Humor Your Stress

Humor Your Stress

Holy Bloopers

• “Let us join David and Lisa in the celebration of their wedding and bring their happiness to a conclusion.”

• “Thursday at 5pm there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become Little Mothers please see the minister in his private study.”

Holy Bloopers

• “The pastor will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing, ‘Break Forth Into Joy.’”

• “The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.”

Holy Bloopers

• “Next Friday we will be serving hot gods for lunch.”

• “The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.”

Holy Bloopers

• “The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.”

• “The minister unveiled the church’s new offering campaign slogan last Sunday, “I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.”

Did You Know?

• The average pre-schooler laughs 400 times a day; by age 35 that drops to 15 times a day.

• Every time you have a good laugh you burn up 3.5 calories

Physiological Benefits of Humor

• Increases heart rate/circulation• Stimulates respiratory activity• Decreases blood pressure• Improves digestion• Secretes catecholamines (alertness hormones)• Secretes endorphins• Reduces stress hormones• Boosts the immune system

Physiological Benefits of Humor

• Secretes catecholamines (alertness hormones)• Secretes endorphins• Reduces stress hormones• Boosts the immune system

Psychological Benefits of Humor

• Express hostility/anger in acceptable ways• Decreases anxiety, tension and stress• Opens lines of communication• Keeps one alert and in the present moment

Psychological Benefits of Humor

• Allows avoidance/distraction from crisis/issue at hand

• Facilitates creativity/learning• Reframes situations (different perspective)• Provides balance in life

Workplace Benefits of Humor

• Humor breaks up boredom and fatigue• Humor makes the workplace a desirable place to be• Helps bond co-workers together• Improves productivity (if you enjoy what you are

doing, you do it better)• Previous slides - decreases tension, improves

communication, promotes creativity

Ways to Increase Laughter In Your Life

• Watch funny television shows/movies• Collect cartoons• Join e-mail joke services• Exaggerate your tough situations

Ways to Increase Laughter In Your Life

• Make a point of getting those close to you to laugh each day

• Laugh at yourself• Watch children play, talk• Props - bubbles, games, etc.

Humor In The Workplace

• Stress ball (no throwing!)• Joke calendars• Humor Board• Name the office equipment and talk to it• Bubbles, toys, coloring books• Meetings - hats, sunglasses, silly putty• Start with a video or music

• Think of the message• Know your audience• Leave serious topics alone - anything that could be

painful to someone• Be careful of politics• When in doubt, leave it out• Think “Seinfeld”, not “The Office”

Humor In The Workplace - What Is OK?

• Be There

• Play

• Make Their Day

• Choose Your Attitude

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“Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten questions of politics, philosophy andliterature, than any number of dull arguments.”-Isaac Asimov