10 Ways to Have Fun at Work

In honor of Have Fun at Work Day, here are ten ways to have a good time while you’re on the clock.

10. Play Practical Jokes

Whoopee cushions never go out of fashion. Neither do hand buzzers, fake gum, fart machines, or fake ice cubes with flies inside them. Just be sure to play your jokes in good fun and that the person being pranked doesn’t get his feelings hurt. My mother’s coworkers used to love to hide fake spiders, snakes, and even a life size NASCAR standup in her private bathroom!

9. Pass Notes

Who says that the note-passing has to stop when you’re out of school? Skip the emails for a day and pass goofy notes to one another. They don’t have to be revolutionary; they don’t even have to make sense: “Do you like albino elephants? Check yes or no!”

8. Have an Interoffice Picnic

Have everyone bring in something they’re famous for—or something that just looks good at the deli—and make lunchtime “family” time, if only for today.

7. Bring Toys to Work

I have plenty of toys on my desk. Yes, some of them are there simply because I work at home and my daughter is constantly piling things onto it (there’s currently plenty of Play-Dough stuck to the floor, as well); but I also have a Rubiks cube, a magic wand, a Beauty and the Beast snow globe, a Cheshire Cat figure (with a matching poster!), an ET figure, an Einstein bobble head, and a baby food jar full of origami stars we made (if you visit, I will totally let you shake it and make a wish.)...among other things. Head to the nearest toy store on your lunch break and buy something small that brings out the kid inside!

6. Share Something Funny Every Day

Whether it’s a YouTube video, a hilarious quote, or something that your mother-in-law sent you that was actually funny for once, pass it around. Designate one person each day to find something funny to share. You might be surprised at who comes up with what!

5. Pass Around a Meme

I loved doing this at my last job. A few of us would get together each month and come up with a list of 10 questions to pass around. Each month had a theme—favorite foods, school memories, hobbies, whatever. Everyone would answer the questions and reply-all to help get to know each other a bit more.

4. Volunteer Together

If you can, take some time to work as a group to help pick up your street, serve food at a shelter, or raise money for a cause. If you absolutely can’t seem to work out a schedule, have everyone bring an item from home for a drive—canned food, clothing, personal care items, etc.—and make an office-wide donation to your favorite charity.

3. Celebrate Birthdays

Create an office birthday calendar and make a special ritual for each person’s birthday. It can be as simple as brining a cake and singing a song, or you could go for a full happy hour together. The same goes with anniversaries, marriages, sicknesses, new babies, etc.

2. Hold a Sports Tournament

We always see these in movies, but how many people actually play inter-office sports with one another? Form a couple of teams and have a company bowling, softball, or basketball tournament just for fun. If you like, make it for charity.

1. Hold a Monthly Exchange

…but don’t make it a gift exchange. Make it an exchange of ideas, services, or something else. Leave quotes on one another’s desks, take turns buying lunch, swap roles for a project (if it’s permissible), etc. Designate each person a secret pal for the year, or simply draw names each month.