Have you had a good laugh recently?
People are struggling with endless Zoom or video calls. I have clients that are on 10+ video calls a day. One sales client said that she is pretty much doing the same sales pitch virtually six or seven times a day. That is exhausting. What makes this worse is that virtual calls are often BORING and lack real connection.
The more interactive you can make a virtual meeting, the better. Research is showing that if you infuse a bit of humanity, maybe even some laughter, it can pay off big time. When was the last time you had a good laugh?
#WiseWords
“Laugh as much as possible, always laugh. It’s the sweetest thing one can do for oneself & one’s fellow human beings.”
Worth the Share
This new book, Humor, Seriously: Why Humor is a secret weapon in business and life is worth the read. According to the authors Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, “Humor is a transformative super power”.
Here are five highlights shared by the authors in a recent book soundbite. They resonated with me so much, I thought I’d share them with you. One stat that really stuck me is that the average 4 year old toddler laughs about 300 times a day, but it takes the average 40 year old two and a half months to laugh that many times. How depressing!
- You can’t afford to be humorless – humor has of positive impact on human health and the bottom line. Leaders who use humor are seen as more confident and competent.
- Humor changes our brain – releasing healthy hormones that help with bonding. People with a sense of humor live longer too.
- We’ve lost our sense of humor – for those of us over 23 who have not yet retired, we often go through a few days without a good hearty laugh.
- Find your authentic humor style – we are all able to “cultivate joy” and have a sense of humor. See below to learn about your humor style.
- Humor mitigates life’s greatest regrets – by helping us live lives of greater meaning.
Click here to learn more about the book.
And Finally...
What is your specific humor style? I took the humor style test from the authors of Humor, Seriously and encourage you to do the same. You will also receive a brief report explaining your humor style. It is fun and only takes a few minutes. My authentic humor style is the Magnet. You can take the quiz HERE.
If you want an additional resource to learn about specific information about how to use humor effectively at work, check out this article from Harvard Business Review “Sarcasm, Self-Deprecation, and Inside Jokes: A User’s Guide to Humor at Work“. it includes highlights from several research studies about the use of humor and provides some practical guidelines.
Go ahead, laugh. The benefits to your health and wellbeing are substantial.
Mary Jo