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November/December 2006 Living Now
Why Goofing Off at Work May Not Be a Bad Thing

by Shirley Ryan

Shirley Ryan

"You want me to spend time doodling at the office? Are you nuts? My boss would kill me!" George, my client, shouted into the phone, his impatience clearly straining his voice.

The 38-year-old business manager had sought my help as a life coach to improve his performance at work and achieve his goal of promotion. "I'm falling behind on projects, I'm too stressed out to sleep at night and I'm afraid I'll lose out on the promotion-and you're telling me to take up doodling?"

In today's cutthroat business climate, it's all too easy to lose our focus, vision and creativity in the race to meet deadlines, outshine colleagues and snag the next rung on the corporate ladder. When we allow stress to overtake our balance, our performance on the job, and our well being, our workdays become a series of knee-jerk reactions to whatever crisis (real or imagined) appears before us. The result? Our peace of mind is shattered, our creativity dries up and our chances of achieving our goals become smaller and smaller. Instead of killing ourselves by working harder, we should be centering ourselves so that we can work smarter.

That's where goofing off at the office comes into play. The key is to goof off-for no more than a couple of minutes-in mindful or meditative ways that allow us to regain our balance and open up our minds. Doodling is just one of many mindful techniques that can be easily used in the workplace to calm our nerves, improve our focus, visualize our future and boost our creativity. Other forms of mindful goofing off include finding a quiet space to meditate for a few minutes or simply taking a contemplative stroll around the block.

Einstein worked passionately at everything he did, but his greatest accomplishment, the theory of relativity, came from the time he spent daydreaming. Athletes consistently incorporate visualization into their work days to enhance their performance. And yes, many a brilliant business idea or invention had its start as a simple doodle on the back of a napkin. All of these activities help to free the unconscious to allow the bubbling up of untapped riches.

Try incorporating any of these mindful, meditative ways to goof off into your daily work schedule.

• Watch wildlife. If you're fortunate enough to have an office aquarium, spend some time gazing at the fish as they swim, rhythmically and peacefully, in their environment. Bird watching is also centering and calming.
• Play with water. If you're near a pond, a lake or even a fountain, try skipping pebbles across the water. Gaze at the rippling, expanding circles produced by the stones as they skim the water's surface.
• Pet an animal. Those who work near or with animals can benefit from the soothing, stress-relieving qualities of petting a cat or dog.
• Whittle wood. Whittling not only relaxes us, but it also allows us a creative outlet. Keep a pocketknife and a small block of wood in your desk, and pull them out whenever you feel the need for a few minutes of goof-off time.
• Rub worry stones, rosary beads or Mala beads. Stones and beads have been used for centuries to aid in meditation and quiet contemplation.

The bottom line: Working frantically doesn't ensure better work; it just creates frenetic-looking work. By incorporating a small amount of mindful goofing off into our daily lives, we can help ourselves stay balanced, focused and open to the shimmering possibilities all around us.

Shirley Ryan is the author of Searching for the Waters of Antiquity: A Follow-Along Meditation Process, a meditation tool and a unique integration of her extensive career experience and her painting and meditation skills. The founder and president of Working Together, a business specializing in helping people manage life's changes in mind, body and spirit, Ryan has worked as a professional life coach since 1994. Visit www.searchingforthewaters.com.