Why is playing hard equally important while working hard?

‘Are you working hard?’ is a question we are often asked at work. But have you ever been asked ‘Are you playing hard?’ Likely you haven’t been asked this at your workplace. Well, it often happens that an organization lays heavy emphasis on achieving maximum productivity, and in the process often sidelines the aspect of having fun. While ensuring productivity is and should remain an organization’s key objective, it must not come at the cost of eliminating fun at the workplace. Rather, having fun while you work has numerous benefits, and increased productivity is one among these. Let’s deep dive to know how you can adopt a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle and how it can actually benefit you in multiple ways.

A ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle allows you to put your best efforts at work while also allowing you ample time for fun and recreation. Here are some ideas to maintain a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture at your organization:

• Develop a culture that encourages fun
• Organize friendly competitions
• Encourage humor and laughter
• Host office outings and parties
• Celebrate birthdays and milestones
• Set up a recreational/game area
• Plan team-building activities
• Encourage participation in gaming activities

Organizations that encourage a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle achieve the best results in terms of employee performance, and overall organizational success. But how does this play out? Here’s how a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle benefits people at an organization:

• Boosts productivity and performance
• Enhances creative and innovative thinking
• Helps develop a positive mindset
• Relieves stress and tension at the workplace
• Encourages collaboration and improves teamwork
• Builds genuine relationships with coworkers
• Minimizes disagreement among coworkers
• Reduces the rate of employee turnover

Well, as it turns out, someone who is happy at work is also successful at work. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to adopt a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle to achieve the perfect blend of happiness and success in life.