What Makes Me Laugh?

Disclaimer: This point of view does not necessarily represent the view of Jana Ruth, all the time, just today, Thursday, August 16, 2007.

Serious people make me laugh. And they are everywhere. Like being serious is going to help anyone. Where is it written that says being a adult has to be serious. Why? Since when is too much fun and playing, and laughing, bad for you? Never, is my answer.

As Victor Borge said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Laughter and humor are needed everywhere, especially at work. We, as adults, spend most of our lives at work, and we don't want to be looking at our watches and crying, "Oh no, I have only been here a minute."

We know from surveys that employees don't leave jobs they leave bosses, and workers are not fired because of lack of competence, they are fired because of lack of inability to get along with their co-workers. My guess is that these people, that employees leave, and are fired, are not the friendly, happy, having a good sense of humor people. My guess is that they are the REALLY serious people.

Humor and laughter in the workplace are important. They increase communications, build relationships, and reduce stress. Again, research shows that when people are having fun at work they are much more productive. Somehow serious and fun do not go along.

So what to do with all the serious people? I say laugh with them, and if that doesn't work, laugh at them. As, Bill Crosby, or someone like that, once said, "If you can laugh at them you can live with them." I don't want to live with them, just work with them. I say, "I have to laugh at you, or else I have to kill you." Maybe that's where the term, "Died laughing comes from?"

Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com