Funny Business
By Megan Burns-Moran
Work these days is no laughing matter. We are working more hours, taking on added responsibilities, anxious about losing our jobs and we are uncertain when things will turn around. Experts say the best way to deal with this is to LAUGH it off and I agree! Let’s take a serious look at the benefits of laughter and how all of us can add laughter into our daily routines.
Laughter in the workplace is critical to the health of your company’s bottom line and to your employee’s health. Laughter has been proven to boost morale, increase sales, increase communication, lower stress, decrease sick time and decrease work accidents. According to www.workplaceissues.net, people who have fun at work are more creative, are better decision makers, and are more productive.
Laughter can and should be measured. Tardiness, absenteeism, turnover rates all decrease. Communication among co‐workers increases. Deadlines are met with less stress on the team.
The science of laughter proves that your heart rate decreases when you laugh, it lowers blood pressure and reduces stress hormones. Laughter also protects the heart, boosts the immune system and relaxes your body up to 45 minutes after you laugh.
Did you know? You can’t feel sad, angry when you are laughing. 15 minutes of laughter equals the benefit of 2 hours sleep. One good belly laugh burns off 3 1/2 calories. Laughing for 15 seconds adds 2 days to your life span. And it’s more contagious than sneezing!
Start today by trying a few of these simple ideas. SMILE! Add laughter to your weekly schedule, surround yourself with positive people, work hard but take yourself lightly, move toward laughter when you hear it. Consider keeping a child’s toy on your desk, making a funny screensaver, framing photos of family and friends engaged in happy moments.
The Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce takes laughter seriously. Please join us for LACC’s 2nd Annual An Evening of Hilarious Comedy featuring Rob Lederman and special guests on April Fool’s Day‐ Friday, April 1, 2011 at the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 7275, 3741 Walden Avenue, Lancaster, NY. Doors open at 7:00 pm and event runs until 10:00 pm. For tickets contact the Chamber today at 716‐681‐9755 or www.laccny.org. Space is limited.
After all, laughing with others is more powerful than laughing alone! |
Collaboration is alive and well at the Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce! According to Wikipedia.org, collaboration is a process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. 
