Well-known humorist Larry Wilde declared April as National Humor Month in 1976 – it starts with All Fools’ Day, and mid-month is April 15th, Tax Day, which for most people is no laughing matter, and all the more reason to yuk it up while you have the chance!
Using humor to relieve stress is simple — the benefits are simply wonderful. Follow these easy steps and you’ll be on your way to defusing anxiety and frustration.
1. TAKE A HUMOR BREAK.
Keep a book of jokes or cartoons handy. If it makes good sense to keep a first-aid kit for medical emergencies, why not a mirth-kit to deal with stressful situations?
Ten minutes before a meeting or potentially stressful situation read some funny stories. A smile or chuckle will relax you and better prepare you for a confrontation. A good laugh makes you feel good and allows you to think more clearly and quickly. Humor makes you more efficient — it allows you to function better.
2. LAUGH AT YOURSELF.
Dr. Meyer Friedman in his book, Treating Type A Behavior and Your Heart, points out that being able to laugh at yourself is healthy.
Dr. Friedman’s research in heart disease leads him to conclude: “The person most effectively protecting himself against the continued progress of coronary artery disease is the person willing to see himself and his affairs as ludicrously unimportant in the planetary scheme of things.”
When you make fun of yourself it takes the sting out of what other people say.
It is not necessary to constantly put yourself down in the workplace, but self-deprecating humor shows that you’re human. It reveals that you are so self-assured, you can readily poke fun at yourself. And guess what? People like you more! Humor keeps you from taking yourself too seriously and makes dealing with others easier.
3. CREATE A FUNNY FILE ALL YOUR OWN.
Find out what makes you laugh and nurture it. Each of us has an individual sense of humor. There are many life experiences we can look back on and laugh about uproariously. Childhood incidents, school situations, even marriage mishaps.
Remember the embarrassing moments that were so painful when they happened but are funny now when you think about them.
The next step in developing your funny file is to put together a humor library. Gather up your favorite cartoons, comedy records, joke books, funny video films — anything that will bring a smile to your lips. Bookmark your favorite humorous websites.
Marsha Sinetar, organizational psychologist and author of Do What You Love, mentions an executive who has a file folder reserved for cartoons, jokes and other humorous anecdotes.
“I call this my mental health file,” he explains. “When I’m down in the dumps, bored, uninspired, I flip through this folder. I’m always amazed at how a few laughs pick me up and change my perspective. It’s interesting how a humor file can reach your inner spirit and remind you that the world’s not such a bad place after all.” Keeping your own humor collection provides comic relief when you need it most.
Science has made us aware that there is now another way to cope with stress that does not require drugs or toxic agents of any kind. People who may need a cure for one of the most depressing and debilitating maladies of our times can now access the newest and best prescription: Humor.