Happiness Archives - Laughter Works

19 January, 2015 by Kris

How To Increase Productivity With Laughter

Take a stroll through a kindergarten and compare that environment to an office space full of people. One thing that really stands out is the somber mood that is characteristic of any workstation. While young kids in a play ground laugh and giggle at the same time developing their young minds, adults tend to outgrow fun (or so it seems) when they get a job. Tradition dictates that silence and seriousness is essential for maximum production. However, recent studies now tell us that laughter goes a long way in enhancing performance in the workplace.

In recent times laughter has been touted as “the best medicine” for becoming an efficient remedy to gloomy workdays as well as improving the general atmosphere of organizations. Funny enough, as a result of all the research laughter is now taken very seriously.

Some of the benefits that are credited to laughter at the workplace include:

Acts as a coping mechanism
Significantly reduces stress
Enhances memory retention
People who laugh the loudest are also the most creative at problem solving
Laughter enhances productivity

Among the many studies conducted was one involving Canadian financial institutions that concluded that managers who were considered humorous had a greater level of employee productivity. Stanford University’s Dr. William Fry found that laughing 200 times boosts energy levels and leaves you feeling more alive as well as burns the same number of calories as rowing vigorously for 10 minutes.

Comedian Leigh Anne recommends the following techniques for laughter at the workplace:

Give out crayons and paper for creative doodling.
Use funny quotes in correspondence
Organize “extra-curricular” activities
Encourage employees to laugh at their own foolishness
Make use of improvised games as stress busters and icebreakers

Other ways include having caption contests or impromptu theme days at work. Now that there’s scientific proof that work shouldn’t feel like punishment why not get that list of practical jokes ready!

Kris uses his immense experience as a conference speaker as well as a laughter expert to integrate laughter into any workplace during conferences or workshops. Get in touch +61(0)438 545 607 or send him an email info@laughterworks.com.au.

Never Underestimate Laughter At Work Ever Again. via @crispopp http://t.co/KL07MKbgGy

— Cris Popp (@laughterpopp) January 20, 2015

22 December, 2014 by Kris

Laughter As A Stress Buster

Life can feel very stressful these days, especially with the ever-increasing demands of our attention from family, coworkers, and bosses. Sometimes we can forget to enjoy all the little things in life, and sit back and laugh. In fact, studies have shown that laughter can be one of the biggest stress reducers in our lives, and everyone could use a good laugh every now and then. Unfortunately, many people, especially stressed-out adults, don’t laugh often enough. One study found that healthy children may laugh as much as 400 times per day, but adults tend to laugh only 15 times per day. An obvious and unfortunate reason for this large disparity is likely due to the increased stress and reduced joy in adults’ lives, leading them to laugh less. However, there are ways we can incorporate more laughter into our lives.

Sometimes when we get too involved in the tasks at hand, we take ourselves too seriously, and may even refuse outright to have fun. If we laugh at ourselves every once in a while, instead of getting caught up in the frustration if something goes wrong with our day, we can reduce the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, and increase endorphins, in addition to possibly relieving health issues like high blood pressure. So, instead of cursing at your steering wheel when you leave your coffee thermos on the roof of your car and hear it tumble to the ground just as you’re heading off to work, smile and laugh at your forgetfulness instead. Life is too short to let the little things pile up and stress you out. A smile and a laugh can work like magic to make the stress response melt away.

Laughter can also be beneficial to reducing other symptoms of stress, increasing your intake of oxygen, thus reinvigorating your heart, lungs, and muscles, and stimulate circulation and muscle relaxation. Whereas while you’re stressed out, your breathing may be shallow, muscles tensed up, and circulation poor, which over the long term may contribute to health problems. If you’re having a stressful day at work, grab your phone, head to the break room, and watch a quick cat video. With the wonders of the internet, you can relieve your stress in 30 seconds flat. To live a more relaxed, stress-free life, don’t forget to laugh every now and then.

Would like to have more laughter in your life and workplace? Get Laughterworks to deliver a laughter session at your workplace or next conference or event? Contact us: info@laughterworks.com.au, or 0438 545 607

Laughter- The Best Stress Buster? http://t.co/yGjTb7EWcl

— Cris Popp (@laughterpopp) December 21, 2014

15 September, 2014 by Kris

5 Ways Laughter Makes You a Better Person

The evidence for the psychological benefits of laughter is even stronger.

“… [Laughter] enables one to distance oneself from professional and personal problems, that is, to detach or disengage mentally to put those situations into a proper
perspective.” [1]

Laughter improves your mood.
Laughter is cathartic; it releases negative emotions particularly anger, anxiety, fear and boredom in a pleasant and acceptable way [2]. Building more humour and laughter in your life helps assure that these (Neuropeptides) chemical messages are working for you, not against you.
Laughter improves creativity.
Laughing in response to something funny is a very sophisticated brain function which sweeps our entire cerebral cortex and is terrific for mental flexibility.

There’s an old story about a reporter interviewing Albert Einstein at his laboratory in Princeton, New Jersey. The reporter was surprised to see a large horseshoe hanging over the professor’s office doorway. “Professor Einstein,” she asked, “you’re a great scientist. Surely you don’t believe a horseshoe will bring good luck. “Of course I don’t,” he replied. “Then why is the horseshoe up there?” the reporter insisted. “Because it works whether you believe it or not.”

Laughter therapy relieves depression.
See 1 above
Laughter reduces barriers
Laughing is wonderful for team-building. It works extremely well at social functions and events where people may not know each other very well.
Laughter therapy helps us deal with our mortality.

“People’s willingness to sign the organ donor consent on their driver’s license rises with their tendency to laugh.”

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people” – Thomas Borges

“Creativity and humour are identical. They both involve bringing together two items which do not have an obvious
connection and creating a relationship. [3]”

Reference

1. Berk, R.,Research Critiques Incite Words of Mass Destruction.Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor http://aath.org/art_berkr01.html. Last accessed: 26/4/05

2. Junkins, E.,The Role of Laughter in Psychotherapy.

3. Doskoch, P.,Happily Ever Laughter.Psychology Today

Learn more about creativity and laughter and experience laughter at your workplace! Contact us: info@laughterworks.com.au, or + (61) 438 545 607.

18 August, 2014 by Kris

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 Kris

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.