Fieldamental #30: Keep Things Fun!

KEEP THINGS FUN. Work hard and play hard.  Remember that the world has bigger problems than even the most difficult challenges that make up our daily work.  Keep perspective.  Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh every day.

Let’s face it; we all spend a lot of time working.  We should make this time as fun as possible and not take ourselves too seriously.  Keeping things fun puts all of the Fieldamentals into perspective and is the last one for that reason.  Having some fun can make the hardest work seem enjoyable.  The best example of this for me was during several trips I made to Haiti.  The first year I went was in August with 17 other men to build a septic system for a Catholic school.  It was the hardest physical work I can ever remember doing, digging ditches in oppressively hot conditions.  But the group laughed throughout the day and we had fun doing it.  The trip was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, Bill and I went back several times.

There are significant health benefits resulting from laughter.  The best article on this I found is:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm

Laughter is contagious; it strengthens your immune system, reduces pain, boosts energy and minimizes stress, all for free!

We have all been around “Debbie Downer” and “Negative Nancy”.  They drain the energy out of a group of people and are not fun to be around.  Bad attitudes are as bad and can be as contagious and laughter, make sure you bring a positive attitude and an upbeat outlook to Field.  Life can be very challenging at times, be supportive of other team members that are struggling.  Find a way to help them with issues that are weighing them down.

I can’t believe how fast the past 30 weeks has gone!  It has been a privilege and joy to share my thoughts on our Fieldamentals each week. I hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about our Fieldamentals as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing them.