This week is the most special week in my company and no, it has nothing to do with our business. Some years ago Mindvalley, the company I am working for started an experiment: What is happening to our office culture if we have one week when we shower each other with love?
The rules are the following:
- you draw a name of your colleagues, your “human”
- you prepare a masterplan how to surprise him/her with whatever comes to your mind: gifts, services, hugs,
- you make that all in secret because s/he is not supposed to know - you are the “angel” and this is how you sign under all your messages
- at the end of the week you can reveal yourself or stay hidden forever
What started as a crazy idea is now part of our office life in the week of valentines day. Ok, the productivity is not like in other weeks because you are preparing your surprises or deliver some but the value is not measurable in money.
The benefits of this project are:
- you are getting to know your colleagues on a way different level because you start to research on their hobbies, dreams and goals and are maybe asking their family and friends for information
- you too are getting nice surprises over the day without knowing from whom it is coming
- everyone is walking around with their biggest smile on their face
- you got deliver presents for others (because the “angel” needs to stay secret) so you have to cooperate and support each other
- the act of giving and spreading love is so fulfilling and uplifting - even more then you receiving the gifts (which is obviously still super cool)
- even after Love Week is over the love and gratefulness for your colleagues is still staying which makes you enjoy work even more.
It is maybe hard to convince your company to do the same but it actually doesn’t have to be limited to a working space. If you want to practise love week with me this week, you can also practise random acts of kindness with strangers or your family, like sending them a love letter or cook for them something special. You can pay the coffee for the guest behind you in the row of your favourite coffee shop or give away flowers to people you meet outside.
You can get creative, there is no limit and it doesn’t even have to cost anything.
Do you already got some ideas what you could do this week?
I think it is a bullshit rule that valentines day is just for couples. There are so many people who deserve to receive and spread love. I want to dedicate this week to the love week, so follow me if you are interested to read more about it or want to participate in it as well.
Lots of Love,