InSwift - Network News

From the heart of ancient Polynesia
A lesson for busy Americans - work and have fun too"
used with permission from Joel Weldon - Success Comes In Cans

A number of years ago, a United States Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English on one of the tiny, remote Tongan islands in Polynesia, learned a valuable lesson that you too might benefit from.

His class was giving him fits—giggling and playing as usual, and, as far as he could see, refusing to do any serious work. He asked them to “stop the nonsense.” Threatening punishment, he ordered them to “get down to business.” He pleaded with them to “be responsible for once.”

Finally, in utter frustration, he turned his back on the class, walked to the door and stared out at the sea. “You’re so difficult to under-stand,” he mumbled to himself.

“No. Easy to understand,” came the unexpected response from one of the students. “We work and have fun too.”

Do you work and have fun too? Or are you so busy working hard that enjoyment just doesn’t seem possible?

Well, enjoyment is possible, and it usually doesn’t require any extra time! Rather, it’s an attitude—a way of thinking about yourself and your work.

Today, many of us are so concerned with speed—efficiency, effectiveness, schedules, deadlines, and requirements—that enjoying our work has become a very low priority. In contrast, Tongans believe it is most important to enjoy their work and to share that pleasure with each other. To them, the beauty of almost any job lies not in the tangible results, but rather in smiling, laughing, and singing while they work.

Doing your work well and on time is very important, but so is deriving pleasure from that work. When you consciously enjoy what you are doing, your work itself improves. Your associates are affected by your good “vibrations” and work becomes more pleasurable for them too.

So, from the heart of ancient Polynesia comes a valuable lesson for busy Americans: work and have fun too!

Here’s what you can do: Remain aware of what it is you enjoy about your work and your surroundings. Display your pleasure so others can benefit from it too. Make someone laugh today. Look for the humor in situations to break the tension. Don’t take yourself too seriously —laugh at yourself more. If you don’t think you have anything to laugh about, get out your high school yearbook picture!