Lesson from Improv Comedy: Have More Fun!
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One of the most powerful ways to improve the quality of your work, relationships, and life, is to have more fun. And this doesn't mean just having fun in your free time, when you are away from work. Find a way to have fun at whatever you are doing, and not only will you enjoy it more, but you will also produce a higher quality of work.
As a director of improv comedy performances, one of the simplest ways I have found to help people improve in their performance was to remind them to have fun. Players who would be extremely serious, trying very hard to ‘get it right,' would invariably never really get it. They might learn what they needed to, and be technically proficient, but they would never perform at the high level they were capable of. Besides, what's the point of doing it if it's not fun?
Think about the difference between ‘work' and ‘play.' Most people tend to think of work as something they have to do. I believe that work should be fun. Not all the time; nothing is always fun and problem free. But if you think about your job and get depressed (as I did years ago at a job I had) you should consider changing your approach to the job or changing jobs all together.
As a comedian, it's pretty easy for people to look at me and say, ‘that's easy for you to say! In the real world, I have to make a living to support myself and my family.' Of course you do. But that doesn't mean that you have to stay at your job when you don't enjoy it.
I'm not saying that you should walk in tomorrow and quit. As with any major life decision, you should plan it out, and make sure you are prepared for the change. The reason most people don't make this change is not the inability to prepare for the change (although that may be the excuse). Rather, people tend to not believe they can do anything else, or that they could do better, or that they should be having fun at work.
So how can you have more fun at your current job? The answer should be obvious by now: Change your focus! Focus on why you are working there, and what's fun at work. Focus on the enjoyable aspects of work, and you will find more fun and draw more fun into your life.
If you make the choice to have more fun in everything you do, you will find your productivity and quality of life going up.
Avish Parashar is a dynamic professional speaker who shows organizations and individuals how to get what they want using the Art and Science of improv comedy. He weaves together humorous stories, witty observations, and interactive exercises from improvisational comedy to get people laughing, learning, and motivated! Avish is most commonly called upon to deliver programs on Motivation, Sales, and Communication
For more free articles, downloads, and resources, visit http://www.AvishParashar.com
To learn how to apply the powerful principles of improv comedy to your own business or life visit http://www.ImprovforEveryone.com
