What if the secret to better performance at work isn’t grinding harder—but rediscovering joy? That’s the bold idea at the heart of Bree Groff’s Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously). The transformation consultant challenges the outdated belief that “work is called work for a reason.” Instead, she argues that fun, creativity, and fulfillment aren’t distractions from productivity—they’re the fuel that powers it. In Groff’s view, the real radical act in modern workplaces is designing systems where work feels energizing instead of draining.
The Busyness Trap: Why Hustle Culture Is Hurting Us
Groff takes aim at the cult of busyness, calling it a cycle of stress rather than a badge of honor. Research backs her up: knowledge workers now face 117 emails a day and interruptions every two minutes. This hyperactive pace chips away at physical health, emotional resilience, and even relationships. Her advice? Slow down, reclaim time, and notice the small joys hidden in everyday work. “There are always flowers for those who want to see them,” she reminds us—if we pause long enough to look.
Rethinking Fun at Work: Beyond Ping-Pong Tables
For Groff, fun at work isn’t about free snacks or office games—it’s about the deeper satisfaction of creating value, learning new skills, and working with people you respect. She encourages leaders to ask their teams to imagine their best working day. From there, they can experiment with meaningful changes—like protected focus time, richer feedback loops, or clearer goals—that make work feel not just bearable, but rewarding.
Joy as a Practice: A New Metric for Success
Perhaps Groff’s most powerful idea is “spotting and multiplying joy.” She views joy not as a perk, but as a practice—a mindset shift that can be built into the fabric of work life. Her book is full of practical exercises, from “Do Nothing Days” to reset creativity, to the “Fast Food Rule” ensuring every voice gets heard. In a world where burnout and disengagement are at all-time highs, Groff offers a fresh, actionable blueprint: make joy a central metric of success. Because when work is designed to honor our humanity, both people and organizations thrive.
Comment