Take on the characteristics of your favourite animal. I’m not saying start barking, or grow wings, but more feel their vibe. If it’s a cheetah, move in short bursts, then rest for a long time. A sloth, just take your time with things. Hold your head with pride like an eagle. Slide into a room like a snake. You get it. Just try not to go full honey badger ;)
It’s not about other people guessing, it’s just something internal for you to enjoy.
What animal will you be today?
100 Ways to Play at Work #10: Scene Dubbing
Look at those two people way across the room talking. You can’t hear them, but you know what they’re saying. Because you’re dubbing in their words, playing their characters.
This works alone, or with a friend. Find a conversation you can’t hear, and imagine what they’re saying. Read their body language, distance from each other, facial expressions, who’s talking the most, for accuracy. Use your imagination for the fun.
Are they having a heated conversation about the budget, or about dragons? That’s up to you!
100 Ways to Play at Work #9: Have a Secret
There’s an improv game called “Secret Wants” where just the idea of knowing something the other person doesn’t affects how you interact with them.
Imagine if you and a group of coworkers went in on the lottery together, and you’re the only one who knows they won. You can decide to play it cool, have small talk with everyone else, but there’s no hiding the buzzing vibration you feel underneath.
It’s like having a new tattoo and not talking about it. It’s tough, but it’s also something interesting underlying every conversation you have. If only you could tell them!
What’s your secret?
100 Ways to Play at Work #8: No "P"
Have your usual small talky conversations, but this time restrict yourself from using one letter of the alphabet. Maybe start with a high-ranking Scrabble tile, like “Z” and breeze through a whole chat. Then get more advanced with avoiding “G.” Eventually you could risk a vowel, even the ever-present “E.”
“Hey Sandy, I need your help with this AI stuff.”
“…Sounds good, I can… work… with you… on this.”
“Great, so here’s the issue, it’s AI so it’s acting all AI, you know?”
“I totally und… I do know what you… say. And I also don’t… want that. I… fix now.”
Nailed it.
100 Ways to Play at Work #7: "What if...?" in a Positive Way.
Our brains are set to look for problems. So when someone pitches a really fun, creative idea, it’s common to spend the rest of the meeting talking about how it “won’t work” because of all the things that could go wrong. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to balance that out. Instead of being the “voice of reason,” be the “voice of potential.”
“What if we go over budget?”
“What if this idea is so huge that new clients come pouring in?”
“What if people hate it?”
“What if everyone loves it and we’re given the keys to the city for being so wonderful?”
When people “What if?” they assume it’s more realistic to imagine bad things. But concerns about wild, unmitigated success are just as valid. I’m glad somebody had the courage to express them.
100 Ways to Play at Work #6: Number of Words
Just go about your normal work conversations, but this time set a limit on the numbers of words you’ll say before someone else has to talk. How do you decide how many? That sounds like a whole other game. Let’s just start with 5-10.
For example, 5 words.
“Hey Heather, how was your weekend?”
“It was great, I… concert.”
“You went to a concert?”
“Yep, Taylor Swift… good times.”
“Oh, I hear she’s amazing, big production, super fun.”
“Oh yeah, I was like…”
“…”
“…”
“…like what?”
“Had an amazing time… yep.”
Sure, you might talk more hesitantly, and they might see your fingers moving to count your words, but hey, fun.
Bonus Challenge: Start with 1 word, then go up to 20 (or as high as you want), then back down.
“Hey Heather, how was your weekend?”
“Great!”
“Oh, what’d you do?”
“Tay-tay concert.”
“Oh nice, did you love it?”
“I did!... indeed!”
100 Ways to Play at Work #5: Exaggerate Your Plans
Which sounds like a more fun convo:
“Got any plans for the weekend?”
“Not really, you?”
Or…
“Got any plans for the weekend?”
“Not really, just flying out to Barcelona because Taylor Swift wants to perform one of my songs with me, what about you?”
Sure, one’s a lie, and when they say “Wait, really?” and you say, “Nah, just wanted to say something more fun than catching up on chores” you’ll both have enjoyed that second of dreamlike wonder. And that’s a nice feeling.
