I just came in from running around outside. In fact, I was running around outside all day.

First, we raked leaves. I H-A-T-E-D raking leaves as a kid. Actually, I told my husband as we were sitting on the front porch basking in our rake-leaving successful bliss, that I used to rake leaves all morning- have a quick lunch- then go back to raking leaves with my dad all afternoon. I was always made to rake leaves as a child/teenager (notice I said ‘made’. LOL).

Well as we were raking I noticed myself in the yard. I was having a good- good time. YES- I was having fun!

I’d rake the leaves onto the big blue tarp and then drag them into the woods. There I would romp around, playing as I shook out the tarp; then I RAN back up the hill. Yes, ran. I felt like a little kid running through the grass.

Fast forward to tonight- just now- when I was running around in the dark. We fixed up and added more Halloween decorations to the house and I must say they look AWESOME!

So I went outside, now that it’s dark, to assess our work. I was running all over the yard, down in the street, yelling to my husband to come look and moving things around. I was smiling, laughing, and just being plain silly.

To feel like a kid again!

How does this relate to healthcare? R-E-A-L-L-Y??? To me, not at all!

There isn’t much ‘fun’ going on. People are miserable. Everyone is taking themselves way too seriously. In fact, the other day at work I heard someone in my office say: “Many days I’m here, the thing that gets me through the day… I think to myself – well at least I have a job“.

When did working in healthcare become so forced? How come people aren’t enjoying themselves? And what can we do for ourselves to ensure that we DO actually like our work?

Look to the children, Elaine. Look to the children. (Jerry Seinfeld says “Look to the Cookie, Elaine. Look to the Cookie”).

Children live life with a beginner’s mind.

Did you know age 0-7 is called the imprinting period? Children are like sponges, picking up and soaking in everything around them. They are curious, uninhibited, and carefree. They don’t care what other people ‘think’ of them and generally do what feels good. I watched dozens of kids last night jumping off of the hay stack at the Haunted Hay Ride we went to.

So how can our healthcare system learn from the child?

Stop trying so hard to impress. Quit worrying about what the ‘other’ is doing. We’re so obsessed with quality indicators, satisfaction scores, and national rankings that we’ve forgotten one of the most important concepts:

ENJOYING our work!

And let me share a secret with you: you’re organization isn’t about fun. Your manager won’t promote a good time. Your team, colleagues, and co-workers aren’t there to make sure you enjoy yourself.

Only YOU can ensure your own joy.

So let me challenge you with this. How will you have fun at work? What will you do to make sure (one day at a time) you are there with a smile? Can you find one thing that you like, even better, LOVE about your j-o-b?

Free yourself from the tribal think. Be your SELF.

Share below one way you will have fun at work this week! Let’s hear from you. Enjoy yourself and your health today.