“Stressed? Why would I be stressed?” Chyna Robinson snapped, stethoscope flung round her neck and scrubs fluttering as she strode, full speed ahead, down the hallway. “We’ve just had two codes, I’ve got an admit with absolutely no paperwork, and I’m one nurse short here. The sitter who was supposed to be watching our suicidal patient fell asleep –we could hear her snoring in the hall! Why would I be stressed?” Chyna’s story is not unique: health care providers are continually being asked to do more — larger patient loads, more intensive treatment — with less resources. The result: stratospheric stress levels.
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.
Using humor can make one a more effective professional. By eliminating stress and tension from the body, humor frees up vital energies to focus on the task at hand. At the same time, the quick thinking and mental agility the regular use of humor requires helps sharpen the mind and encourages strong problem solving skills. Finally, the use of humor can help stressed out professionals put difficult situations in perspective.
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!”
Suffering’s no fun. Opting to embrace humor in the workplace has many benefits: humor is a no to low cost way to alleviate stress — an attractive factor in tight economic times. It costs nothing to send a funny joke to colleagues via email (taking care not to become a spammer!) nor to share the sillier side of your personality. Consider collecting cartoons to post in your cubicle, using funny mugs or glassware such as Ryanne did, or donning a silly pin. These small touches can have a big impact! You’ll be reducing your own stress and the stress of everyone around you!
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