Laughter is the best medicine… Unless you have a broken rib!

Although humour is usually seen as a light-hearted diversion, I have discovered that it can be a powerful tool for building performance…

Thinking about this week’s article I decided upon a theme. Resilience.

Having watched Novak Djokovic demolish a young superstar 14 years his junior to get to the Wimbledon semifinals, I was inspired by both his skill and physical accomplishment. To stay at the top for so long is an extraordinary feat, making him a contender for Greatest Of All Time in his sport.

However, putting aside Djokovic’s sporting prowess, I was taken aback by how he spoke during the post- match interview, magnanimously congratulating his opponent and cracking jokes with the crowd.

What is it that allows some of us to keep our performance at the very top level, year after year, when others are just a flash in the pan…or never make it at all.

So, I asked Google about “resilience”. And what came back was not what I had expected…

High on the search list of results for what makes a person resilient was…a good sense of humour!

Anyone operating at a senior level knows that humour can help us deal with and overcome the challenges of life. To transform adversity into opportunity. It can build our ability to bounce back. And of course, it’s not how far you fall that counts…it’s how high you bounce!

Many great people have used the power of humour to help them cope with, and even overcome, adversity. Professor Stephen Hawking famously wrote that, “Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humour.”

Undoubtedly, the most enjoyable and funny jokes are the ones we can relate to. And there’s nothing more relatable than the struggles and thoughts everyone goes through on a daily basis. After all, no one is immune to failure. Comedians often draw on their personal struggles to create great shows. By sharing their experiences through a comedic lens, they entertain audiences whilst apparently healing themselves. “A
day without laughter is a day wasted.” Charlie Chaplin.

The ability to find humour in the midst of pain, danger, or tragedy can provide a much-needed emotional release and create the perspective shift essential to be able to cope.

People devoid of a good sense of humour face a tougher life journey. As Henry Ward Beecher said, “A person without a sense of humour is like a waggon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.”

I made a list of the ways in which you can employ humour to benefit your mental and emotional well-being…

• Reduced stress. Apparently, laughter can help to lower our level of stress hormones, such as cortisol, and it can increase the release of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, all of which are involved in creating feelings of happiness and well-being. Elevated mood seems to predict higher levels of resilience
• Elevated mood. Induced by regular use of humour, it can also reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Better relationships. Sharing laughter with others can strengthen social bonds and improve relationships. People who have the strongest social bonds seem to be more resilient than those with few or weak social connections
• Boosted immune system. Laughter can strengthen our immune system, which helps us be more resilient in the face of potential illness
• Emotional regulation. Humour gives us a constructive emotional outlet that enables us to better regulate our emotions. It seems that people who make the best use of their emotions are also more resilient than those who are emotionally dysregulated
• Positive mindset. A good sense of humour, generally speaking, creates a more positive mindset, and that is essential for overcoming challenges. “It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. [Your] sense of humour can save you.” Margaret Cho.

There are of course many ways to build your resilience. However, humour is definitely the most enjoyable for all involved. That doesn’t mean that you’re not in a serious business, but humour is a formidable ally in trying to keep your own game and that of your team at peak performance.

Psychologists have identified five different types of humour…

• Self-deprecating humour. By laughing at ourselves we can reduce the pain of rejection, loss, criticism, or failure. There is a Scottish observation that summarises this approach: “Why do the angels fly so high? Because they take themselves lightly.”
• Positive reframing. Reframing negative situations into humorous ones can help to shift our perspective. By finding the funny side of a difficult situation, we can reduce our stress and anxiety. “You may not be able to change a situation, but with humour you can change your
  attitude about it.” Allen Klein
• Humour sharing. Sharing and exchanging jokes, funny stories, or humorous quips with the people we engage with can strengthen our social bonds and give us, and them, a much-needed distraction from our stresses. “Get well cards have become so humorous that if you don’t get sick, you’re missing half the fun.” Flip Wilson
• Biofeedback laughter. If we deliberately laugh, even when we don’t feel amused, we can experience the physical and emotional benefits induced by genuine laughter. The body seems to release our happy hormones when we laugh, even if it is initially confected. “Start every
  day off with a smile and get it over with.” W. C. Fields
• Observational humour. Paying attention to the humorous, ridiculous, self-contradictory aspects of our everyday lives can help us develop resilience. Seeing the humour, the absurdity, in every situation helps boost our morale and our ability to keep on going when things
  become problematic. “Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?” Robin Williams

Thinking about it, at ASEL we take our work very seriously, but laughter is a frequent feature at all levels.

Turns out that laughter is the best team-building exercise!