for him. For me, math is the equivalent of jury duty, going to the dentist, and cleaning the garage all in the same day.

4. Sometimes you have to ask. If something is bothering you and causing stress, then speak up and say something. Most people will just stew or whine in the break room rather than speak up. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Guess what? Someone’s feelings are being hurt – your feelings. If you ask nicely, most people would be happy to oblige and help. They probably don’t even know their words or actions are bothering you.

5. Be in the moment with your co-workers. Working in the moment means being focused and connected. Listen to each other. Make eye contact. Engage in the communication process. Try something new: put your e-mail enabled phone down and communicate with the living, breathing person sitting in your office.

6. Tell your co-workers you appreciate them. We all want positive support at work. When we don’t receive appreciation and thanks, we are not very happy. You know how you feel when someone says, “You made a difference,” or “Great job,” or “I really appreciate your help.” You get an incredible feeling right in the middle of your chest. Giving that feeling is a gift. And it does not take a budget, plan, or approval. It just takes a few seconds from your day.

7. Create opportunity. We all want the same things from our jobs: opportunity and positive support. We may want the opportunity to be creative; to be a leader; to help people; or to make more money. When we don’t receive opportunity and positive support, we are not very happy. Figure out what kind of opportunity you want from your job. Make sure your employer understands what you need to be happy. Again, stand up and say something.

8. Be a better listener. Everyone thinks they are good listeners. In reality, we get into bad habits that prevent us from being good, active listeners. We multi-task. We wait to talk. We play solitaire on our computer during a conference call. Pay attention to your listening skills. When we listen, we are more effective as a team; we are better communicators; we are more productive; and we have more fun.

9. Be flexible to change. When change happens, ask yourself two important questions: Does this change affect my ability to be happy and successful in my job? Does this change affect the ability of those around me – my family, colleagues, clients, and vendors – to be happy and successful in their jobs? If both answers are no, then you know the change is not worth creating stress.

10. If you really want to reduce your stress, make a list of everything that caused you stress and frustration in the last week. Take a really hard look at what you wrote. You will giggle. Why? Because most of the things on that list don’t matter. Sure, there are some very important items on the list. Most of the items, though, we will forget about in a short time. Why do we forget? Because they really were not that important. When you are in the middle of a stressful and frustrating situation, take a moment and ask, “Am I going to giggle about this in a week?”

11. Help your teammates (stressed or otherwise) take ownership of their happiness and passion. Too many times, employees let other people’s actions or words determine their happiness. Happiness is a choice. Unfortunately, when we give control to other employees, managers, customers, partners, or vendors, we are never very happy. We have to take back that ownership. We have no control over many things at work. We always can have control of our reaction and our attitude.

12. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. During my presentations, I use improvisation as a tool to communicate my messages. The audience participants engage in the process with passion and energy. They have fun. They are relaxed. Because they are enjoying the process, they are more creative and productive. Why? They are not afraid of making a mistake. They understand they are working in a positive and supportive environment. We are all going to make mistakes. We want to minimize our mistakes and learn from them. If we take some of the pressure off, and support each other, we will figure out that we will make fewer mistakes. We will also have more fun.

I hope these twelve ideas will help you reduce your stress. Fun helps create the energy and passion that fuels our productivity, creativity and effectiveness. Without fun, we don’t have any fuel. Just like everything, fun is a choice. We each have to take responsibility and ownership of our fun and our goal to reduce stress. Remember, it is always your choice.


Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker, author and humorist. He shares his experience and insight on creativity, communication, work/life balance, leadership, teamwork, passion, and fun through his speaking presentations and book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life”. He has appeared on CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, the Fox Network’s Fox and Friends Weekend and been featured in the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, The Kansas City Star, and many other media outlets. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Improv Everywhere and Phil Gerbyshak

A friend told me about Phil Gerbyshak's web site. She wanted me to check out his site and this recent post about Improv Everywhere.

I have to give credit to Phil. He definitely has a cool blog packed with useful articles and information. More importantly, the site has a very positive and fun vibe. The real credit goes to Phil for introducing me to Improv Everywhere.

