Goofing Off Pays Big Time

By Megan Joiner and Harrison Kramer, 12.06.06

Jessica Glover arrives at Robins Federal Credit Union at 9 a.m. and settles in behind her desk. There are no customers this early in the morning so, with three clicks of a mouse, she is soon leaving messages for friends on Facebook.

Suddenly, her boss, Barbara Mead, appears from her office. Glover looks over her shoulder, but she is not concerned. Mead encourages her employees to relax when the credit union is not crowded.

“When nothing’s going on, we can relax a little bit as long as we keep our minds on work,” Glover said. “If someone comes in, we have to get our minds back on the job.”

Employees who divert from their work day and play online video games, type a letter on MySpace or watch a video on YouTube can be interpreted as wasting company time and resources. However, managers are now realizing that allowing their workers a little goof off time may actually increase productivity.

“It makes me a better worker because if you’re always tense, if we weren’t able to relax a little when there’s nothing going on, we’re going to become more lackadaisical in what we do,” Glover said. “We just have to be responsible and know when to get back to work.”

Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder of the Stress Institute and author of “A Life in Balance: Nourishing the Four Roots of True Happiness,” recommends including a daily 10 to 15 minute break to play a computer game throughout your work day. This will keep you refreshed and able to put out your best effort.

“We were meant to play. It’s in our DNA,” Hall said. “When people play it’s like recharging a cell phone. It changes negative emotions.”

Hall said corporations would see revolutionary changes in productivity and teamwork within their companies if they added two areas: a play room and a serenity room.

“Take two breaks a day, one for play and one for rest,” Hall said. “When you play you refresh the hormones that trigger creativity and increase energy. Any game that involves logic, creativity and play is healthy.”

Hall’s studies indicate that when you play you create brain cells. Filling in crossword puzzles or playing games that involve strategy, slows down the aging process. She said that a growing body of evidence shows that lifelong stimulation is the key to building brain cells. It helps memory and problem solving skills.

Many corporations are tapping into Hall’s philosophy of integrating play time into the work day. Scott Allen, a defense industry contractor with L3 Communications in Warner Robins, Ga., said his team of professional aviators takes lots of breaks.

“We are constantly testing navigational simulators so our line of work warrants down time,” Allen said.

As pilots, engineers and navigators who sit all day they are given the kind of free time that makes employees of other companies envious.

“We are required to take 15 minute breaks throughout the day. We’re also given three hours a week to be able to take off and go to the gym,” Allen said. “It’s not a waste of time, because you’re able to relieve stress. It helps your mind go into neutral, and you can think about your job and sometimes your ideas flow better.”

Another advocate of the philosophy that play keeps employees resourceful and effective is Bill Coleman, senior vice president of Salary.com.

“In some cases, the extra wasted time might be considered creative waste, time that may well have a positive impact on the company’s culture, work environment and even business results,” Coleman said.

He said personal Internet use and casual office conversations often turn into new business ideas or suggestions for making the work environment more efficient.

Dr. Hall’s research at the Stress Institute has given her the opportunity to host her own radio program and speak at major conferences held by corporations like IBM. She encourages CEOs and managers to grow their company like they would grow a garden.

“You need water, fertilizer and sunshine,” said Hall. “Rethink how the brain works. It needs play rest and work to develop.”

Dr. Hall sees stress and aggression in the workplace becoming more prevalent.
Everyone is different and managers need to be conscious of the different ways stress affects people.

Hall’s research shows that nature has a calming effect on people. Companies are now building their offices using blue and green glass. Plants are more predominant in the hallways and open areas.

“Now the corporate trend is to have money set aside for stress reduction, education and training,” Hall said. “We prize work. It’s wrong and it’s why we’re all nuts.”