National Goof Off Day on March 22nd each year allows everyone to have a little extra fun. The day is also known as International Goof Off Day.
It is a day to relax, enjoy and goof off. Do something fun and leave the work until tomorrow. Everybody needs to take a break from time to time. It is often so easy to get involved in the work and pressures in our lives. So stop, take a break, and find something different!
- 351 BC – Epicurus teaches that pleasure, simple living, and freedom from anxiety are central to a good life, offering one of the earliest philosophical defenses of quiet leisure and “unproductive” time.
- 1570 – The word ‘goof’ first appears in the English language, originally written as ‘goff.’
- 1856 – Thoreau’s account of simple living by Walden Pond criticizes industrial busyness and argues that idleness, wandering, and contemplation are essential for a meaningful life.
- 1866 – French socialist Paul Lafargue attacks the “religion of work” in his pamphlet “Le Droit à la Paresse,” insisting that people deserve time for idleness, pleasure, and play instead of constant labor.
- 1932 – British philosopher Bertrand Russell argues that shorter working hours and more leisure would make society healthier and happier and calls the worship of work a harmful modern superstition.
- 1948 – German philosopher Josef Pieper contends that true leisure is not mere rest from work but a contemplative, seemingly “useless” activity that is foundational for culture, art, and human flourishing.
- 1963 – The composite ‘goof off’ is used for the first time.
- 1974 – Psychologist A. Kahn and colleagues publish findings that short, informal breaks during the workday reduce fatigue and improve performance, underscoring the value of stepping away from tasks.
- 1976 – Goof Off Day was invented by Monica (Moeller) Dufour, a 10-year-old resident of Davidson, MI. “My Grandfather created Chase’s Calendar. I was listening to him speaking on a radio station, encouraging people to call with ideas. I disguised my voice and called with Goof-Off Day (since I was goofing off by calling in). He said there wasn’t such a day, but he thought it was a great idea. A local newspaper wrote about the call.
- 1981 – Csikszentmihalyi’s research on “flow” reveals that free time and playful activities, when freely chosen, often produce the highest levels of enjoyment and engagement in people’s daily lives.
- 1983 – Monica’s ambition helped make Goof Off Day an international holiday.
- 1986 – Legendary movie character Ferris Bueller skips school and spends the day goofing around in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
- Goofing off can help reduce stress levels
- Take the time to have some extra fun
- Spend some extra time daydreaming
- The top goof-off activity is playing video games
- Surf the Net for some comic relief. A hearty belly laugh can be just what the doctor ordered if you’re stuck in the land of humdrum. Grab your smartphone or get on your laptop and search out your favorite comedian or sitcom and indulge in some well-deserved silliness.
- Play an innocent prank.
- Wear something funky.
- Let any goofy idea pop into your head.
- Make paper airplanes from seed packets.
- Doodle pictures of poodles in puddles in Peru.
- Play a game of Jenga with randomly stacked spice jars.
- Spend the day in your pajamas doing nothing.
- The verb “goof” means spending time foolishly or fooling around.
- Three words: Breakfast for dinner.
- What would you love to do if you had nothing on your to-do list? Do that.
- Goof Off Moves to watch:
- 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.
- Dumb & Dumber (1994). A comedy starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels who go on a ridiculous road trip to return a briefcase of money to its owner and have silly mishaps along the way.
- 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 helmed this 1960s comedy about a group of teenagers who are basically just doing a whole bunch of nothing.
Sources:
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