National Goof Off Day

Certainly, a lot can be said about the importance of hard work and dedication to remaining productive. That being said, this day is just the opposite! National Goof Off Day reminds hard workers that there is a time for all things, including a dedicated time for doing nothing at all. For a whole day, if possible.

Winnie the Pooh said it best when he said, “doing nothing leads to the very best something”. And many people find that something to be a sense of inner peace, relaxation, and a day free from all the stress of “doing.” So it’s time to take a cue from Winne the Pooh and learn to enjoy National Goof Off Day!

How to Celebrate National Goof Off Day

The most important part of celebrating National Goof Off Day is that people are not required to do anything that doesn’t seem fun to them. Consider a few ideas that might help with goofing off and getting rid of all of the negative vibes that surround work and productivity:

Make it a Pajama Day

For those who find goofing off to be more fun at home, declare National Goof Off Day a not-getting-dressed day! Just stay in pajamas all day long. Sleep in, enjoy a late breakfast (sprinkled donuts or something else super goofy), and just spend the day lounging around the house. Make a blanket fort. Play video games. Eat ice cream for lunch and takeout for dinner. Just be sure not to accidentally clean anything or do any actual work!

Watch Goof-Off Movies

Try out these silly movies that are mostly about goofing off:

• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1983). A John Hughes film starring Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck features three friends who ditch school and spend the day up to hijinx in the city of Chicago.
• Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989). Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter star in this silly story where two teens travel through time to prepare a presentation for history class.
• The Breakfast Club (1985). Another classic John Hughes film (because what else was there in the 80’s?), this one features five students who spend the day goofing off at school when they are confined to Saturday detention.
• American Graffiti (1973). Before he directed the Star Wars films, George Lucas directed this comedy set in the 1960s, about a group of teenagers who are basically just doing a whole bunch of nothing.

Throw a Goof Off Party

Have an after-work get-together or invite family and friends over for the goofiest party ever! Of course, be sure not to put too much time or effort into preparing for the party or it will defeat the purpose of the day. Encourage everyone to bring the goofiest food or beverages they can think of and then watch one of the goofy movies from the list above.

Make Work Fun

Not everyone has the luxury of taking the day off of work on National Goof Off Day. But that doesn’t mean the day can’t be enjoyed and celebrated anyway! This is a great day to wear a funny hat to work, sign emails with a silly pseudonym, or play ridiculous music through headphones.

Try learning to juggle with stress balls (or staplers), or put a shirt and tie on backwards today. Anything goofy that might make someone laugh will do. Then take some time and hang out at the water cooler chatting with your coworkers–after all, hydration is important!

After work, be sure not to start doing productive things. Rather than mowing the lawn or doing other ‘important’ chores, take the kids out to the park and just relax in the outdoors. Whatever you choose to do on National Goof Off Day, don’t let the poisonous idea that every day has to be productive get in the way of having a good time! The big goal is getting to the end of the day having accomplished absolutely nothing.

History of National Goof Off Day

Every new movement requires a visionary, a pioneer willing to push the boundaries of the ideas of their age and cause a revolution. For Good Off Day that visionary was Monica (Moeller) Dufour, a resident of Davidson, Michigan in the United States, who had quite simply had enough of every moment of every day being dedicated to doing something.

It was this young person’s mighty ambition that helped National Goof Off Day become an international event in 1983, just seven years after its first celebration in 1976. As proof that genius isn’t confined to age and wisdom, Monica was just 10 years old on the date of the day’s creation, which was started with the help of her grandfather.

Once Monica explained the concept of National Goof Off Day, a local newspaper grabbed hold of the idea and ran with it, starting it on the road to becoming everyone’s favorite day!

Perhaps it makes sense that one so young recognized the importance of doing nothing at all once in a while. Leisurely days spent daydreaming, hanging out with friends and family, and just enjoying all the wonders that life has to offer: these are the essence of National Goof Off Day. And all of these things should be happening without any effort put into trying to be productive!

This has obviously been evidenced through the wisdom of a child and it has been generous of her to share this with millions of adults around the world.