“Nonsense at Work” sounds more like an oxymoron than a legitimate business building strategy. But according to blogger and Executive Business Coach James McIntosh, it could be just what your business needs. McIntosh claims that, “Working hard gets you two things – more work and tired. What does lazy get you? New ways of doing things simpler and faster, and new products. Who invented power steering? A lazy person, of course! In other words, lazy people create efficiencies and stimulate inventions.”
Now, at Madison + Main, we’re not necessarily promoting laziness, but we do think Mr. McIntosh is on to something. As a company that has always embraced the popular phrase “work-life balance,” we think it’s important for employees to enjoy where they work and what they do but also have time set aside in their day to relax, take a break and have fun.
When employees are overworked, they’re often sluggish, forgetful and aren’t able to produce high quality results. Employees who take breaks throughout the day are proven to perform more efficiently. Just to clarify, we’re not suggesting that you should spend the better half of your work day on Facebook, but occasionally updating your Twitter status, browsing through your news feed or even posting an entry on your blog is perfectly acceptable. Other things that can help you decompress at work include watching funny YouTube videos, listening to music or playing ping pong (assuming your office has a ping pong table like ours).
The Madison + Mainiacs are certainly no strangers to this relaxed work environment. Whether we’re making Joel’s computer say funny things in a British accent or throwing a “JuJu Party” in hopes of kindling good luck vibes for our entries in the Richmond Ad Show, our playful mid-day breathers lighten the mood and give everyone a chance to refocus their energy. It may be cliché, but at Madison + Main we certainly work hard & play hard. And on occasion, we play harder.
To read more about James McIntosh and his strategies for business success, check out his blog: Nonsense at Work.