100 Ways to Play at Work #25: Talk to Stuff

There was a thread (Reddit?) about adding whimsy to our lives, and one woman said she says “May I take your coats” when peeling garlic. So, that type of stuff. And do their voices if the objects respond. And if people look at you weird, maybe they’re weird for not being playful. Also, your superpower might be the ability to talk to inanimate objects, they don’t know.

What are you going to talk to first?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #24: Personalise Your Handshake

If it’s your first time meeting someone, probably keep it formal. You’ve got your standard handshake, or fist bump, or slap into slide into snap. But if it’s someone you’re excited to see again, it’s time to celebrate with some complicated full body greetings gymnastics. A movement that you two create together, that is just for you. Hip bumps, spins, lifts, make it impressive enough that other people in the group will be so impressed they won’t mind waiting it out each time you two see each other.

Who’s your handshake buddy?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #23: Horoscope

Find and read a daily horoscope for your sign. If you don’t believe in horoscopes, even better. Now, take what it’s saying, and help make it become a reality. “Take time to laugh with friends.” “Have a romance.” “Lead by example.” “Make a difference.” “Change… something.” Whatever it says, let that be your guide for the day.

Unless it’s no fun, or some dire warning or something, then skip today’s and try again tomorrow. That’s so Gemini of you.

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #21: Move Differently

Instead of slowly getting up, jump out of your chair. Walk with your arms swinging fully. Bounce with each step. Hold your head high. Moving your body differently will make you think and feel differently.

I sometimes walk around the house like Robocop, and when I change directions, I turn my head first, then upper body, then legs. Does it look cool? Depends who you ask. Does is feel cool? Yes.

You don’t need to go full dance number, for some of us just getting up from our chairs more often is different enough.

Now get moving!  

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #20: Get Emotional!

Nothing drives words out of your mouth like emotions. Pick one and give it a go. You might be thinking, but I’m not allowed to be emotional at work (other than anger, men are allowed to be angry all the time and call it “passionate”). I’m not saying start at a 10 on the emotional scale, just dip the toes in the water.

If someone comes up for a convo, think to yourself, “I’m gonna be a little excited/paranoid/surprised/proud/nostalgic and let it give your words some temperature.

I used to have just apathy and anger (aka fear) and my therapist hoped that one day I’d have the full range of emotions. So I practiced them with improv!

How you feelin’?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #19: Questions Only

It’s like Jeopardy rules. Hold down a “normal” conversation, but your end is always phrased in the form of a question. The key is to still answer them, and keep the convo going.

Bonus: It’s actually a really good way of being curious and finding out about others.

Eg.

Hey Kevin, I’m gonna need you to optimize the circle back on the AI.

How high a priority is this?

I kinda need it today, if that’s possible.

Today 5pm, or today midnight?

Anytime today would be great.

Wouldn’t tomorrow be considered today when we get there?

What?

Are you also playing the questions game?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #18: Props

In improv, you can take any object and use your imagination to make it something else. ​F​or example, a pen ​can be a moustache, a cigar, an alien antennae, a giant tower in a miniature world.

In real life, you can ​g​o beyond imagination and actually use things for more than their intended purpose. ​There’s the obvious, coffee mug that hold​s pens (mini towers), or paper clips (mini racetracks). ​But go further. Your rolly chair is a vehicle. Your desk a dance floor. Use your tie as a belt. Use your belt as a tie. Use your post-it notes as a dress.

You just gotta think to yourself, what else can this​ thing ​b​e or ​d​o?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #17: Rhyme Time!

As usual, strike up that “normal” conversation. This time the game is: whatever word they end with, make sure your last word rhymes with it.

Bonus points if your sentence is roughly the same number of syllables. You can even keep a beat going in your head. This is great practice if you ever find yourself performing on an A cappella musical improv team (shout out to JerJosh & the SteveCams).

Eg.

Hey Heather, check this AI thing out!
Oh amazing, what’s it all about?
Well, it’s some art I’ve been working on, you know, on the side.
You should share it around, that’s not something to hide.

(Full disclosure, the art wasn’t great, but in the moment Heather couldn’t think of a different rhyme.)

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #16: Make Art

Don’t just staple pages together, staple a little picture. Make a flip book out of post-it notes. Bend paperclips into animals. Use highlighters as watercolour.

Take 10 minutes to just create… something. Go over to the photocopy room right now, grab some paper scraps, tape, markers and make your (daily? weekly?) masterpiece to display at your desk, or on the office fridge.  

It’s not about selling the art, or doing a good job, it’s simply enjoying the act of creating something new.

What will you art today?

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This series was inspired by people asking me “How do I keep doing improv?” after a corporate improv workshop. There are, of course, improv classes, more workshops, team building exercises you can do with your group, but these games are specifically ones you can do on your own to practice “Yes and” and get into a state of play.

100 Ways to Play at Work #15: Play Bingo!

Another boring meeting? Doesn’t have to be, because you’ve created your bingo card. Draw a 5x5 grid of boxes. Then fill in your “favourite” potential meeting moments.

Some examples include:

• There are tech issues

• Someone says “Touch base”/“Let’s circle back to that”/“Out of pocket”​ 

• Someone interrupts to ask “Are you done with the room?”

• AI gets mentioned (maybe use as the guaranteed spot in the middle)

• Someone comes late and apologizes, then leaves early and apologizes

• Someone says “This could’ve been an email” then raises their hand for a high five but there are no takers so they high five themselves and say “Noice!”

