It is like imagining you are a rudimentary early computer. The second it takes you to flip to the right page of your notebook and draw your pen down vertically is like a small release. It may not be as long as a wonderful daydream where you can visit the beach and get away from it all, but you feel like you're getting one up on your colleagues. You will be safe in the knowledge that you are the only person marking it down.
For an introduction to office tallying try some of these:
Tally up all mentions of office temperature
Call up everyone in the room and tally the number of rings before people pick up.
Count the number of times you make tea, and the number of times someone makes it for you. Do you come out on top?
Media Specials:
Tally the number of times you hear 'You're a Star!' (my record is 8 in a day, and I'm not even that nice).
Mark down the mentions of Campaign
Wait outside for 10 minutes at lunch and count the number of cigarettes smoked
Advanced Tallying:
Note down colleagues' catchphrases and tally them. Some examples from this executive's office include 'lovely', 'bits and pieces' and 'sooooooo embarrassing'.
Add an element of danger by tallying during important meetings or in appraisals.
Tally time based behaviour such as toilet breaks or spousal phone calls.
Enjoy your new tally games, you can tell me I'm a star later.