President's Letter: All Work and No Play
Andrew Carnegie once said, “There is little success where there is little laughter.”
It is true what they say—laughter is the best medicine. Without adding fun and humor into our lives, we become bored and unmotivated, and in the end, we suffer from burnout.
It is crucial to break up your long hours and challenging work with a bit of fun. According to Harvard, here are five reasons you should laugh more at work.
- Lower levels of stress
Naturally, laughing decreases the amount of stress hormones in the body. It also allows people to access their dopamine centers in the brain. It makes us feel good. Anything that can give us positive vibes can carry across all aspects of the work environment.
- Higher productivity
Less stress creates happier people, and happier people are more productive. Overall happiness also results in highly motivated people. These are the employees you want to help you run your business! - Healthier employees
Having healthy workers keeps your operation running at the optimal output by reducing absenteeism. It could also result in lower healthcare costs for your business and your employees. - Connections
The more your workers feel connected to each other, the more collaboration you will get. The more minds can tackle a challenge together, the higher the chance an effective solution will be found. - Allows us to be authentic
If workers feel like they can be themselves and not harbor any humorous emotions, they are more likely to work for you longer. Retention is key to long-term business success.
So, as we push through this ever-challenging year, I encourage all of you to take a few minutes each day and have a little fun. Take your teams to lunch. Hang out after work for a while. Get to know each other. Do anything you can to help reduce the stressors that can affect your business.
And while you are at it, do a happy dance! Laughing and Dancing always make people smile!
Speaking of connections, make sure you sign up for the upcoming AATC Business Exchange presented by Perma-Pier on August 9th at Irving Convention Center. I know there will be fun, laughter and smiles in this location.
So… Will you dance with me, and share a little laughter?
Patty Utley
AATC President
