4 Ways to Add Fun to Your Day

Work sucks. Not always, but much of the time. The question is, how do we avoid getting consumed by the drudgery? How do we learn to bear this inescapable one-third of our lives?

Simple: We inject a little fun into our day. Every day. On purpose. It may, ironically, require some extra effort on your part, but at the end of the day, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you didn't "just work" today. You had a little fun, too. Here's how:

Play a game Any game you can weave into the fabric of your day is a good game. Start a lunchtime chess tournament with some co-workers. Go geocaching (after work or on weekends, natch). Play a quick online game during your next break. Pull out the iPhone for some gaming fun during your train ride.

Read a book I know so many people who never read for pleasure, and it pains me. If you think of books as work rather than play, you're not reading the right books. Ask friends for recommendations. Peruse the best-seller lists. Stock up on free sample chapters from Amazon's Kindle store (for reading on your PC, Mac, BlackBerry, iPhone, or iPad). In other words, find stuff you'll like. Then earmark a little time every day to actually read it.

Try a new sport Years back, on a lark, I signed up for a free kickboxing class. I'd never kicked or punched anything in my life -- and I instantly fell in love with it. (Beating up Dave, who later joined me, was just icing on the cake.) You don't have to like watching sports to like playing them, so give volleyball a try. Co-ed softball. Soccer! (Been meaning to try that myself.) If you need help finding games, players, leagues, etc. in your area, head to Sportsvite.

Teach yourself magic Who doesn't love magic? Nobody. What's fun about learning to do magic? Everything. You not only learn secrets, but also gain the skills to impress clients and co-workers. I recommend building a repertoire of three tricks you can do really well. My favorites: the unlinking rubber bands (takes practice but it's worth it), the Invisible Deck (a stunner), and the Two-Card Monte (easy to learn and a great opener). Buy me a beer (also fun) and I'll show you all three.

Okay, your turn: What do you do for fun? Head to the comments and share. Bonus points for fun things you do during your workday! Image by dbking.