Today was Fun - a book about work
My friend Bree has a new book out this week called Today Was Fun. It’s a brilliant read on reframing our relationship with work. Here’s a little Q&A with her:
‘What's the problem with work that your book is aiming to fix?’
Our common understandings of work often fall at two different ends of a spectrum. On the one end we have "work is called work for a reason". It's drudgery. It's the belief that we get paid because work is painful and people wouldn't do it otherwise. It's the resentment that brews when employers see humans as "human resources" and try to extract as much as possible from them. On the other end, we have "love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life". This sounds nice, except that this philosophy can easily lead to a life of overworking and centering work as the foundation of our identities. I think there's a third way. A middle way. And it's this: Work can, simply, be fun! Not dreadful. Not religion. Just... a nice way to spend our days on the planet.
‘Did you have a burning desire to write this book?’
I had wanted to write a book for many years, but had a crucible experience which made writing the book both urgent and possible. In 2022 my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My father already had Alzheimer's. As an only child, I took immediate leave from work to take care of them both. There would be days when I was sitting in the waiting room at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center amidst all of these beautiful humans hoping desperately for more days. And then I'd talk to a friend and hear them say, "I can't wait until this week is over." Here were these incredible doctors moving heaven and earth to save human days, all while those who had their health were throwing them away. It felt like an emergency. I wanted to save human days too, in the way that I knew how. And that was helping people find joy in the days they had—even Mondays.
‘What do you want people to do after reading it?’
I want them to find or make fun every day. I want them to prioritize their own pleasure at work, because when we're having fun the work is better, the teams are better, the business is better, but most importantly: Our lives are better! Even on a totally terrible day at the office, I want people to still find and appreciate a pixel of joy or peace.
‘I love that you set out to write a book about work that is fun, why was that important to you?’
Part of what I rail against in the book is this notion of professionalism meaning to be all buttoned up and formal as a way to telegraph competence. But you know what? I'm just as smart when I'm having fun as when I'm super serious. I was adamant that the book actually embodied the ideas I was writing about. So for example, I make the case for humanity at work, but also I AM very human in the book. I share about my life, I make stupid jokes, I swear.
‘What's the takeaway from the book that you're most proud of?’
The one that I most want to convey is that our days at work come from the finite bank of days we have on this planet. And we will run out! No two ways about it. If we should enjoy our lives, and we spend a large portion of our lives working, well, then we should enjoy our work. To me, it's that simple.
‘What’s your favourite hack for how somebody reading this can have a better and more joyful day at work?’
Play music that came out the year you turned 18. If you work in an office it’ll be a conversation starter and might even defang ageism by normalizing BEING AN AGE, any age. Plus, there’s no music that’ll brighten your day faster than your teenage music.
Love that. Thanks Bree, I’m off to listen to The Smiths ;)
Find out more: breegroff.com/book