Humor Works Better: Make Mental Health a Laughing Matter
May 11, 2025
Humor Works Better: Make Mental Health a Laughing Matter
When was the last time you heard a genuine belly laugh at work? Not the polite "haha" that punctuates a virtual meeting, but a real, uninhibited laugh that comes from deep within?
Struggling to remember? You're in good company. And you're missing out on one of the most powerful good mental health tools available—humor.
Paul Osincup, humor strategist and author of The Humor Habit, shared something in our Work Positive podcast conversation that stops me in my tracks: "There's a lot of studies now about what watching humor, even finding something humorous whether you laugh or not, and then of course laughing, does to us. It floods our brains with happiness chemicals. I think of it as a 'D.O.S.E.' of happiness chemicals."
That's D.O.S.E.: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins—the exact neurotransmitters depleted during stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout.
Why This Matters to You
Whether you're an HR leader or small business owner, the chemical cocktail released when we laugh does more than make us feel good temporarily. It builds mental resilience in sustainable ways.
Research from Stanford University shows humor can increase productivity, enhance problem-solving abilities, and improve learning and retention.
Paul shared some compelling research: "People who watch funny videos during their break, their 15-minute break, are twice as productive upon first getting back to work as people who took a break with no humor."
Imagine doubling your team's post-break productivity with YouTube shorts of their favorite comedians. Good mental health works better!
How Humor Works Better in Your Culture
Maybe your work environment is more stress and stern than productive and positive. Culture happens by design. Somewhere along the way, a leader bought the lie that professionalism and humor are mutually exclusive.
Start with these four strategies:
- Lead with Laughter
Culture shifts start at the top. Leaders must model appropriate humor use to demonstrate that levity and productivity catalyze each other.
One CEO starts each all-hands meeting with a self-deprecating story about a recent mistake he made. This prompts laughter and creates psychological safety for others to admit mistakes and what they learned.
- Assign Humor Hotspots
Encourage humor at designated times and spaces. These "humor hotspots" signal to team members that it's safe to relax and enjoy themselves.
One team set up a "pun jar" (like a swear jar, but for bad puns). The money collected went toward team celebrations, creating a virtuous cycle of humor and connection.
- Develop Deliberate Humor Habits
Intentional habits turn sporadic laughter into a positive work culture norm. Simple habits to start with include:
- Take "laugh breaks" to watch short funny videos.
- Create a "success and fails" section in team meetings.
- Keep a humor journal of funny moments at work.
Your Humor Works Better Challenge
Ready to grow people and profits with good mental health through humor? Here's your challenge:
- Personal Humor Audit: Track when you laugh at work for one week. Note what prompted it, who was involved, and how it affected your mood and productivity.
- Team Humor Experiment: Implement one humor practice for two weeks. Start meetings with a funny question, create a humor-specific channel, or take collective laugh breaks.
- Leadership Humor Modeling: Share one self-deprecating story about a leadership mistake you made and what you learned from it.
Taken from Dr. Joey's forthcoming new book, Good Mental Health Works Better: 6 Culture Strategies that Grow People and Profits.
What's your question about creating a positive work culture? Ask Dr. Joey here.
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