The Power of Having Fun: How Meaningful Breaks Help You Get More Done

by Dave Crenshaw

Fun is the key to success!

If you want to be successful, having fun is not an option. It's a necessity. By making fun a top priority--taking meaningful, enjoyable breaks each day, week, month, and year--you'll not only be happier but be more productive, too!

Using scientific evidence, real-world case studies, and a healthy dose of wit, bestselling author Dave Crenshaw shows that a regular respite is like a little oasis in your workday. It refreshes and reinvigorates, recharges your batteries--helping you accomplish more with less effort!

The Power of Having Fun coaches you through the five-step system thousands of leaders have utilized to boost productivity and propel their careers--all while feeling fantastic! Let Dave Crenshaw lower your stress, raise your results, and restore recess to your routine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Business, Psychology, Productivity, Leadership

192 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Dave Crenshaw develops productive leaders in Fortune 500 companies, universities, and organizations of every size. He has appeared in Time magazine, USA Today, FastCompany, and the BBC News. His courses on LinkedIn Learning have been viewed tens of millions of times. His five books have been published in eight languages, the most popular of which is The Myth of Multitasking, a time management bestseller. As an author, speaker, and online instructor, Dave has transformed the lives and careers of hundreds of thousands around the world.

For more information, visit
DaveCrenshaw.com

Reviews

[Sharon Danzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Power of Having Fun approaches the topic of productivity and getting more done from a unique and refreshing perspective. By being deliberate in the time that you spend with friends, family, and yourself, you constantly recharge. This enables you to get your best work done in less time with ample opportunity to build relationships that are meaningful. Throughout the book, Crenshaw refers to both the WISH mindset and the WIN mindset. Those motivated by the WISH mindset (Worth It Someday, Hopefully) focus primarily on work today with the hope of a better life that they can enjoy tomorrow or at some point in the future. The WIN (Worth It Now) mindset, on the other hand, encourages individuals to find a balance each and every day. By providing a framework that encourages frequent, consistent breaks on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis, the author outlines a model for a sustainable happy lifestyle that does not delay life enjoyment to some undefined future date. He is very specific that these breaks be well thought out, planned, protected, and executed. For anyone currently living under the WISH myth, this book is a must read!
Sharon Danzger, author Super-Productive, 120 Strategies to Do More and Stress Less.

[Isabella Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did indeed discuss the power of having fun, however it really felt like he was trying to sell me a product, with constant references to his website and social media and encouragement to share his work. Also, one can only say "oasis" so many times in a single book.

[Cherie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This entire book is one idea that he repeats and repeats and repeats.....still repeating until the end. Also the downloads he mentions to assist in planning can not be accessed until an email is provided. It was one big sales gimmick. The chapter on work especially! #Not a fan.

[Lori Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dave is a very smart man! The Power of Having Fun needs to be read by all the upper management and applied to make all of us workers much happier and more productive. The book made so much sense to me and is well worth the time it took to read it. I know I will be putting a bug in my employers ear to read this book and get Dave to come out and speak to them. Bravo! I loved it.

[Barbara Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written instruction manual on how to get more fun built into your life and the lives of those around you. Great tips, checklists and check ins. It's so easy to get caught up in the every day cycle we all get in but reading this helped me to actually add oases into my day, week, month and year. The family portion is a little harder with grown, working children but helps with at least the part of the family that is available. The final section gives tips on how to infuse fun into work life depending on where you ate in the structure. Thanks for some good reminders and help to see the power of having fun!

[Michelle Poirier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read so far this year. The author gives you essential information in an entertaining and understandable manner. All these steps are doable no matter what your Employmemt circumstances are in life. I have already seen the change it has made in my daily life and I have just begun to implement the tiniest changes that the author recommends. I’m very much looking forward to trying out every single one of these tips. Would recommend to anyone.

[Kendall Humes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some other reviews and many say how the book is too long for it's subject and it rambles. Yeah, that's kind of true, but most of the book is action items. I wonder how many of the people who didn't rate the book very well actually did the action items.

If you struggle to have a good time at work and find balance in your life, this book will help.

[Matt Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that reminds everyone that just because you work more hours doesn't make you more productive. We should schedule regular breaks and times for things that really matter to ensure that our productivity, moral, and well-being stay high at all times.

[Gregg R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little book, but maybe not super intriguing.

[Susan Forsgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I would have read this book many years ago.
I think I would have raised my children.
It is glorious that I have another chance with my grandchildren.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Want to be sure you have fun? Schedule it.
That’s basically the gist.

[Tony Tian-Ren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could have been a blog…

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking breaks is an important topic that is easy to understand but difficult to implement for many people. This book does a great job of breaking down how to make it doable, as well as why it is so important and why this method works. It takes readers through how to implement having fun for yourself individually as well as with family and at work, keeping priorities straight.

I also appreciated the emphasis on enjoying experiences in the moment and how to make sure we are actually feeling our emotions instead of just passing through things in order to move on to the next thing.

Lots of good reminders in this book!

[Dorthe · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least twice as long as it needed to be.
Then again, I may not be the target demographic for this book, in that I'd never claim to work 80 or even 60 hours a week and have the daily "oasis" thing covered pretty well: bathing club in the morning (year-round sea bathing, hanging out with a group), knitting, Wordle and other word games, (audio) books, piano (not that I'm any good, so there's no pressure of having to perform).

So yeah, I already know how to take a break, though it's always nice to have your habits validated. Which doesn't excuse howlers such as "preward" ...

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains good common sense and helpful, if you have lots of extra time. I was curious when i saw the title and listened to it has some suggestions. There are so many books on this subject that i have read and listened to, i would try those first.

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for our Business Resource Group Book Club - we were looking for the work equivalent of a Beach Read and it was just that. Lots of good tips (many of which I am already doing) and a bonus "License to have Fun"

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good reminder to make time for fun in my life. The more I think about fun, the more I feel like my idea of fun is not the same as every one else - but that's ok. It's fine for me to have my own kind of fun!

[Mela Nie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some notes:
• Desert = an extended period of depravation and/or chaos.
• Deserve is a desert mindset. Think of having fun as something that you really need.
• Multi-tasking is just rapid task switching in disguise.

[Gigi Maroulis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the name of this book, it immediately called my attention. I feel like as people who work, it can be difficult to remember that it is okay to have fun and that it is important to do so. This book reminded me of that and I will definitely take a lot of lessons from this book.

[Ron Souliere · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was way too long for the amount of content.
It was very redundant. Heard about this book from somewhere I trust so perhaps I had high expectations.

[Theresa Hildebrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most dynamic book on having fun at work & in life ~ but definitely breaks things down into manageable chunks easily followed. If you need me, I'll be in the break room doin' a puzzle.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Chip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't get through the whole thing on my first try. I'll probably give it another shot later on.

[Dmitri Pavlov · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read, interesting concept. Will utilize some ideas :)

[Geekfork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord I needed this book at this point in my life. I only deducted a star because, for such a short listen, it felt longer somehow.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful suggestions, but nothing earth shattering.

[Kim Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book and a good reminder to take regular breaks. I appreciated his ideas and enjoyed how the audio book kept a good pace. It wasn't mind-blowing, but definitely worthwhile.

[Kaymee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with this book and implementing these ideas

[Sarah White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually started in 2022 sometime but just finished reading most of it today. Could have been a blog post.

[Ryser7 Ryser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good suggestions for fitting fun into life. My preference for a fun book is “The Power of Fun” by Catherine Price