📝 usncan Note: Work Doesn’t Have To Hurt: Bree Groff’s Radical Reframe
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What if the most radical act in today’s workplace isn’t disruption or innovation—but joy?
Bree Groff, transformation consultant and author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously), believes we’ve misunderstood the role of joy in professional life. “We’re told ‘work is called work for a reason,’” she says. “There’s a prevailing notion that greatness requires struggle, and if we’re having fun, maybe we’re not working hard enough.” In her view, this cultural script is not only outdated—it’s harmful.
Groff’s book is a spirited manifesto for rethinking how we approach our workdays. With humor, candor, and a dose of irreverence, she dismantles the myth that productivity and play are mutually exclusive. “We get paid because we create value,” she says. “The pain is entirely optional.”
The Busyness Trap
One of Groff’s sharpest critiques is aimed at the cult of busyness. “Busyness is fight-or-flight,” she explains. “It’s living in a constant state of low-grade (or high-grade!) stress.” Citing Microsoft’s Infinite Workday report, she notes that the average knowledge worker receives 117 emails a day and is interrupted every two minutes. “That’s not joy—that’s damage control.”
Groff argues that this hyperactive pace erodes not just productivity, but our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. “We forego exercise and doctors’ appointments because they’re too hard to fit in. We let stress erode our relationships. We forget that this very day will come only once in our lifetimes, and once we spend it, it’s gone.”
Her antidote? Slowing down enough to notice the beauty around us. “In the words of Henri Matisse, ‘There are always flowers for those who want to see them.’ But we must first slow down enough to look around.”
Rethinking Fun at Work
Groff is quick to clarify that fun at work isn’t about ping-pong tables or happy hours. “We can think of those things like icing on the work cake,” she says. “But the cake itself can also be rich.” For her, fun is found in the substance of work—collaborating with colleagues, growing skills, creating value, and yes, even making money.
She encourages leaders to help teams imagine their “best working day.” What would they be working on? How would their day be structured? What are they learning or creating? From these insights, leaders can experiment with changes that enhance both joy and productivity—like instituting protected “heads-down” time or increasing feedback loops so employees feel pride and purpose.
Spotting and Multiplying Joy
One of Groff’s most compelling ideas is the practice of “spotting and multiplying joy.” It’s a mindset shift—one that invites us to notice what brings us energy and then intentionally create more of it. “Joy isn’t a perk,” she writes. “It’s a practice.”
This philosophy runs throughout Today Was Fun, which is filled with practical prompts, playful rules, and vivid stories that challenge conventional wisdom. Whether it’s declaring “Do Nothing Days” to reset creative energy or applying the “Fast Food Rule” to ensure every team member feels heard, Groff’s approach is both serious and seriously fun.
A New Metric for Success
Groff’s message is especially timely as organizations grapple with burnout, disengagement, and the search for meaning in a post-pandemic world. Her call to action is simple but profound: make joy a central metric of success.
“Most work, most days, should be fun,” she insists. Not because it’s easy—but because it’s human. And when we design work that honors our humanity, we don’t just feel better—we perform better.
In Today Was Fun, Groff dismantles the myth that professionalism requires stoicism and sacrifice. Through vivid anecdotes, sharp humor, and actionable insights, she invites readers to reimagine work as a source of vitality rather than exhaustion. Whether you’re a leader seeking to build “cozy teams” or an individual craving more meaning in your day-to-day, Groff’s book offers a compelling blueprint for making joy a central metric of success.
