What are you laughing at? Isn’t working supposed to be serious? And for small business owners who can’t find enough hours in the day, where’s the funny in that, huh?
Actually, experts say that we should be laughing way more than we do, and that includes at work. That’s because sharing a laugh can generate loads of benefits. Forbes.com says you can even laugh your way to loving your job.
For starters, humor takes us out of our own heads. Yes our jobs are serious; they’re our livelihoods. And there’s a lot at stake in owning and running a business. But there’s a big difference between taking “it” vs. ourselves too seriously. The first keeps us focused on goals and the details of getting it right. But the second causes us to lose the ability to distinguish what’s really important from what’s not. And it isolates us, because we tend to see our situation different from anyone else’s.
Being able to see the humor in the workplace restores a healthy perspective. It interjects a lightness into the atmosphere and clears the air of things like fear, anxiety and tenseness—much as a cool breeze or light rain clears impurities from the air. If we’re in the grip of boredom or drudgery, humor can break the spell, releasing us to look at our work, ourselves and colleagues with fresh eyes.
And then there are the physical changes that laughter causes: Heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, breathing relaxes and muscles loosen. We release those feel-good brain chemicals, endorphins. And what stressed-out, deadline-driven employees or business owner couldn’t use a few more endorphins?
Laughter unblocks mental and neural pathways. You might be blocked or wrestling with a problem for days. Laughing brings almost instant relief, and pathways suddenly open, and solutions emerge.
Believe it or not, some still think humor and laughter are inappropriate at work. This could be our Puritan work ethic, the belief that productivity and fun are mutually exclusive. Humor has taken some hits, largely because of a few who’ve used it inappropriately.
At work, it’s all about the how and the when. Anything related to race, religion and sex has just too many landmines here and is sure to backfire. But that still leaves plenty of territory. Think about Dilbert, the character that skewered the workplace in so many hilarious and relatable ways. The bottom line: If in doubt, leave it out.
Sharing a laugh at work makes us more relaxed, more productive, more open and more effective problem-solvers. Humor makes us better collaborators and brings with it a sense of optimism and energy. And get this: When we use humor, we’re perceived as smarter, more clever and more interesting.
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