• ​The meeting runs late

And when you get 5 in a row, let them know by yelling "Bingo!" that this was officially a meeting.   

100 Ways to Play at Work #14: Make up your own Saying.

Coming up with a new old timey saying is like putting dry boots on a wet goat. It’s hard. Or easy? I don’t know. But when you finally achieve it, it’s like finding a grape in your figgy pudding. You know you’ve tucked your shadow in for the night, and you can celebrate like tigers on a picket fence!

Share your new saying. Because as they say, the fastest mouse isn’t always the loudest.

100 Ways to Play at Work #13: Hype Team

Just as it sounds, find someone and be their “hype” person. Support what they say. Root for them. Build up their ideas.

Here’s the key, there’s gotta be something genuine at the core, or it’ll start to seem sarcastic. It’s just pushing the positive that’s already there. If you like their idea even a bit, go full love it!

Who are you gonna make feel great today?

100 Ways to Play at Work #12: Alliterating All Along

Pick a letter, any letter. Try to use it as much as you can. Done. A simple challenge to give convos a sense of play. Bonus points for any sentence where every word begins with the same letter. Extra bonus points if nobody notices, or thinks it happened accidentally.

“You got those budget reports ready?”
“Why, what a wonderful way of wording your wishes!”
“…Just give me the numbers.”

100 Way to Play at Work #11: Act Like and Animal

Take on the characteristics of your favourite animal. I’m not saying start barking, or grow wings, but more feel their vibe. If it’s a cheetah, move in short bursts, then rest for a long time. A sloth, just take your time with things. Hold your head with pride like an eagle. Slide into a room like a snake. You get it. Just try not to go full honey badger ;)

It’s not about other people guessing, it’s just something internal for you to enjoy.

What animal will you be today?

100 Ways to Play at Work #10: Scene Dubbing

Look at those two people way across the room talking. You can’t hear them, but you know what they’re saying. Because you’re dubbing in their words, playing their characters.

This works alone, or with a friend. Find a conversation you can’t hear, and imagine what they’re saying. Read their body language, distance from each other, facial expressions, who’s talking the most, for accuracy. Use your imagination for the fun.

Are they having a heated conversation about the budget, or about dragons? That’s up to you!

100 Ways to Play at Work #9: Have a Secret

There’s an improv game called “Secret Wants” where just the idea of knowing something the other person doesn’t affects how you interact with them.

Imagine if you and a group of coworkers went in on the lottery together, and you’re the only one who knows they won. You can decide to play it cool, have small talk with everyone else, but there’s no hiding the buzzing vibration you feel underneath.

It’s like having a new tattoo and not talking about it. It’s tough, but it’s also something interesting underlying every conversation you have. If only you could tell them!

What’s your secret?

100 Ways to Play at Work #8: No "P"

Have your usual small talky conversations, but this time restrict yourself from using one letter of the alphabet. Maybe start with a high-ranking Scrabble tile, like “Z” and breeze through a whole chat. Then get more advanced with avoiding “G.” Eventually you could risk a vowel, even the ever-present “E.”

“Hey Sandy, I need your help with this AI stuff.”

“…Sounds good, I can… work… with you… on this.”

“Great, so here’s the issue, it’s AI so it’s acting all AI, you know?”

“I totally und… I do know what you… say. And I also don’t… want that. I… fix now.”

Nailed it.

100 Ways to Play at Work #7: "What if...?" in a Positive Way.

Our brains are set to look for problems. So when someone pitches a really fun, creative idea, it’s common to spend the rest of the meeting talking about how it “won’t work” because of all the things that could go wrong. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to balance that out. Instead of being the “voice of reason,” be the “voice of potential.”

“What if we go over budget?”

“What if this idea is so huge that new clients come pouring in?”

“What if people hate it?”

“What if everyone loves it and we’re given the keys to the city for being so wonderful?”

When people “What if?” they assume it’s more realistic to imagine bad things. But concerns about wild, unmitigated success are just as valid. I’m glad somebody had the courage to express them.

100 Ways to Play at Work #6: Number of Words

Just go about your normal work conversations, but this time set a limit on the numbers of words you’ll say before someone else has to talk. How do you decide how many? That sounds like a whole other game. Let’s just start with 5-10.

For example, 5 words.

“Hey Heather, how was your weekend?”

“It was great, I… concert.”

“You went to a concert?”

“Yep, Taylor Swift… good times.”

“Oh, I hear she’s amazing, big production, super fun.”

“Oh yeah, I was like…”

“…”

“…”

“…like what?”

“Had an amazing time… yep.”

Sure, you might talk more hesitantly, and they might see your fingers moving to count your words, but hey, fun.

Bonus Challenge: Start with 1 word, then go up to 20 (or as high as you want), then back down.

“Hey Heather, how was your weekend?”

“Great!”

“Oh, what’d you do?”

“Tay-tay concert.”

“Oh nice, did you love it?”

“I did!... indeed!”

100 Ways to Play at Work #5: Exaggerate Your Plans

Which sounds like a more fun convo:

“Got any plans for the weekend?”

“Not really, you?”

Or…

“Got any plans for the weekend?”

“Not really, just flying out to Barcelona because Taylor Swift wants to perform one of my songs with me, what about you?”

Sure, one’s a lie, and when they say “Wait, really?” and you say, “Nah, just wanted to say something more fun than catching up on chores” you’ll both have enjoyed that second of dreamlike wonder. And that’s a nice feeling.