| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 762 - Feb. 20, 2019 |
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Waiting to Exhale |
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The next time you're faced with a stressful situation where your reptilian brain threatens to overrule your sense of humor, try to do what an audience member told me she does: She imagines everyone around her, herself included, wearing toddler-like purple sleepers, adorned with rabbit ears and
donkey tails. Her other go-to response is to ask herself what she's going to find funny about the situation a year from now.
If reframing techniques like those don't work for you, then try what soldiers call tactical breathing. It's dirt simple, and for numerous physiological reasons, it works like a charm to reduce nerves, improve focus, and help you keep your sense of humor when everyone around you has lost theirs. Here's how to practice tactical breathing:
1. Inhale deeply through your nose while expanding your stomach for a count of four.
2. Hold that breath for a count of four.
3. Slowly exhale all your air through your mouth for a count of four.
4. Hold the empty breath for a count of four.
Repeat a few times if necessary. Tactical breathing forces you to slow down, focus your energy, and hopefully keep your sense of humor firmly intact.
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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An interesting icebreaker to try at one of your meetings is to ask everyone this question: "When people meet you for the first time, what do you think is most inaccurate about their first impression of you?" This also makes a great interview or networking question.
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Quote of the Week |
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“It is important to be able to laugh at yourself. Take your work seriously, yes, but don’t whatever you do get all pompous and start taking yourself too seriously.” Michael Caine
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It's a Wacky World |
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Today is Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day. Its purpose is to help people shake off the winter blahs. How, you ask? Well, you're supposed to go outside at noon, raise your arms over your head and yell out "Hoodie Hoo" as loud as possible. Wearing crazy hats is entirely optional. (And
heck, why not turn it into a team event? And no, I'm not going to explain it to your boss.)
Today is also my good friend Anne's birthday. It's a milestone birthday to boot, so Happy Birthday Anne - hope it's a Hoodie Hoo day for you!
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Cost-Savings to Bring Mike in to Energize Your Workplace!
Vancouver: March 15 or 18
Edmonton: May 30 or 31
Toronto: May 9
Winnipeg: May 14
Toronto: May 24
Montreal: Big savings for May!
Toronto: June 10-12
Atlanta: June 13-15
Halifax: June 26, 27
Back from Your Winter Vacation? Need some tips on how to make your reentry into work a little easier after two weeks at the beach? Mike is quoted in the Education Executive article: Getting Back Into The Groove
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Copyright © 2019 Humor at Work. All Rights Reserved.
mike@mikekerr.com
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