Death of the Snow Day

Innovation is what drives change and for all of the great things it creates and immeasurable ways our lives are better for it, it also sometimes has unintended consequences.

When Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in his dorm room, I doubt he envisioned a day where its community members would use the platform to communicate about how to break into the Capitol Building.

And before the onset of COVID, few in-person schools had the capacity to flip to virtual instruction if there was inclement weather, a power outage in the building, or other barrier to attendance. You simply got the day off — which at the age of 12 felt like winning the lottery.

Now that most schools have the flexibility to be in person one day and virtual the next, I’m hearing comments about how people are missing the traditional snow day. Rather than get the day off to play in the snow with friends, drink hot cocoa, and go sledding, today’s youth go from the classroom to the home-based computer screen for the day to maintain “continuity of education”.

I worry about the message we are sending regarding the importance of play. Where fresh air, creativity and social time were encouraged on the snow days of my youth, today’s students are receiving messages that convey: no breaks, no downtime, and no fun!

Play has always been an important part of learning and innovation. A blog by Farnam Street talks about play as a driver of innovation saying,

“play is a special time away from the ordinary tasks we undertake every day. It can open us up to possibilities because it requires an atypical engagement with our surroundings. Sometimes, this openness provides a space for innovation.”

So many people feel like they are in a rut right now because they’ve been working/schooling from home for almost a year. When you are head down and trying to survive each day, you forget what it means to play and the possibility that it creates.

The next time a snowy day presents like its going to be just another day working (or schooling) from home, create your own family snow day. Call out from work if you can, sign the kids out of virtual school and go outside and play.

If you are an employer and you have the ability to give people even an hour off during the day, invite them to go out and play — and then post a photo to the company portal of how they spent their time. If you can’t wholesale shut down for an afternoon, have people take time in shifts throughout the day.

You’ll all come back refreshed and perhaps happier than you’ve felt in months. And those work problems that you’ve been beating your head against the wall to solve? Well the answers and innovation may come a little easier once you’ve given yourself space to play, unplug, and laugh a little.

I’d write more, but I’m going outside to play. :)