When I worked in an office I couldn’t have been more bored. The days were slow, usually quiet (except for the ringing of the phones) and nobody was laughing. I decided to change that and make our office space a little less like the movie Office Space. I’ve given a list of ten practical jokes, all but two of which I’ve tried, to help you make friends at the office.
10. The Paperclip Trick. This one is tedious but well worth the 5 seconds or so of enjoyment. All you have to do is wait until your victim is away from their desk for say lunch or break and then attack. Connect all their paperclips so when they pull one out, they all come out linked together.
9. The Keyboard Switcheroo. This is a basic and quick trick. It works best on the people who have to look down at their keyboard to type correctly. Switch a few keys that are close together so it won’t be noticeable. For example, switch the ‘M’ and the ‘N’ or the ‘R’ and the ‘E’. Then just sit back and watch as they hit the ‘R’ but the screen types ‘E’ … let the frustration begin.
8. The Frozen Mouse. As simple as it is, this has to be one of my simple favorites. Put a piece of transparent tape over the ball of the mouse. The ball doesn’t move so therefore the mouse doesn’t work. The victim will slide and slide and slide their mouse and sometimes even pick it up to look at the ball and not even notice the tape.
7. Glued Pens. Make sure you either bring your own pens or that you won’t get in trouble for ruining office supplies before you do this one. Take some super glue and stick all the caps on your victims pens together so they won’t come off when needed. It’s fun to leave one not glued so when they ask for help you just pick that one up and voila it opens easily.
6. You’re Fired. This really only works in a large company. Get a box and put everything on that persons desk in the box. Put a note on top that says “Please see me ASAP”. The person will be trying their best to remember what it was that got them fired.
5. Stupid Phone. All you do for this one is take some really sticky tape and loop it so both sides are sticky. Put the tape on the base of the phone and stick the receiver on top. Press down as hard as you can, preferably without breaking the phone, and then walk away. When the victim answers their phone, the whole thing base and all will come up.
4. Monitor Switch. This only works in a cubicle type work environment where computers are sitting back to back on side by side desks. Take the cord that plugs in from the computer to the monitor and switch them so that whatever you type on one computer shows up on the other. I haven’t tried this one for fear of losing my job.
3. Stinky Worker. This is the other one I haven’t tried for the simple fact of job security. Sounds really cool though. You take the back off the chair, it usually has a screw that tightens or loosens the tension and you can unscrew it until the back slides up and out. Then you stick something that will stink in a few days, probably some sort of food product and but the chair back together. In a few days the chair will stink to high heaven and everyone will think it’s their coworker.
2. Rat in a Drawer. I advise that this one not be pulled on an elderly coworker who sings opera in her spare time. Whoa the scream! Simple yet highly enjoyable trick. You just open the victims drawer and place the rat in there. It works best on a creature of habit, someone that keeps their notebook or pen in their drawer and opens it every morning when they come in.
1. The Fishing Line Trick. This is my absolute favorite. Tie fishing line to everything that is portable on someone’s desk. Then tie the other end of the line to their neatly tucked in chair. Most people won’t notice the fishing line for some reason or another. When they pull their chair out to sit down, everything goes flying off their desk. Hysterical.
I hope you go to work and try some of these tricks. Nothing is better than humor at work. My theory is, if you have to be there you might as well make it fun! Please don’t try these on the office snitch because you may be laughing all the way to the unemployment office.
