Engagement Archives - Laughter Works

26 January, 2015 by Cris Popp

What Makes A Good MC

Not everyone can make a good MC which is why it’s important to get a really good one days before your scheduled event. A good MC can make or break an event whether that’s a wedding, performance or corporate function. Sometimes though the MC might not show up for a number of reasons and you may be forced to step up to the plate and do your best.

So, what makes a good MC?

Take Appropriate Pauses

If this is your first time MC’ing an event then chances are you’ll be a bundle of nerves and you may end up breaking just more than a sweat. To avoid making a wreck of everything it’s important that you speak slowly and take your time to breathe while at the same time making an effort to pause at full stops.

Be Organized

Make a point of sitting down with other speakers for the night to understand what order to introduce them to the audience as well as how to go about it. If you have trouble remembering names feel free to put down names of presenters to avoid embarrassing moments on stage.

I Thought That Speech Would Never End

The most efficient way of keeping your guests bored is by making lengthy announcements and speeches. Generally attendees like to talk to other guests while enjoying a sumptuous meal, so keep your time on stage brief and be sure to make succinct statements.

Don’t be Obnoxious

The last thing you want is to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Humor is a great way to break the ice just don’t ruin your personal reputation while at it. Let your jokes come across as witty however be smart enough to let the spotlight fall on other areas of the event.

You are the Master of Ceremonies

Of course you shouldn’t domineer over others in playing your role. Much of the event’s success will depend on how great you play your role. Are all the speakers present? Are all the guests seated? You should even be prepared to take on roles that others may be unwilling to undertake.

Kris has hosted numerous events with roaring success. His LaughterWorks sessions also include a keynote speech that is sure to leave your audience motivatied. To have him MC your next event call him on +61(0)438 545 607 or send him an email info@laughterworks.com.au.

The Beginner’s Guide to MC’ing your own event. via @crispopp http://t.co/B6wju5Lt1G

— Cris Popp (@laughterpopp) January 25, 2015

18 August, 2014 by Cris Popp

Laughter & Your Body – Part 2

In part 2 of Laughter and your body, we explore a further 5 physiological benefits of how laughter makes it “great medicine”.

Improves breathing (respiration) and blood circulation. Under normal conditions a small amount of air stays in your lungs which carries more carbon dioxide and moisture. Laughing forces you to expel all the air in your lungs getting rid of excess carbon dioxide and moisture. It also loosens up and helps you expel mucus and phlegm.
10 minutes of laughter can result in two hours of pain relief. This occurs it releases two neuropeptides endorphins and enkephalins – the bodies’ natural pain-suppressing opioids. [1] The Tasmanian Arthritis Foundation has incorporated laughter into its support groups.
Lowers blood pressure. Ten minutes of laughter therapy reduces blood pressure by 10-20 mm.
A good massage for your organs. Laughter has been likened to internal jogging – it gives your organs a good rub around.
Happiness, laughter and love of friends are as important to protecting us from heart disease as keeping cholesterol under control and taking an aspirin. A researcher at the University of Maryland, Michael Miller, recommends at least 15 minutes of hearty laughter a day to ward of heart attack. 15 minutes of it relaxes arteries and raises blood flow for up to 45 minutes – comparable with aerobic exercise.

“The more I laugh as an exercise, the more laughter creeps back into the rest of my life. It’s like you’ve tuned the engine. It’s quite powerful; you can laugh more than you think you can. And when you do, you’ll feel good.”
– Tim Scally, comedian and laughter leader. Tweet that!

Reference

Kataria, D.M.,Laugh for No Reason. 2002, Mumbai: Madhuri International.

Know more about laughter and how it makes your body healthier than ever. Contact us: info@laughterworks.com.au, or + (61) 438 545 607.

11 August, 2014 by Cris Popp

Lighten the Mood at Work with Laughter

The workplace can be a very stressful environment. Different personalities are forced to work together to accomplish objectives, sometimes under very tight deadlines, and everyone has an opinion on how the work should be done. Stress can come across as hostility towards others. Hostility and defensiveness at work get in the way of productivity and the ability of each person to give their best work.

