Fun is Not a Four Letter Word!

As we move into the Conceptual Age, which is past the Informational Age, right brained activities will be more important than left brained activities. Daniel Pink, in his new book, A Whole New Mind. Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future explains that the reason for this is the Three A's. Asia, Abundance, and Automation. So many jobs are being done in Asia, at much lower costs, so we Americans will have to be creative and innovative and come up with new jobs for ourselves to do. Abundance deals with the fact that we have so many products and services so much alike that we will have to come up with innovative products and services to gain customers. And Automation means that so many jobs are and will be automated that again we will have to create new jobs and careers.

I can hardly wait for us to move into this new Conceptual Age. As a long time right-brainer (innovative, spontaneous, dreamer, playful) I know how much more fun and productive being in the my right brain is instead of my left. For too long left-brainers (structured, organized, logical) have been in control. They are still in control and holding on for dear life.

Too many left-brained people think that fun in the workplace is a four-letter word. "This is work, no fun or play allowed." This paradigm is from the Industrial Age, that viewed the employee as the enemy by management, who had to be constantly watched. In the Conceptual age, employees are viewed as volunteers, who bring their whole selves to work. As Stephen R. Covey calls it "The Whole-Person Paradigm." Where every person brings their mind, heart, body, and spirit to work. To do this people must be allowed to have fun.

What stops so many managers from allowing people to have fun at work. I think that it is fear, and that people are struck in the old paradigm of the Industrial Age. It is time to get at least to the Informational Age, if not the Conceptual Age, and left-brainers move over, because us right brainers are ready and WE KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN!!!!!

Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.onewomanslaughter.blogspot.com