photo credit: agiledogs

What do you think:  Can we change people’s behavior for the better by making whatever they need to do fun?

The problem with the designated driver program, it’s not a desirable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house.

— Jeff Foxworthy

Recently I’ve found it necessary, in order to get my “steps” counted, to change my walking routine – I’ve had to hit the gym’s treadmill.  And I gotta say, BORING!  Until I remembered “the fun theory” which asks the question: Can you change people’s behavior for the better if you make whatever they need to do fun?

Well, I’m happy to report that the answer to this question is a resounding YES!  And for those of us interested in resilience and persistence that’s GOOD NEWS!  Why you ask?  Because it offers new ways for us to stick with something that becomes tedious on the way to being done.

And because, if you can get people to do things because they’re fun, well then, you have a recipe for helping people succeed at stuff they consider difficult or daunting.  Fun helps us bounce off boring, moves us beyond “I give up” and pushes us over the finish line. I’d think that would be a good thing at home, at work and in your community, don’t you?

I was brought round to this idea by an email from my brother with the cryptic remark, “Here is something to comment about on BouncebackCafe.com.”  (Nice to have someone watching your back when you’re in a quandary about what to write in your next post!  Thanks Bro’.)  You see, he enjoyed a video that demonstrated how putting fun into the chore of stair-climbing actually enticed 66% more people to use the stairs instead of the escalator!  Yes, 66% more!

The Fun Theory conclusion: Something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better.  And, via video, you can see three different instances in which people who have not been choosing to do an activity that would be either good for them or good for society or both, began doing that activity:

• taking the stairs instead of the escalator
• using a plastic bottle recycling machine
• putting trash in the rubbish bin instead of discarding it on the ground.

My conclusion (with apologies to “The Voice” in Field of Dreams)? Make it fun and they will come…

Don’t believe it?  See for yourself:  thefuntheory.com

So, with the fun theory in mind, today, my third forced-inside-by-my-allergies gym visit, I decided to wait my turn to use the new, fancy-schmancy treadmill with all kinds of bells and whistles to track your progress – techy tools that distract the exercising public from getting bored.  Gidgets and gadgets, yes.  But they did distract and entertain me – I could watch my heart rate, see my progress by laps, challenge myself with “I can do that lap in X minutes”, change the elevation and speed and just all sorts of interesting things that I’m sure will get old with use.  No wonder there was a waiting line for this particular machine!  I cheated and went over the time limit for using the machine. I was having fun – much to the chagrin of the woman not-so-patiently waiting her turn!

This raises the question for me: How can we use this idea to enhance our resilience and productivity?  At home, in the workplace, out in our community??? How can we use it to help the people we care about?  I’d love to hear your ideas… if you haven’t already done so, watch the TheFunTheory.com videos and then send me your ideas on making it fun!

And, BTW – Are YOU having fun yet?

What do you think:  How can you use “fun” to improve your commitment to doing what needs to be done?