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I goof off almost every day. In fact, when I'm very busy, as I have been lately, I work very hard to incorporate some goofing-off time in my schedule....
Usually it's just a few minutes here and there, between projects or during a fit of writer's block. Nevertheless, this time is invaluable to me.
When I goof off, it's often by browsing the Web. I'm usually scouting out stories about media, marketing, advertising, journalism and PR -- my natural interests. But I'm not looking for the earnest, serious stuff. After all, the whole point is to escape from serious for a moment.
No, I'm looking for the silly, fun stuff -- stories that are good for a laugh, but that also serve to put our lives and careers in perspective for a moment. Stories about PR blunders, celebrity scandals, political gaffes, annoying commercials and the like. Bits of Web flotsam to remind us that the big project we're working on is (shhh, don't tell anyone) not actually brain surgery.
This kind of goofing off is good for your mental health -- and, I would argue, your career as well.
In the image-making professions, reading is leading. The more seemingly useless junk you know, the greater library of cultural references you can draw from in advising your clients -- and the more your clents respect and appreciate you for it. Personally, I've found that the silliest stories I tell are often my most useful tools in educating clients. Why? Because those are invariably the ones they remember.
When I do a media training session, for example, I could give the client a long list of dos and don'ts. I could tell them how this CEO or that CEO handled a similar interview scenario. But when I am able to teach the client through engaging analogies -- how the latest political gaffe or celebrity scandal might have been avoided, for example -- that's when the lesson really sticks.
So, where should you spend you goofing-off time on the Web? I recommend the following sites:
* Adrants, Beyond Madison Avenue, and AdJab, for keeping up with the advertising biz
* Gawker, Romenesko, Eat the Press, and Regret the Error, for the media biz
* Copyblogger and Bad Language, for copywriters
* Make the Logo Bigger, for art-director types
* The Flack and The Bad Pitch Blog, among many others, for PR types
* Fark and Boing Boing, for general weirdness
Actually, these sites are just the tip of blogberg. If you'd like an broader overview of marketing goofiness on the Web, those of us at Media Orchard have launched a new destination called Spin Thicket. It's a Fark-style repository for all things wild and wacky in the world of marketing.
So check it out, and feel free to point me to some goofy stuff you love.
Goof-offs of the world... unite!
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Comments
Scott,
Thanks for the links. I have been goofing off for decades. I prefer to say about myself that I am a great sprinter and a lousy marathoner.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 11.06.06
I identify, Lewis
Posted by: scott | 11.06.06
Scott, this was a great blog and it reminds us all that we need to break it up to stay creative.
When I had my Web development company and a larger staff I bought Nurf guns and encouraged people to use them. Often I instigated it myself by shooting the creative director in the back of the head (something most account people would like to do). Please use a Nurf gun if you do this. (:-)
The Nurf fight would last about 10 minutes and then everyone would settle in again and work even harder.
This took the place of the seemly obligatory game room in many Internet companies. I never understood why these companies thought people would want to hang out at the company looking at movies and playing long games, after spending 10-12 hours working. Short spurts of fun are so much better.
Thanks for the links.
Harry Hallman
Posted by: Harry Hallman | 11.06.06
I like http://www.trendhunter.com/
and Iconoculture.com
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 11.06.06
funny.. That's exactly what I was doing when I stumbled across this!
I LOVE to write - and do a lot of it, but every once in a while, I totally lose all writing abilities - I like to think of my goofing off as "re-charging" it usually works too.
Thanks for making me feel better!
Posted by: Kelly | 11.06.06
Taking some time to fill your lungs with fresh air is decidely underrated. My friend David Armano has a habit of building in "mini-vacations" for himself -- really mini, like a few hours, like a breather. I love his concept:
http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2006/10/quiet_celebrati.html
...To tell you the truth, most of my goofing-off happens offline: a mid-day dog walk, a latte, whatever. But online, some favorites:
BoingBoing
http://www.boingboing.net/
MediaPost's Magazine Rack, but only the stuff by Larry Dobrow
http://blogs.mediapost.com/magazine_rack/
The New Yorker's Hard Drive
http://www.newyorker.com/online/harddrive/
WikiHow
http://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page
...and when I really need to get away, I go vicariously so...
http://nytimes.com/travel/
Posted by: Ann Handley | 11.06.06
I go to www.ted.com for any sort of rehabilitation or blogblocks. It's the most amazing site I have found. Now yours is bookmarked cause I enjoyed mousing through your spin thicket.
Kathy
If you just want to doodle try this
http://img.stamen.com/drawing/
Posted by: Kathy Smith | 11.06.06
Goofing off is also part and parcel of "feeding" your creativity. By reading and absorbing all sorts of influences your unconscious mind can grapple with incongruous elements and allow them to pop-up as fully-realised ideas sometime later.
Not only is it good for your creativity, it is essential.
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | 11.07.06
a walk with my dogs, that's a daily goofing!!
the best, but unfortunately too far from hometown for a daily practice, is walking through wineyards early in the morning in burgundy. i spent one month there last summer and it was very inspiring.
Posted by: gianandrea facchini | 11.07.06
I second Gavin's statement. Goofing off is underrated and sorely needed in order to stay fresh, productive (and creative).
And it's great to goof off both online and off.
Posted by: David Armano | 11.07.06
I totally agree. Even though I think I goof around way too much and should do some more serious work instead, thinking of some typical overachievers I used to know just reminds me of how important it is to just get a distance between you and your work. After a while you just stop seeing the forest for the trees. That is the moment when you should stop forcing it and start facing the fact that your battery is empty. I think this is not only beneficial to your work, because after 10 minutes or so you're taking it on again all fresh and brisk and maybe even inspired by the stuff you were just doing. I think it is also very important for the overall well-being to just indulge in the luxury of being able to take some time off in between.
Posted by: Lenny | 11.09.06
Creating a pet award certificate online is a great way to goof off. You can do that at http://www.petboogaloo.com/award.html
Posted by: Rita Wilhelm | 11.09.06
Here's another fun way to goof off for 5 minutes:
www.gurubbq.com
It's a weekly (funny)business report with marketing guy Tom Asacker. Disclosure: I help write it!
But it's definitely worth a look...
Posted by: Lou | 11.09.06
Lou -- GuruBBQ is so NOT goofing-off material...it's great, educational content! At least, that's what Tom's been telling me...?
Seriously -- it is great stuff. Definitely worth the price of subscription, too. (No worries -- it's free...just kidding!)
Posted by: Ann Handley | 11.09.06