Although I hadn’t been to Burning Man in eight years, I was eager to get involved with the team. I applied my professional skills to many aspects of the project, from planning and managing our burn to developing our social media presence.

But as someone who has worked straight-up office jobs all my professional life, I was most thrilled about being involved with the construction of Plug ‘n Play. After working in software for so many years, the opportunity to help build something physical fulfilled some kind of primal need I didn’t know I had.

I learned a lot about construction during the fabrication of our structures, which culminated in “Build Week” on playa, the week before Burning Man. But I took away some unexpected lessons as well.

I always knew construction would be physically taxing. And Burning Man takes place in an environment that is harsh by any standard: hot, dry, dusty, and with the occasional freak storm. You can imagine just how intense Build Week is. It’s just working as hard as you can to beat a hard deadline while nature is throwing its worst at you.

Early on, we were working in the heat of the day when a friendly couple drove up in a golf cart. “Hi, what are you working on?” they asked. “We’re called Plug ‘n Play.” “Looks cool! Want some ice?” Taken aback because I was caught up in a construction task, I responded vacantly, “Huh?” They said, “Well, it’s hot out, and we thought you might want some ice.” And they gifted us two bags of ice, departing with a cheerful, “Thank you for your art!”

According to the Burning Man Glossary, a fluffer is “a volunteer who supports other volunteer teams in the field, i.e., by replenishing their drinking water.” (See? I told you it was not what you were thinking.) Inevitably, given Burning Man’s culture of communal effort and participation, fluffing has become an essential part of the build experience. Over the course of Build Week and the week of Burning Man, our group was approached by many fluffers, who always seemed to show up at the perfect time. Different people — friends and strangers — gifted our crew anything from smoothies to hugs to cold drinks to fresh-baked cookies. And always with the same message of appreciation: “Thank you for your art!”

It made toiling through dust storms tolerable, reminded us that the work that we were doing was appreciated, and motivated us to do our jobs well. Would we have finished our project without fluffers? Yes. But that’s not the right question.

The benefits of fluffing went far beyond just quenching a thirst. I discovered I had a real joyful emotional response each time someone came by and offered something I didn’t know I needed until just that moment.

As I returned to normal life, it occurred to me that the spirit of fluffing can be brought into everyday office environments. Sure, there are probably comfortable chairs, temperature control, and bathrooms down the hall with toilets that flush. But anyone who has done their time pounding away on computers for hours under fluorescent lights to meet a deadline knows just how taxing and stressful that can be. The threat of mental burnout in an office is just as real as the threat of physical exhaustion in the desert.

So ask yourself if anyone at your workplace needs a little fluffing. And it’s not just about having snacks available in the kitchen! Fluffing is personal, proactive, and comes with gratitude. If someone’s working hard, surprise them with a delicious sandwich. Maybe a beer. Or get creative with a nice plant for their desk.

But most importantly, don’t forget to thank them. It will make a difference in their day and in their work. And I bet you’ll feel pretty good about it too.