The madness of March has concluded (minus the college basketball tournaments) and here we find ourselves on the silliest day of the year: April Fools Day. When we were children, April Fools Day was a day where even the biggest jokesters had to be on their toes...or else the tables could turn very quickly. It was a time of lighthearted fun and practical jokes but as we get older, we typically phase out of the jokes and focus more on the fact that rent is yet again due (nothing funny about that, huh). News flash: there is still value in jokes and acting a little foolish from time to time...it just takes a bit of careful consideration!
All jokes aside (pun intended), we would be wise to remember that just like anything in this life--there are life lessons that we can learn from April Fools Day. After all, taking life too seriously is one of the most challenging mistakes that we can make as people. I will be the first to admit that turning off the robotic, laser-focused demeanor that it takes to continually prosper (especially when chasing ambitions) is a tough mental transition to make...but anyone who knows me also knows that I am always the person to get my jokes in where I can. Point is, we have to have a balance and April Fools Day can help us to remember the valuable components to that balance.
Allow we to share 6 lessons that we as professionals can learn from April Fools Day:
- We can't take ourselves too seriously - Far too many times along the journey, we begin taking ourselves too seriously for reasons related to career advancement, age, societal expectations, titles, ambitions, or even frameworks. Truth of the matter is, CEO or temporary employee: we all need lighthearted joy and laughter in our lives. None of us are above a good laugh every now and then and if we allow life to keep us tightly wound all the time, it could have catastrophic outcomes on how our lives take shape.
- Sound judgement and critical thinking - Fortunately, my friend stopped playing April Fools Day pranks on me a long time ago but one of the reasons was because I started to think like an expectant Captain Raymond Holt...waiting for my Jake Peralta-esce friends to play pranks. Because I place a lot of emphasis on paying attention to my surrounding and social cues that are present, my critical thinking is always better when I know that people around me know we well enough to potentially prank/flank me. That lesson is one of great value, because April Fools Day offers a day to remember the importance of being perceptively able to tell truth from fake...both on the day of pranks and in this sea of (mis)information.
- Creativity and innovation are related - Much like a perfectly-constructed prank, the professional life is one that requires great creativity and innovation to think differently about the problems that people face on a daily basis. Think for a second about how hilariously simple most "major" innovations are.
Uber
happened because someone essentially wanted to order a ride from their phone instead standing outside waving their hand in the air in the city. It's not rocket science, just like it's not hard to prank our friends if we really know them well. We just have to be willing to think outside of the box.
- The art of relationship building - Whether it is April Fools Day or everyday life in and out of the workplace, relationship building is key to the effectiveness of any great strides in our lives. Regarding pranks and jokes, I absolutely love both of them as the connective tissue to my relationships. I tell people all the time that if the outside world heard the way me and my Chicago-based friend group talk to/about each other when we are together--you wouldn't think that we are friends! Jokes are such a major part of our relationship culture and jokes can be a great way to increase the joy, love, and continuity within various social groups.
- The importance of respecting boundaries - On the heels of relationships and the power of jokes, boundaries are incredibly important in this equation and April Fools Day helps to remind us that there is not fun in the space when boundaries are disrespected or ignored. Though me and my friends joke a lot (as I am sure many of you do), we know where the lines are because we are so close and respective of each other. It is important to remember that no matter how close (or not) we are to people, everyone has their boundaries and we must respect that.
- We have the most fun when trust is involved - Above all else, the space is always more enjoyable where there is trust present as the foundation for everything we do. When considering April Fools Day, it is always best to remember that we are all just one ill-timed (or distasteful) joke away from disrespect and disaster. It is important for us to be able to let our guard down and remember that 'it's not that deep,' but that can only happen when all of us place trust at the forefront of our existence. If we trust each other, I believe that even in pranks, we will maintain the expected integrity and forethought to not break trust for a quick laugh--and that goes for jokes, deals, and any other crossroads that we face.
April Fools Day is a subtle reminder that there is still space for fun and jokes in our everyday lives, even if we are the leader of a Fortune 500 or a early-career associate. Breakfast at Tiffany's star Audrey Hepburn once said, “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.” Laughter and humor are beautiful parts of life that, if embraced amicably, can be the difference maker in our overall joys of life. Whether we embrace April Fools Day or any other days that contain jokes, it is important that we remember that there are valuable lessons related to critical thinking, creativity, humor, trust, and love that can be learned with a simple joke. It is delicate, but also one of the best ways to build relationships. After all, a good laugh has been known to be one of the best forms of therapy known to humankind...and we as a society could use that now more than ever.
Welcome to April, folks. This month, we are all about growth!
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