Laughter is beneficial in many ways. Researchers have found that it relieves stress, makes you healthier (both mentally and physically), and even improves the muscle tone in your face, neck, and stomach! It can also strengthen and enhance your relationships with your coworkers. This, in turn, can help you to be more effective and productive at your job.
The best type of laughter is spontaneous and organic. So if a stand-up comedian suddenly showed up in your office and started performing, that would obviously be great – but what would be even better is if you can laugh with your coworkers on a daily basis. That can only happen if you take the time to chat with each other, tell stories about something ridiculous that happened over the weekend, or engage in goofy activities.
Here’s an example of a goofy activity. Last year, a good-natured coworker brought in one of those free calendars and hung it in our office kitchen. It featured various animals in cute poses. Although the animals were adorable, a bunch of us decided to spruce up the calendar even more. Each month, we would cut and paste images onto the photos to make them more awesome. For example, a hopping penguin was given a jet pack…
It was pretty ridiculous, but it made everyone laugh. It helped to make the office a more enjoyable place to be!
So when you’re at work, take the time to laugh when you can. Don’t just rely on your office party-planning committee to provide all the fun. Look for little ways to lighten the mood. Laughter is both contagious and therapeutic!
Duncan, R. D. (2014, December 26). Laughter: The ultimate workplace prescription. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rodgerdeanduncan/2014/12/26/laughter-the-ultimate-workplace-prescription/
