Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (May, 2025)

 

Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (May, 2025)

Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (and how anyone can harness it. Even you.) by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas (2020, published by Currency)

My take:

The science of humour? Does “science” and “humour” belong together? Turns out that they do! In, Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas (2021) you’ll learn about the evidence as to why bringing more humour into your life may improve your well-being. So, what is the connection between humour and well-being?

For starters, the act of laughing or even the anticipation of laughing can decrease our stress hormone, cortisol, by about 39% and our fight or flight hormone, epinephrine, by about 70%, making you feel calmer and less stressed. Adding humour to information might even help you better remember. These were just some data the authors reported on.

If you are thinking that you aren’t a very funny person, not to worry. The book has several strategies to help you be funnier. Perhaps one of the easiest strategies is to simply laugh. According to the authors, laughing makes you funnier. My personal favourite was to be on the lookout for “funny”, chances are there is some around you that you may not have noticed. I also appreciated the nod to “time”. Sometimes time needs to pass before you can see the funny in a situation. What might be infuriating or awkward in the moment, might be funny after some time has passed.

Overall, humour can relieve stress, allow us to make more meaningful connections, increase our creatively, and build our resilience. So have a read and a laugh for improved well-being.

Have you tried any of the strategies in the book? Do you feel funnier? Has increased “funniness” had a positive impact on your well-being?


Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 30, 2025 at 6:40 AM

    This looks like it will be funny!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 30, 2025 at 6:40 AM

    Looking forward to reading this!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 30, 2025 at 12:25 PM

    This looks like fun!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 30, 2025 at 1:02 PM

    Everybody needs more funny.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM

    Never thought there was research to support humour

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM

    I just joined the club. Excited to start reading this book.

    ReplyDelete

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