Physically Fun Check-ins

Your team has been working from home for weeks now and probably will be for many more. We are all sitting in front of our screens all day emailing, messaging, talking on the phone, and sitting some more to participate in virtual meetings. Good news! Just because we are sitting in our homes all day, doesn’t mean that we can’t get up and get some blood moving.

Bringing fun physical elements to your meeting will wake people up, encourage laughter, and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Movement helps us to feel more positive, more energized, and more capable of dealing with these challenging times. Movement also releases endorphins – aka. Happy hormones, so starting a meeting off this way will set you up for success.

You can see my video about physical check-ins by clicking here.

Here are five check-ins you can use to get people moving:

1. A stand up, sit down version of “Have You Ever”. Create a short slide deck to share questions that ask have you ever done different things, and have people stand for Yes, and sit for No. For example, a slide could ask, “have you ever been to Mount Rushmore?” People respond yes by standing, the others would stay seated. Other questions could be, “Have you ever worn Pajamas to a virtual meeting?” and “Have you ever made pasta from scratch?” and “Have you ever attended a virtual Happy Hour?”. Run the deck and watch people stand up and sit down!
2. Shake Down – In this short and very physical energizer, the group shakes out their bodies, one limb at a time. Starting with eight shakes of the right hand, then eight shakes of the left, eight shakes of the right leg, then eight shakes of the left. Then eight shakes of the torso… It continues with seven shakes of each limb, then six, five, and so on until, ending in a big cheer!
3. Rock Paper Scissors – Yes, you can play virtually! Just match pairs and have them play one pair at a time until there is only one winner. The loser of each match becomes a raving fan of the champion so when there are only two left, everybody is cheering!
4. Sketch your Neighbor – Have team members sketch each other – have them draw the person next to them on the Zoom square. Most people can’t draw, so this will be funny! You can use an online whiteboard platform or just ask everyone to use paper and pen and hold it up to the camera. Each person shares their drawing, and because order of people is visually different for each participant, everyone guesses who the drawing is of. This should bring lots of laughs!
5. Scavenger Hunt – Create a list of things people may (or may not) have around their apartment. Add everyday items to the list, like a coffee mug or a box of pasta, as well as a few unique items, like an antique watch or a Slinky. Share the list, set a timer, and see who can come rushing back to your meeting with the most items on the list.

As I have said throughout this series on check-ins, it is essential to start your virtual meetings with some sort of ice breaker to allow members to connect. When things get back to normal, and they will, people will remember the atmosphere you created for them during this difficult time.

If you would like to have more support around your virtual meetings, I would love to chat. Connect with me at EngagingPlay.com to discuss how I can help you and your team.

Stay safe and well and know we are still connected!