100 Ways to Play at Work #4: Clap Last
You know those all-staff meetings where you have to clap a bunch of times because the company is making so much money thanks to you. For your next pat-ourselves-on-the-back-a-thon, bring back the classic game of “who can clap last?”
Is this a game we played in grade school? Yes. Does that mean it won’t apply to adult workplaces? On the contrary, it’s even better.
Probably doesn’t need an explanation, but basically you just make sure the sound of your clap is the last one heard. Works with one person, but really kicks in if you have a rival. Then you need to, as they say in business, hone your craft. Classic clap cover ups include coughing to cover it up, looking behind you while you clap as though it’s coming from someone else, or looking around like there’s a fly you’re trying to swat.
100 Ways to Play at Work #3: Mirroring (Verbal)
Photo by Kevin Thom
There’s an improv game called Headlines where someone makes up a newspaper headline, then the next person uses the last word of that headline as the first word of theirs.
“Local cat runs for mayor.”
“Mayor decides to do things based on financial incentive.”
“Incentive is a word that I’ll look up later.”
Now you can play that game with your conversations at work.
“Hey, did you hear that Mittens actually won and is now our mayor?”
“Mayor mittens? I like it.”
“You’re not worried about a cat making our city’s decisions?”
“Decisions are a cat’s specialty, they always know what they want and act on it.”
“I guess. Welp, I should get back to working on my AI.”
“AI is how we business.”
Bonus Challenge: Repeat more than just one word, use the last series words in your reply. (Saw this on some CIA Masterclass.) Again, don’t overdo it, just enough that you feel tickled.
100 Ways to Play at Work #2: Mirroring
Photo by Kevin Thom
If they cross their legs, you cross yours. Take a sip of coffee/water/martini at the same time they do. Also frown at your computer screen for hours and hours making occasional under your breath grumbling comments.
Nothing too obvious, like flailing your arms exactly the same way while they’re talking, but match their energy.
Mirroring isn’t just an enjoyable distraction, it’s also a legitimate way humans connect with each other. Remember, people generally like how they do things, so the more you’re like them, the more they’ll like you.
Not A Bonus Challenge: There’s an improv game called “one voice” where you try to talk at the same time as someone else, but let’s not get too advanced/annoying too quickly.
100 Ways to Play at Work #1: Alphabet Game
There’s plenty of stuff (deadlines, clients, that Kevin guy) trying to make your job stressful on the outside, so let’s try to balance that by finding some joy on the inside. This is a series of fun little games you can play on your own or with others, to put your mind into a state of play (even while you’re at work).
#100: Alphabet Game
Have a regular conversation with your coworker(s), like you always would, but make it fun for yourself by playing the Alphabet Game. Every time it’s your turn to talk, use the next sequential letter of the alphabet.
“Hey Sarah, I need you to AI that thing.”
“As you wish.”
“Thanks, it’ll be so on trend.”
“Bet it will be.”
“Let me know if you need any help with it.”
“Could I get more money?”
“Haha”
Bonus challenge: Instead of going in alphabetical order from a to Z, follow the order they set. If their first word is “Help!” you reply by starting with an “I.” Just use the next letter after theirs.
Fun!
Happy Old Year!
How are you starting your new year? Because I’m not. Starting things is hard. A blank canvas, a blank screen, an empty stage, it all feels daunting. So instead, I’m going to keep my current year going. Treating January as a continuation of what I was doing in December. Sure, I might add some new exercises, new foods, learn new things, but that’s on top of everything that’s already going on. I’m not starting fresh in the new year. That’s too much work. I’m just riding the momentum of life into another day.
Happy day just like any other day!
If you’re feeling the pressure to do something special today, and come up with a bunch of resolutions, and generally fix everything that you feel is wrong with you, maybe take the day off. Especially if you have mental health goals, because that all sounds like a lot. Yes, January 1st feels like a good deadline to start some new habits, but January 2nd is also fine. Jan. 3rd is another day. In fact, each new day is just as special as the last.