How can you avoid stress and hostility in the workplace? The answer may surprise you: workplace laughter. When people are stressed and angry, it will be hard to find something to laugh about, but that’s where workplace laughter sessions come in. This sessions are group meetings where laughter and yogic breathing take place for an hour, lead by a professionally trained Laughter Yoga teacher. You don’t even need a reason to start laughing: just simulate it and the real laughter will follow, especially if you have others in a group to laugh with you, as it is notoriously infectious.

How Do Laughter Sessions Improve The Work Environment?

Laughter sessions are a great form of team-building, uniting staff to share in a common experience that will give them a renewed sense of wellbeing and focus to tackle the next project. When everyone is in a happy mood after sharing endorphin-filled workplace laughter, they will be able to calmly communicate with each other to accomplish objectives without getting stressed over deadlines. Like any team-building exercise, they are designed to bring people together. Laughter is clinically proven to reduce stress hormones in the body, making it easier for the body to channel the energy of stress into something more positive: supporting the immune system. When employees are happy and healthy, the work will get done and everyone will interact harmoniously. Studies show that after just three weeks of laughter sessions, staff morale and performance improved significantly, so don’t wait—work with laughter yoga sessions today and get ready for a happier workplace.

How To Get Laughter Sessions At Your Workplace

That’s easy – just get in touch with Laughterworks and we’ll organise something for you. We have laughter leaders in each state in Australia. Book a laughter session for your next conference or workplace event. Contact us: info@laughterworks.com.au, or (+ 61) 438 545 607.

14 July, 2014 by Cris Popp

Health Benefits of Laughter

Anyone who has ever laughed at a very funny joke, television show or movie knows that laughter feels good. Did you know it’s also good for your health? Just ten minutes of laughter a day can have enormous health benefits, especially when it is done in a group and accompanied by deep breathing exercises.

How Does Laughter Help the Body?

Laughter burns calories and brings the body endorphins. Ten minutes of laughter is equivalent to 30 minutes of jogging. Laughter lowers stress hormones in the body, making it easier to cope with stress and maintain lower levels of anxiety, bringing a more hopeful and positive attitude towards life. Lowered stress hormones mean a stronger immune system, which means your body can fight off diseases better—not just depression and anxiety, but the cold and the flu, as well as other chronic medical problems.

Laughter yoga is great for seniors because it increases their life expectancy and overall happiness, giving them a simple form of exercise that won’t lead to a risk of injury. Laughter can even improve motor skills and expressive skills in physically or mentally challenged individuals. Workplace laughter is a great form of team-building that can happen at work or at a convention with the help of conference organizers. No matter the problem present, laughter may not take it away entirely but it will strengthen the body’s ability to cope and heal.

Finding Laughter

You don’t need a joke or a funny movie to laugh. The body can’t tell the difference between genuine laughter and forced laughter. You can force yourself to laugh to start off and real laughter should soon follow, especially if you are practicing in a group. Laughter is infectious, so if you hear someone laughing, your body will be triggered to laugh as well. Imagine what that could do for your workplace? Contrary to what you might think, – staff that laugh together work together.

Get a laughter session into your workplace, now, it’s inexpensive, great fun and will do more to boost performance and reduce stress than any other intervention you can think of. Guaranteed! Contact us: info@laughterworks.com.au, or 0438 545 607

10 December, 2010 by Cris Popp

Fun Helps Change and Learning

It should be pretty obvious to you by now that we believe having fun is a better way to change behaviour than a negative, deficit-based approach (see our YouTube testimonials and clips ). It ties in with our belief that happy people are more effective at work and in their personal lives. There’s plenty of scientific evidence for that and a growing body of practice including Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Innovative Positive Organisational Development (IPOD). Now IPOD and AI probably don’t sound like very “fun” words to you (we’re geeks and love this subject) so we’re going to make it fun for you to understand. Just watch this clip read on below. Notice how many more people take the stairs after the change ….

It does remind me of the maths teacher reported in the Melbourne Age that who brought a dog into class and found that all the students’ marks went up. People are attracted to what makes them feel good and avoid that which makes them feel bad (oh what a surprise *lol*). Not everything can be lighthearted but things have gone too far the other way – there is an epidemic of seriousness. Workplaces and jobs can be much more fun. Workshops, especially, should be fun to make people receptive to new messages and help learning. That is if you want people to want to be there. And we wonder how to engage our people!