Summer’s Secret to Better Work: Play More

Summer isn’t just for out-of-office replies and ice cream trucks—it’s the perfect time to experiment with playful ways to reset, reconnect, and re-energize your team. Here are a few quick, research-backed ways to weave play into your workday:

1. Shake Up Your Meetings: Try starting a meeting with a “Scribble Bird” (yes, really): scribble with your eyes closed for 3 seconds, then turn it into a bird. It’s absurdly effective for loosening up the brain and sparking creativity. (and people will still talk about it months later!)

2. Take a Play Break: A 3-minute Desk Disco or Finger Walk can reset focus and reduce stress. Not kidding—tiny, playful movements shift your neurochemistry in real-time. Check the Playful Breaks deck (on summer sale!) for more.

3. Play With Purpose: Instead of forcing fun, think playfulness: reframe a task or challenge to make it more interesting or engaging. This isn't about games—it’s about perspective. What’s the most playful way you can do what you were going to do anyway?

4. Tap Into Personal Play Identities; Some of us play through social connection. Others need puzzles or imagination. One-size-fits-all play doesn’t work. Encourage folks to explore what play means for them (try the Personal Play Identity self-assessment for a quick start).

5. Reframe Summer Slack; Lower energy in summer? That’s a feature, not a bug. Build in release and recovery phases. Shorten agendas. Encourage walk-and-talks. Let your team breathe—and you’ll actually boost engagement and innovation long-term.

Want More? I’d love to bring these ideas to life for your team. I speak and lead workshops for organizations ready to energize their culture and elevate performance—especially during seasons when motivation lags. Watch my speaker reel to see how I bring playful work design to life, or just hit reply and let’s chat about what your team needs.

Let’s turn summer into your team’s secret advantage.