November 26th, 2018 @ Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC
You know how vital it is to retain professional speakers for your meetings who can keep audiences awake and alert, through their elocution skills and their humor. Within the speaking profession itself, an age-old question-and-answer axiom remains popular to this day: “Q: Is humor important? A: Only if you want to get paid.”
Why is it that having some laughs throughout the day is not one of your ongoing, mini-objectives? It’s one thing to have a great career, increase your net worth, live in a big house, drive a nice car and enjoy the benefits of being a successful meeting professional; it’s quite another if your life is relatively humorless.
Is that all there is?
Based on some studies, 44-year-olds, on average, laugh less often each day than children under age 7 and adults over age 65. That’s kind of sad when you think about it. Imagine going years, if not decades, in your professional career maintaining a relatively humorless posture compared to those much younger or significantly older? Like the Peggy Lee song lamented, “Is that all there is?” Is the career and life that you’re currently leading all there is?
If it’s been awhile since you have let out a good belly laugh, or you’d simply like to smile more often throughout the day, here are some ideas that will get you back on the road to mirth.
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1) Buy a joke book.
What kind of joke book you want to buy is up to you. The Dilbert series by Scott Adams is quite funny if you’re into office humor. The Far Side series by Gary Larson hasn’t been in vogue for almost two decades, but my goodness is it funny even to this day. A variety of other joke books and joke genres are readily available. In fact, you don’t even have to buy a book, you can go online and find comic strips, lists of jokes by topic, by geography, and so on. Your ability to quickly find reading material that will make you laugh has never been easier.
2) Watch funny movies.
On DVD, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or however you acquire them, you can find funny movies and funny shows that can make a difference in your life. Teen flicks are particularly funny when done well. Mean Girls, 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s All That are bound to bring a smile to your face. Screwball comedies might be your cup of tea. Some comedies from the 1930s, 40s and 50s have stood the test of time and are still funny. In addition, there are a number of channels where you can watch comedians in high gear, including Showtime, Starz, Cinemax and HBO.
3) Associate with humorous people.
If you already have close friends to exchange jokes and witticisms with, it’s to your great advantage. Now, consider your professional colleagues, people in your social circles, those you knew way back when, including college and even high school—what percentage of them are humorous? Is it one in five? Is it none in five? Is it time, perhaps, to seek out new friends who have a lighter, cheerier and more mirthful approach to life?
4) Look for everyday humor.
We all encounter humorous situations at work, at home and in life, but to what degree do we take note of them? Sometimes, we muster a half, inner smile and then in the next second, proceed past it so that the encounter has no bearing on us. If you begin to note the humorous situations all around you, soon enough, they begin to take on greater importance. You actively seek them. Before you know it, your quest for a humor-filled life becomes a significant part of your day.
If you undertake the activities above, not too far in the future, you’ll find that you’ve added a measure of humor back into your life that helps to offer some semblance of balance. After all, as a meeting professional you will face trying days and intense challenges. It’s that fine balance that makes it all so much nicer.
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