Managing Stress Can Be a Laughing Matter
The benefits of laughter are well documented: decreased blood pressure, improved attitude and an increased ability to manage pain as well as stress are just some of the advantages you can reap. Making use of humor is a common way to put people at ease, but what if you could take it further? What if you could incorporate laughter into your day for managing stress while improving your productivity? The first step is simpler than you might think.
A Positive Attitude Leads to Great Things
Laughter and a positive attitude have been proven to improve mental alertness. For anyone in a work setting, increased mental acuity has obvious advantages. Imagine making it through that late afternoon slump without feeling tired or overwhelmed.
Another advantage of laughing is that it helps give us a more realistic perspective. This form of cognitive reframing helps you view things in a better light, making it easier to take on additional challenges in a positive fashion. An upbeat attitude not only makes work easier, it makes the workplace more enjoyable.
Using Positive Thinking Quotes
When you embrace the power of positive words and laughter to improve performance and stress management, it can be difficult to come up with ideas. If you are used to being hard on yourself, internalizing positive messages can be a not so easy task. If you can’t come up with your own thoughts, you may choose to borrow ideas from our Positive Thinking Quotes page.
In this section, you will find many such quotations that you can use. Find one you like and turn it into your mantra. Repetition is an extremely effective way to create ownership of a message.
Backed by Science
It is easy to dismiss something as simple as positive thinking and its potential effects upon your day; however, recent studies at the University of Wisconsin offer concrete proof of its efficacy. Positive self-talk not only makes people more productive, it allows them to take risks more readily, interact better with others and enjoy greater levels of fulfillment. These benefits translate into greater effectiveness in all aspects of daily living.
Furthermore, the researchers found that while participants in the study found it difficult to get started with positive self-talk and positive thinking, the more often they used the techniques, the easier it got.
Bring Laughter to Work
The one place that we tend to hold sacrosanct in our process-driven society is work; however, those barriers are starting to come down. Companies which have instituted laughter programs have found that their employees are happier, more effective and exhibit improved job performance. Just starting the day with positive affirmations, a short laughter session and some mild stretching can lead to great results.
Managing stress in the workplace may not seem like it would lead to better results, but the research on laughter, stress management and a positive environment shows that happy, relaxed individuals work better.