If anything, the designated special days (birthdays, holidays, national pizza day) often end up feeling more stressful to live up to the hype than the fun they’re supposed to be. So take New Year’s off its pedestal and just be okay being okay today. You can start becoming that fitter, happier, richer, artier, chefier, sportier, decoratier, smurfier person on Jan… 11th...ish.
Two Imperfect Ships Passing in the Night
I was waiting at a stoplight last night, when I watched a guy walk up to the grocery store sliding doors and almost bump into them. He looked around, confused. It was just after 10pm, so the Loblaws was closed. I could tell he was embarrassed. We’ve all been there. Hard not to beat yourself up when you’ve done something silly in public. Just as he was walking away in shame, another person did basically the same thing. They started talking to each other. They laughed together. A shared embarrassment. It was nice. Mistakes can be beautiful.
Goal Setting for Anxiety
Well, it’s that time of year again, when we all set goals to fix everything that’s wrong in our lives. And each year, I think more and more of those goals are becoming about mental health. You know, because “to travel the world” and “to hug more people” and “to get out of bed” got crossed off. The goal setting tip I want to talk about today is: setting your goal in the positive. Meaning, making a plan to move towards what you want, instead of away from what you don’t.
Before we talk about anxiety goals, let’s use an analogy that most people can relate to: weight. Let’s say you think of yourself as overweight, you might set the goal “to be less fat.” Sounds super harsh, so we might soften it to “to lose 10 pounds.” But that’s still written like a solution to a problem. Meaning, we’re still focused on the problem. What is it we want? Like, what’s the real end goal of losing those 10 pounds?
Set the goal in the positive. Like, literally. Set the goal to something that will make you feel positive when you achieve it, AND make you feel positive on the journey. That’s key. Achieving goals doesn’t have to be a struggle. So you set it to something like, “to feel healthy and happy and good about myself.” That way, instead of just hitting the gym and pushing yourself/punish yourself, you also do activities that bring you joy.
And now anxiety. Let’s say you think of yourself as anxious, you might set the goal “to be less anxious.” Doesn’t sound as harsh as “less overweight,” but it’s still focusing on the idea that there’s something wrong with us that needs fixing. It’s a goal built out of fear. And yet, most of us stop there. I did.
For years my goal was to feel less anxious. So I did all the things I could think of to help me feel less anxious. Meditation, self-help, therapy, podcasts about anxiety, weed… and those were all great, but they also kept me focused on my anxiety. Because my anxiety was the reason I was doing them. I wasn’t meditating for fun, I was mediating to feel less anxious. So I wasn’t enjoying the journey. In fact, I was just constantly checking my anxiety level, which often goes up when you check it.
So I changed the goal to the positive and made it “to increase my joy” or “to feel happy and healthy” or something like that. Whatever it is, that’s the goal to aim for.
It doesn’t just change your mindset, it also changes how you might tackle the goal. You might still meditate to feel less anxious, but does meditating increase your joy? So you start coming up with addition plans to achieve your new goal. Doing improv, and softball, and watching cat videos, and weed.
What makes you smile? What makes you laugh? Those things are now a part of your mental health journey. Is watching Netflix a waste of time when you should be trying to feel less anxious? Maybe, if you’re watching something that sucks. But if you’re actually laughing and enjoying what you’re watching, well, my friend, you’re working on yourself right there!
To recap, set your mental health goals in the positive. Focus on the life you want, instead of focusing on fixing the one you don’t. And remember, you’re great.
Interview: Women's Circle
Honoured to have been interviewed by Marie-Josee Borduas, Life Coach & Health Practitioner & Writer & Fellow Lover of Improv!
We talk about the work, the play, and living on the moon.
Anxious Thoughts: The Ironic Mistake of Perfectionism.
Shout out to all the “A types” out there, who’ve been trained to believe that making a mistake is bad, and you should feel bad for making them. In fact, feel so bad, that you dedicate your life to avoiding the feeling of embarrassment. And what’s the furthest thing from embarrassment? Perfection. I mean, how can you feel bad for a mistake if you never make one?
