Six fundamentals of humour

i) instead of being serious, you should strive to be good at your job, ie very competent

Establish your work ethic (including values to guide decision-making so that you convey integrity and command respect from others) and competence to do the task or role allocated before using humour

ii) use humour to add balance to the stress of your life

By creating an "emotional distance or barrier"between you and the stress, humour can allow you to take a break from adversity while you regroup and regain your composure

iii) humour by its nature creates a new perspective

A new perspective can be an asset when you are faced with challenges and problems

iv) you connect with one another through laughter

Research has shown that people like to be around others who have a sense of humour. Furthermore, laughter is a universal language but we need to be aware of sensitivities, such as cultural ones

v) humour can enhance the recall and retention of information

It provides balance to serious information, it creates a new way of understanding the material being presented and it establishes a memorable link to the point being made

vi) humour makes work more bearable

Humour has the potential to make work more enjoyable without sacrificing productivity or the integrity of the work being performed. It can create an enjoyable environment that attracts staff and encourages them to contribute