Improvisation is an art form. As someone who has performed improvisation for almost 15 years, I am always excited to see how others are pushing the boundaries and experimenting with the form.

In my presentations and book, I use improvisation as a teaching tool. I always encourage anyone interested in improvisation to enjoy all of the different flavors it offers. Each improvisation group uses their own techniques and spin. That is what makes improvisation so exciting.

Be sure to check out Phil' site: http://makeitgreat.typepad.com/makeitgreat/
Be sure to check out Improv Everywhere's site: http://improveverywhere.com/

Have a great weekend.

Humor and Fun at Work

Everyone says we are in a recession. I am sure "fun at work" or "humor at work" are not the topics of choice right now. Remember the key lesson in improvisation: you have to stay in the game. Yes, there will be challenges and obstacles. The easy answer is to quit. If you stay in the game, you might have to work harder, learn something new, or get out of your comfort zone. If we stay in the game, we are guaranteed success.

There are many things we cannot control. We can always control our attitude and how we react to a situation. Too many times we give this control to others. The result is frustration, stress and working without passion. Doesn't sound fun, huh?

Well, maybe a few laughs will help. First up is a story from the Portland (Maine) Press Herald. Matt Wickenheiser wrote a great article about humor at work. I think this is an important topic during the current economy. Mergers, layoffs, recession all can drain the fun out of work. What happens then? Where do we find our energy for our creativity, productivity and success?

The really cool thing about Matt's article is he asked a couple of the sources in the story to record a joke for the Press Herald's web site. I was thrilled to contribute. I told one of my favorites: The Green Gorilla joke. This joke was told to me by my 8th grade history teacher. Now, Matt doesn't set me up very well. I know he was trying to warn the listeners that the joke is kind of long. Yes, it is a long joke. Yes, the punchline is silly. Still, it is one of my favorites. The joke is also a very physical joke, and better told in person. So, keep that in mind.

Anyway, here is the link to the article and a link to the joke recording:

Article: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=178953&ac=PHbiz

Joke: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/media/april1st_biz.mp3

Finally, one more link. I was recently interviewed on the Fox Network. I am sorry to say I was not on Bill O'Reilly's show. I appeared on Fox and Friends Weekend about "recession-proofing your job". I had a great time.

A few points of interest as you view the link:

1. Watch me dart my eyes back and forth at the beginning of the interview. Uh, scary.

2. Count the number of times I say, "you know." Shameful.

3. Try to answer the question, "Why is Joel holding a puppy?"

Here is the link:

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=e1b554cf-8396-407d-b243-a6a05646c702

Until next week, Rock Chalk Jayhawk.

Suite 101 Book Review and Tulsa World Article

I wanted to share an excellent review of my book, Make the Right Choice. I am thrilled with the article because it is one of the most complete reviews that I have received. The reviewer really captured the book's combination of fun and key messages.

Enjoy the review: http://workplaceculture.suite101.com/article.cfm/make_the_right_choice_by_joel_zeff

Also, here is a very good article about my presentations from the Tulsa World:

http://209.184.242.25/business/article.aspx?articleID=20080313_5_E2_spanc15244

Finally, be sure to set your DVRs to Fox and Friends Weekend this Saturday, March 22. The Fox and Friends team will interview me about my book and "recession proofing" your job. I know. I can't wait to hear what I am going to say, too. The interview should be between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. (Eastern).

Have a great week.

Creativity for the Individual

I had big intentions of blogging about the Oscars. Then I got sick. I had even bigger intentions to blog about American Idol. Still sick.

So, this week I am posting a revamped creativity article. A friend who runs an excellent blog for photographers (http://rising.blackstar.com/) asked for an article that focused more on the individual rather than creativity in a team environment.

So, for all the freelancers, artists, writers, photographers, telecommuters, and anyone else who doesn't work in a team environment, here are eleven ideas to enhance the creative process.

And if you want to see the article on the photography blog, please visit http://rising.blackstar.com/11-ideas-to-enhance-the-creative-process-2.html.


