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Life is a serious business. But learn when to be silly at work, and you’ll reap seriously good results.
Fun and laughter give a fantastic boost to creativity and collaboration. In fact, a whopping 80% of laughter isn’t prompted by jokes, but our wish to connect.
So, reach out and touch your team-mates – on the funny bone – and don’t let Zoom get in the way!
Try this experiment
Play a high-energy ‘engager’ at the start of your next online meeting – something fun that prompts people to share and connect.
Not My Hat Go find/ bring back a hat that isn’t yours. Tell the story behind the hat and wear it for the rest of the meeting (we dare you!)
Worst Gift EVER. Again, fly round your home, then land back at your screen clutching THE worst/ most offensive/ most ill-advised gift ever given to you. Share the story behind it!
Art Attack Challenge everyone to find (and bring to the screen) the worst piece of art in their home (or in the office space). Explain the story behind it, and exactly what your problem is with it!
Why it works
Laughter is a brain super fuel! It boosts oxygen intake, helping us blow away stress and focus more clearly. It releases feel-good endorphins and dopamine; activates your limbic system (linked to emotion and memory), and engages the prefrontal cortex (crucial for higher-order thinking and problem-solving).
Having evolved as a social signal, the act of laughing strengthens team bonds and trust. It’s no accident we giggle more in groups – it’s the ultimate social glue!
Struggling to raise a smile in online meetings? See how we’ve been zipping it up on Zoom: