I Think Dr. Suess Was Onto Something

Seriously, I think nonsense is necessary. Did that sentence even make sense? There's an emphasis in being professional in, well, professional settings. We have to be polished. It's not as "fun" all the time but is necessary when the occasion calls for it. Having a buttoned-up appearance does help put customers or clients at ease some of the time. Having a professional mindset helps you get your mind in a "work" mode in a way, to make sure every I is dotted and every T is crossed.

If you're as big of an Arrested Development fan as I am, you can see some results of professionalism versus too much nonsense in the Bluth family attorneys. Barry Zuckercorn (played by the Fonz himself Henry Winkler) is kind of a goof ball and makes the family nervous every time he stands up in court. Typically because he screws up. Then there's Wayne Jarvis, whose key tagline is "I'm a professional." He's straight-laced to the bone but he produces results. The only thing about Wayne is that he just doesn't seem to be a culture fit for the Bluth family.

Being serious has a time and a place. It's a way to succeed in business and do well. However, a dose of silliness is required to maintain sanity and give ourselves a stimulating shot of creativity.

Inspiring creativity through nonsense

The best ideas I've ever seen cultivated for a client project didn't happen in the "official" brainstorming meeting. It happened when I was playing ping pong during a break at Engauge or joking with a coworker over lunch here at DeMoss. Most coworkers I've had at any company have taken their work seriously. It was the silliness when my brain my felt like it took a refreshing drink of water and recharged.

Being in a straight-laced setting 24/7 can restrict your thinking. It's like driving with tunnel vision. The random and absurd moments are what fires off different parts of your brain you don't get to exercise all the time and helps you think of things you may not have before.

It's also why reading fiction should be a vital part of career development. Sure, you could read every business or marketing book under the sun. I've learned a ton from them myself. However, that time to escape reality with a fiction book helps your brain not only relax but grow at the same time. Taking your mind to another "world" could help you see things from a different perspective (and potentially solve problems in a different way).

It's why there's an ongoing zombie-themed email chains or pranks between several of us at DeMoss. It's why we played ping pong or had themed beer carts at Engauge. The nonsense moments are the ones that help our brains fire off creative ideas when we're "working."

What do you think? Should our work require more nonsense?