Laughter’s The Best Medicine for Doctors, Nurses, and Caregivers
Workplace stress is consistently cited as the number one issue in most people’s lives. From the barista at the local coffee shop to the registered nurse caring for neo-natal intensive care patients, the tension, emotional toil, and physical consequences of stress are very, very real. Add to that an economic environment that adds layers of anxiety about job security, access to adequate materials and supplies, and ongoing access to health care and other benefits, and we’ve got a recipe for disaster. People under high stress don’t perform well personally or professionally — and when those professionals have the nation’s health and security within their purview, that’s a problem.
This stress must be addressed. Experts recommend a number of strategies to combat the many effects of workplace stress and tension. Exercise is a favorite recommendation, as physical activity improves both the body and the mind. Meditation helps many achieve inner peace. Embracing creativity provides a safe and appropriate outlet for intense stress. And finally, surprisingly, the use of humor, laughter, and play can minimize the impact of workplace stress.
The more stressful the profession, the more likely the professionals are to embrace humor as a coping mechanism. Repeated exposure to trauma is common for nurses, law enforcement professionals, military personnel, emergency response teams, and educators. There is an almost universal tendency to seek out humor and laughs: consider the TV show MASH, which captured the hearts and minds of a generation by finding the funny moments in the horror of the Korean War.
Does using humor detract from professionalism? Surprisingly, no. Cracking a laugh may actually enhance one’s ability to perform well in the workplace. Laughter helps eliminate stress and tension from the body, and helps keep even the most stressful situation in perspective. The regular use of humor also encourages quick thinking and mental agility: two traits professionals need to thrive in high-stress environments.
Using humor benefits not only the individual laughing, but those people surrounding them. Loretta LaRoche recently said, in an interview in The Journal of Nursing Jocularity, that a negative attitude is one of the worst things you can bring to the workplace. ” Think about the impact this has in the workplace. When we work with other people, as most nurses do, theres a tendency to hook up and share the things that arent working. This sharing actually increases the stress ” I call this practice suffering!”
Using humor to alleviate workplace stress does not have to cost a great deal of money. Better than that, it’s not a lot of work! Sharing funny jokes, passing around a great cartoon, a moment of silliness in the hallway — all are no and low cost ways to add some levity to the workplace. Small touches can have a big impact! You’ll be lifting your own spirits and those of everyone around you.