Thing is, mistakes happen. And when you go into a situation expecting perfection, and you don’t get it (you say the wrong word, pause for over a second, breathe wrong), it’s even more jarring. So jarring, that you dread it even more next time.
I’m bringing this up now, because we have our Fearless Presentations class starting this Thursday, so it’s on my mind. A lot of Public Speaking classes focus on helping you get better at presenting. (Obvs.) They try to teach the perfect way of standing and talking. (Or in Zoom world, sitting and talking.) But we like to come at it from the other side. We help you practice failing presentations. And teach you how to recover when things don’t go perfectly.
Because it doesn’t matter how perfectly you learn to use your hands, voice, sentence structure, if every time you go to talk, you panic and blank because you fear everything might not go perfectly!
It’s okay to be nervous, and make mistakes, and not be a perfect, formal, presentation robot. It’s okay to be human. Go into your next presentation confident. Not because you know you’re perfect. But because you know how to handle it, and recover, when you’re not.
If you’re interested in classes, sign up today. If not, just promise to go a little easier on yourself.
Anxious Thoughts: Positive Goals
For over a decade, my goal was to have less anxiety. So every second of every day, I did the things that would help me feel less anxious: meditation, therapy, self-help books, audio seminars, more therapy, breathing, all that good stuff. It helped. But I was also aware that even though I was focused on having less anxiety, I was still focusing on my anxiety.
When I started doing improv, it introduced me to this other emotion called joy. One I’d forgotten, or didn’t know I had. We got along quite well. I noticed when I was laughing, I didn’t feel as anxious. Which was my goal! Same goal, different path. So now, instead of always trying to feel less anxiety, I do things that help me feel more joy.
Sound fun? Here's 365 ways to get you started.
Improv was always Improv for Anxiety
When you think about improv, the first thing to come to mind is often SCTV, Who’s Line Is It Anyway? and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Improv is so often used for comedy and entertainment, most people assume that’s how it started. In fact, improv in North America was first developed for its ability to help people and only later was it taken by the entertainment industry.
Viola Spolin is widely considered to be the creator of improvised theatre training in North America (Keith Johnstone was doing something similar at the same time in Canada, but that is for another post). Spolin was an actor and settlement worker who ran a program for groups of immigrant children and adults The Hull House, Chicago. (The Hull House is also where the field of Social Work developed in America.) Her mentor, Neva Boyd, pioneered the idea that games and play can provide a framework that would help children act creatively and collaboratively in a way that they were unable to outside of the game. For example, 11 children who were unable to work together were suddenly transformed into collaborative creative team members when put on a soccer field and given the rules and aims of the soccer match. Spolin used this idea and her personal history as an actor to develop theatre games that would also use rules and aims as a framework for creative spontaneity. She created hundreds of games and eventually wrote them in her book, the improv “bible” Improvisation for the Theatre.
Spolin used these games to help children and adults who were not finding success socializing in their new surroundings. Positive mental health was her goal, and the rules and ideas of improv grew out of that ideal. She also noticed that when the groups played her games, they were incredibly funny and entertaining. She invited her son, Paul Sills, to bring some friends around to play, the games and found that they too became incredibly creative while playing.
Sills and his friends went on to found The Second City using his mother’s games, and the rest is history. Improv started to be seen as a form of comedic theatre, and shed its origins as a tool for positive mental health.
Improv for growth is where improv started. Improv games were built for this. It’s why Improv for Anxiety is a natural fit, because the games were originally made for this type of work (or should I say, play).
Anxious Thoughts: New Year's Edition
The new year comes with a lot of pressure to be “better.” Earn more money, be less anxious, not eat the whole cake in one sitting. It feels like being enough isn’t good enough. There’s nothing wrong with growth, or goals, or resolutions, but always pushing to be better can often feel worse. So when you set your goals for 2021 (to dunk on a basketball net), know that they’re exactly that, goals. They’re not things that need to happen, or need to change, for you to be worthy and enough.