The Power of Humor in Your Workplace

Life and work are stressful - overwhelming deadlines, stacks of paperwork, and communication breakdowns can sometimes trigger problems. Humor and a little laughter can resolve conflicts, turn problems into punch-lines and come up with snappy retorts that transform conflicts into camaraderie so everyone can walk away with a smile. There's this philosophy, "Don't get mad, get funny" that inspire people to deal with issues such as downsizing and layoffs -- not to mention that overflowing inbox -- with a sense of humor, rather than a sense of desperation. There are a lot of amusing things in your workplace and I mean, A LOT! You just need to open your eyes, listen carefully and try to relax once in a while. Here are three tips to make your time in your workplace a bit more humorous than usual: 1. Listen Yes, listen. Even if you are so busy at work, even if deadlines are turning you into a slave and make you feel grumpy; there should always be something humorous around. Pay attention to your surroundings, who knows, you might hear one for your office mates strike a funny joke or two which could help you relax a little. 2. Relax Oh c’mon! Do I have to tell you this? If you’re a bit tensed or stressed, it wouldn’t hurt you to smile. Perhaps you can look for a humorous blog or video in Youtube, once in a while. Too much stress hampers your productivity and creativity. A simple laugh or smile (even if it is a smirk) can make your muscles and nerves relax. Remember the saying that it takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 to smile? There must be some error with the numbers, but regardless, it’s easier to smile! 3. Hit a joke or two This one’s very helpful during breaks and meetings. Cracking a joke can make the ambiance a little more relaxed. Hitting something funny before or during the meeting can make your members receptive to ideas and make the atmosphere livelier. That’s it! These three things will help you make your workplace a bit more relaxing and humorous (set aside the office issues and deadlines).