The Power of Humor

It’s hard to believe it’s been one year of the Covid coaster.

A year of adjusting and adapting, adhering to guidelines and restrictions, waiting anxiously for this virus that has gripped and consumed our lives to become a distant memory. When times are hard and uncertain, it’s important to seek out the positives where we can.

I’m a firm believer that humor serves an important role in overcoming difficult situations, in our personal lives as well as our professional lives.

Growing up in a home filled with laughter means I learned at an early age that to be taken seriously, you don’t always have to be serious - and a good sense of humor can go a long way.

When used appropriately and authentically, humor has the power break to down barriers, build connections, boost creativity, increase trust, and most importantly, alleviate stress, anxiety and burnout. Humor helps humanize our interactions in a world technology increasingly rules.

If you haven’t heard of Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas’ book Humor, Seriously,  I encourage you to look it up. Based on their popular Stanford’s Graduate School of Business lecture, Humor: Serious Business, Aker and Bagdonas share compelling insights from business leaders, comedians and behavioral scientists on the art of humor – yes, it’s an art – that can change humor’s role in the workplace.

One statistic from the book made me pause: the average 4-year-old laughs as many as 300 times a day, while the average 40-year-old laughs 300 times every two and a half months!

In challenging times, this is an important reminder of how harnessing the power of humor — and finding joy — however difficult or serious the situation, can bring value for all of us.