Eleven Ideas to Enhance the Creative Process

It is time to think about reenergizing our creative process. We know how our minds create. All creative minds, such as photographers, artists, and writers, know what works best to inspire their creativity. What happens when we start bad habits? If we are in a rut, can we jump start our creativity?

I think we can all find new ways to energize the creative process. Creativity needs positive energy for fuel. If we make a few slight changes, improve our creativity habits, and just have more fun, our creative energies will increase. Here are a few tips that hopefully will inspire the next great idea.

1. Relax, and create ideas each day. Sometimes we are so focused on the current project or our business, we forget to step back and think. We rush. We move from one project to the next. We start to do things the same way because it is easier. Take five minutes each day by yourself and think. Don't think about anything in particular. Just think. Take a walk around the block. Go sit on a bench. Leave your cell phone and Blackberry on your desk. Now, just think. Stare at a tree. Don’t think about anything in particular. Your mind knows what you need. Each time you do this you will have an idea. Sometimes it will be a little idea. Sometimes it will be a big idea.

2. Expand your possibility box. If the box is bigger, there will be more possibilities. When people want to create ideas, the first instinct is to shrink the possibility box. If you shrink the box, there will be nothing there. Try to expand the possibilities. Remember: try not to create rules where rules do not exist. I will give you an example: take five minutes and write down every animal that starts with the letter “T”. Okay, how many animals do you have? If your list does not include made up animals (such as the tutu, teegee, or tylops) or animals with adjectives (terrible lion, terrific owl, tasty fish), then you did not expand the possibility box. You created rules for the game (no made up animals, no adjectives in front of animals). If you expanded your possibility box, you would have included adjectives, made up animals, and mythical animals.

3. Notate everything. Yes, it is a pain to write every idea down. If you don’t, you will forget. We always forget. Take notes or use and audio recorder. Send yourself e-mails. No idea is too small to notate.

4. Change your location. Creativity wants variety. Take a walk to another floor in the building, go outside and sit on a bench or stand around the parking lot. Go to a nearby museum, store, mall, coffee shop or park to think. Use your surroundings to inspire and motivate you to create. Get out of your normal surroundings and experience something new.

5. Create fast brainstorming sessions. Do not linger. Use quick energy bursts. Give yourself 15 minutes and create as many ideas as possible. And then stop. You can even run in and out of the room to create a sense of urgency. The shorter time will force you to focus on the task and create more energy. Also, the shorter session will force you to make better choices in the creative process. There is no time to judge, analyze, or second guess. There is only enough time to create ideas. Do this several times a day. Use that positive energy to focus and produce ideas.

6. Stop creating rules where rules do not exist. If someone says, “This is the way we have always done it,” run away in horror. You are not safe. He or she is a creative zombie and may infect you.
7. Eliminate some of your fears (the fear of failure, the fear of making a mistake, the fear of looking foolish) and your creative energy will increase. Nobody is keeping score. Every great idea in the history of the world was foolish or stupid. How many people walked by Orville and Wilbur Wright’s workshop to tell them they were fools?

8. Find new ways of doing something. There is always more than one path and way. Don't be so quick to judge.

9. Stop trying to analyze and create at the same time. It is impossible. Our first instinct is to create an idea and then analyze it to death. As soon as you start analyzing, you have stopped the creative process. You are figuring out if one idea can work (do we have the budget, the time, etc.) and have stopped creating ideas. Our minds cannot do both at the same time. Separate the two activities. Focus on the creative process and building on ideas. When you have finished creating, then you can start analyzing. Creativity wants momentum and energy.

10. Don’t worry about who gets the credit. One of the biggest obstacles to the creative process is ego. Even as an independent photographer, you still have to work with others to create a finished product. Successful teams understand it takes many people, groups, and organizations for an idea to become a reality. Spend more time figuring out how to make the idea work rather than who gets the credit.

11. When you do work with a team (art director, client, advertiser, etc.) build on each other’s ideas. The most successful creativity sessions are when everyone is participating, contributing thoughts and building on ideas. Be open to each other’s ideas. When everyone has ownership and responsibility for an idea, the energy will fuel success.


