Photo Credit: Arkadin, Sophie Huss
Michael Kerr makes a living with Humor at Work. His video “It’s Monday Morning!…I can’t wait to go to work.” is the stuff of wonder. Wasn’t there a time you couldn’t wait to get to work? If never, or especially not today, then you could start with lightening your workday baggage with lightening your heart.
Photo Credit: Awesome at Your Job Podcast
Kerr talks about using three mental tools – 3 R’s – to shake-up your perspective in a happy way:
- Reframe – Stress is one person’s take on a stressor. Where the voices in our heads take us isn’t necessarily how the situation will play out in reality. So wisdom is to “practice playing with the voices in our heads”. Reeling in our negative reactions to stress isn’t about stuffing them but about turning them into healthy (and potentially) humorous responses. My husband and I have a couple of mantras – lines from an old Western movie titled Silverado – that we use to lighten a situation:
“It’s working out real good.” – Danny Glover responding to a question of how he was; bloody, beaten, and unscathed by it, in his resolve to get the bad guys. “That ain’t right and I’ve had enough of what ain’t right.” – again, Glover. YouTube – Silverado – Film Clip – Ready for Revenge - Reward – Kerr prescribes attaching a reward to something that is stressful. Say if there is a specific type of meeting or a particular colleague that stresses you out. Put a reward in place that you can go to after those meetings/encounters. It doesn’t have to be chocolate. It can be a walk around the building – inside to say hi to encouraging people or outside to just enjoy nature. If you find yourself demoralized by a situation, what can you do to both laugh at yourself and give others the opportunity to do the same? We can take ourselves and our stresses entirely too seriously. Our enjoyment of work and our work itself can both be debilitated if we can’t figure out how to “pull up”. Rewards. What sounds like it would work for you? For your team?
- Relax – Stress does terrible things to us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Laughter does just the opposite. Sometimes, our focus on spreadsheets, email, and weighty decision-making leaves little room for laughter in our work lives. Who’s responsible for that? We can blame our boss, or the CEO, or whomever. However, we can also just learn to relax – creating space – putting distance between us and what causes our stress. Kerr talks about a Humor First Aid Kit. This could include funny books, workplace humor photo signs to use for selfies etc., props to wear or place on your or your coworkers’ desks, bobbleheads …chocolate. What would you recommend?
Photo Credit: AppAdvice
The Power of Workplace Humor – Podcast with Michael Kerr – Awesome at Your Job
Photo Credit: Sam Glenn, Facebook
We have all had the occasional forced fun day foisted upon us by C-suite execs – leaders who have diagnosed that way too many employees are silently and loudly giving all indication that morale is low. They are trying so give some grace here. Don’t punish yourself by refusing the free lunch or tshirt. Just come up with your own ideas of what helps you and your team get the joy back.
“It’s Monday morning!! I can’t wait to get to work.” Do it for yourself and for those you care about at work.
Utilizing Humor in the Workplace – Michael Kerr
The Work-Laugh Balance: Why Humor Is Key to Workplace Happiness – Sophie Huss
YouTube Video – Humor at Work – Andrew Tarvin – TEDx Talk
Photo Credit: Andrew Tarvin, TEDx Talk, YouTube
YouTube Video – The Skill of Humor – Andrew Tarvin – TEDx Talk
YouTube Video – Communications – What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Workfront and Tripp and Tyler Present: “Email in Real Life” – includes Outtakes
The Four Keys to a Successful Workplace Culture That Drives Business Results – Michael Kerr