I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.

I’d tell you a chemistry joke but I know I wouldn’t get a reaction.

HAVE YOU HAD A GOOD LAUGH TODAY?

SOME NOT SO FUNNY FACTS:

Laughter is one of the first things newborns do. An urban myth asserts children laugh 300 to 400 times a day, and adults only 17.5. However, according to the analysis of the limited research on laugh as reported by the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), adults might laugh more than children.

AATH explains why we might laugh more often than we think. “Individuals laughed more frequently following something they themselves said than following something said by their conversational partner. Also, speakers generally waited until the end of their own sentences before laughing (i.e., they did not laugh in the middle of a sentence), but listeners often laughed while their conversational partners were still speaking.”

WE ALL HAVE HEARD HOW LAUGHTER RELIEVES STRESS, WHICH IS AS GOOD OF A REASON AS ANY TO BRING HUMOR INTO YOUR LIFE, ESPECIALLY THE WORKPLACE.

“Laughter reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine; increases health-enhancing hormones (such as endorphins), neurotransmitters, and infection-fighting antibodies; and improves blood flow to the heart—all resulting in greater relaxation and resistance to disease, as well as improved mood and positive outlook.” Psychology Today contributor Pamela Gerloff

WHY LAUGHTER IN THE WORKPLACE?

Harvard Business Review explains that along with relieving stress, laughter relieves “boredom, boosts engagement and well-being, and spurs not only creativity and collaboration but also analytic precision and productivity.”

Who doesn’t want higher engagement scores, a creative and collaborate team, precision, and productivity?

The May 2014 article goes on, “A recent study of Gallup data for the U.S. found that we laugh significantly less on weekdays than we do on weekends. Work is a sober endeavor.”

So we know laughter is good for us and our workers, even boosting productivity.  The question then, is how do we bring more of it into our daily work lives without sounding like a want-to-be stand-up comedian who has a captive audience?

HOW TO LAUGH AT WORK

1.   Work at being funny. All great comedians work hard at relating to the audience and making them laugh. Joan Rivers had over a million jokes saved and categorized. Seinfeld is said to work for hours honing a joke to get it just right. While we are not stand-up comedians, we can hone and practice humorous stories for our small, impromptu conversations that show we relate to the situation and the people.

2.   Use clever, smart wit. NEVER succumb to raunchy, insensitive attempts to get an easy laugh. If an insensitive wisecrack slips out, don’t be fooled by the giggles that sometimes follow. They may be a nervous attempt to move onto another topic gracefully.

3.  Check to make sure what you think is amusing isn’t undercover for back-biting, sarcastic putdowns. “Just having a little fun” at someone else’s expense is just that, at someone else’s expense! Build others up while you have fun.

4.  Use humor to build bridges. It endears us to you when we see that you can laugh at yourself, letting us know everything is okay. It disarms tense and stressful situations.

5.   Be aware of how far you go with self-deprecating humor. It can endear you to the group or begin convincing them you are not as capable as once perceived.

6.   Be authentic and honest. It is more important than getting the laugh.  And take it from one of my favorite funny people, Joan Rivers, “I think anyone who’s perfectly happy isn’t particularly funny.”

7.   Organize fun events, contests, meeting names. Being a stand-up comic is not the only way to interject comic relief into the workplace. LubeTech, a local company, throws an extravagant themed party for their employees once a year. Southwest chose LUV as their stock symbol. Holding give-away drawings at meetings is another good way to have fun.  Or present goofy awards. The list is endless, and as you probably know, searching for “fun things companies do” on the internet brings up a ton of creative and, of course, fun ideas.

When I first joined Toastmasters International, being funny was completely off my radar. Why would I, in my communication and leadership development, need to make people laugh?

Because humor makes us laugh, it is an emotional reaction and emotions are what connect us to each other.

Want to be an impactful leader! Make ‘em laugh!

“After-all, Life is very tough. If you don’t laugh, it’s tough.” Joan Rivers

“The first hot meal Edgar got was when I put Ben Gay on his sandwich instead of mayonnaise.” Joan Rivers

The Three Little Pigs order off the vegan menu, but Mary Had a Little Lamb.

I maybe should have spared you on the last joke, I just couldn’t help myself!

Jokes courtesy of punoftheday.com, jokeoftheday.com and of course, Joan.