Hopefully, these tips will inspire you to create. Don’t be afraid to try something different in the creative process. Find what works best for you. Most importantly, have fun creating ideas. Even when we are trying to create very serious ideas for very serious business clients, creativity still wants energy. Fun will invigorate the creative process. No matter what, don’t let the creative zombies zap your energy.


Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker and humorist. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for years. Corporations and organizations nationwide seek him out to motivate and energize their employees on such topics as work/life balance, passion at work, creativity, communication, teamwork, and leadership. His first book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life” was just published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Joel Zeff and Joel Zeff Creative retain the ownership and rights to this article. If you would like to reprint, publish, post or use this article, please contact the author to obtain written consent. Otherwise, we would be very unhappy.

Dealing with Stress

I was recently asked by a writer to jot down some thoughts on creating a better team and dealing with stressed co-workers. I was also recently interviewed about dealing with a "bully" at work. So, I guess I am the go-to guy about negative people at work.

When the bully article is posted, I will send a link. Until then, here are some thoughts on teamwork and dealing with stressed co-workers.


1. To me, successful teamwork is asking yourself one question: “How can I make the other people around me more successful?” If you answer that question and act on it, you can help create a better team (and help your stressed co-worker in the process). Most people come to work and say, “How can everyone else make ME more successful?” If you don’t care who gets the credit, if you learn to support and take care of the person next to you, the entire work environment will quickly change.

2. Help your teammates (stressed or otherwise) take ownership of their happiness and passion. Too many times, employees let other people’s actions or words determine their happiness. Happiness is a choice. Unfortunately, when we give control to other employees, managers, customers, partners, or vendors, we are never very happy. We have to take back that ownership. Would you, as a normal, sane person, really make the choice to wake up in the morning, comb your hair, brush your teeth and say, “Man, I am bitter, frustrated and angry. I can’t wait to get to work.” No, you wouldn’t. Yet, people do that every day. We have no control over many things at work. We always can have control of our reaction and our attitude.

3. Be patient and positive in your tone of voice. Sounds simple, but a reassuring and patient tone in your voice will do wonders for teamwork and for helping your stressed co-worker.

4. Take a break. Again, a simple idea but something that has very real results. Ever try and assemble something from the store? Ever get frustrated? Ever throw the directions across the room in frustration? Stop, take a break, and then reassess. Just a few moments away will give you the energy to move forward.

5. Be in the moment with your co-workers. Working in the moment means being focused and connected. Listen to each other. Make eye contact. Engage in the communication process. If you want to create more stress, then check your e-mail on your phone during a meeting. During one recent meeting with a new client to discuss their conference, one VP wouldn’t make eye contact. The other two participants kept sending texts on their mobile device. Nobody was in the moment with me or with each other.

6. Tell your co-workers you appreciate them. We all want positive support at work. When we don’t receive appreciation and thanks, we are not very happy. You know how you feel when someone says, “You made a difference,” or “Great job,” or “I really appreciate your help.” You get an incredible feeling right in the middle of your chest. Giving that feeling is a gift. And it doesn’t take a budget, plan, or approval. It just takes a few seconds from your day.

Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker and humorist. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for years. Corporations and organizations nationwide seek him out to motivate and energize their employees on such topics as work/life balance, passion at work, creativity, communication, teamwork, and leadership. His first book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life” was just published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Joel Zeff and Joel Zeff Creative retain the ownership and rights to this article. If you would like to reprint or publish this article in your blog or other media, please send an e-mail to the author for permission.

Welcome to my Amazon visitors

If all goes well, this blog will start showing up on the Make the Right Choice page on Amazon. The "if" part takes into consideration:

1. That I correctly signed up for the feed.
2. That I correctly signed up for the Amazon Connect, allowing my blog to be shown on the book's page.
3. That I have any idea what a "feed" or "Amazon Connect" really does.

So, welcome to my little blog. I will post recent articles I have written, interviews I have done about the book or other topics, and various musings on life, work, and happiness.

Enjoy the blog. Enjoy the feed. Enjoy my feeding the blog or blogging the feed.