1. Humour is one of the easiest and most effective ways to manage workplace stress, build bridges and reduce conflict with people, create an atmosphere of trust and openness, spark creative solutions to day-to-day challenges, improve communication, boost morale and foster productive and healthy workplaces Michael Kerr Humour at Work – A Philosophy of Life?

2. To be playful and serious at the same time is possible, and it defines the ideal mental condition John Dewey

3. Why do comedians earn more than teachers? Many English comedians were once schoolteachers

4. Human Needs Survive and Reproduce Belong – Love, Share and Cooperate Power – Control and Competition Freedom – Autonomy and choice Fun – Humour and laughter (Glasser 1988, p.33) Humour is by far the most significant behaviour of the brain Edward De Bono

5. The Brain and Motivation Cloniger 1987 argued that 3 neural systems run our lives The Cortexs quest for Novelty The Mid-Brains quest for Pleasure The Lower-Brains desire to avoid Pain

6. The Health Benefits of Humour The medical profession has something to say about humour. Laughter causes lungs to pump out carbon dioxide, muscles to relax tension, the cardiovascular system to be exercised, and blood pressure to be reduced. Perhaps most important…endorphins, which are chemicals produced by the brain to relieve pain and boost the immune system, are released into the bloodstream when a person laughs (Barth, 1990, p.170) "The simple truth is that happy people generally don't get sick." Bernie Siegel, M.D.

7. The Benefits of Humour at Work Builds Rapport Acts as a Safety Valve Energizes Motivates Reduces Boredom Increases Productivity & Creativity Rapport is the ultimate tool for producing results with other people Anthony Robbins

8. The Benefits of Humour for Learning Refreshes the brain Creates mental images that retain learning Reinforces desired behaviour and makes classroom management easier Develops positive attitudes Promotes creativity Contributes to the enjoyment of teaching

9. Humour Communicates Something Important about YOU to others Openness Friendly Fun to be with Dont sweat the small stuff Can self-disclose, hor People like people like themselves

10. How to develop your sense of humour? Reframing – looking for the funny side How your perceive something makes all the difference, and you are free to see things from any perspective you wish The comedians experiences are probably no more amusing than others; he or she simply has a certain sensitivity to the environment and circumstances and so perceives humour that a more serious person might miss Steve Allen in How to be Funny

11. How to develop your sense of humour? Talking to folk and getting the funny stuff that has happened to them Watching funny people and learning what they do and how they do it Be prepared to take some risks THEN If you practice, youll eventually start to think funny Ron Dentinger

12. Safe humour Safe humour laughs with people, not at people Safe humour laughs at situations, not people Safe humour avoids sexist, racist or ethnic topics Safe humour avoids is considerate of the timing, situation and audience The safest form of humour is being able to laugh at yourself