Want to experience the incredible health and feel-good benefits of laughter more often? Check out 10 simple ways to inject more laughter into your life.
It might feel a little silly, but did you know planning for laughter is good for you? We can often get so caught up in our busy lives that laughing doesn’t end up making it onto the to-do list. So why not schedule it into your morning or evening routine to start or end your day on a high.
Try this: Plan for laughter
Finding time to laugh can be difficult, but if you stack it with another habit, like your commute to work, exercising or making dinner, it’ll end up being a natural part of your day. You could watch funny videos on the bus or train, listen to a humorous podcast while on the treadmill, or have your favourite stand-up comedian on the TV when you’re in the kitchen.
Learn more about habit stacking.
With all the health and wellbeing benefits that come from laughing, remind yourself that not only is it OK to laugh – it’s actually GOOD to laugh. And allow yourself to choose the funny, light content over all of the serious stuff, that’s okay too.
Don’t let ‘doom scrolling’ ruin your day. Curate your social media pages by following comedians and meme pages that make you laugh, and unfollowing news media (especially if you find yourself going from being informed to just plain anxious).
Read more: Where to find good news online
It seems like every tom, dick and harry has a podcast these days, so it’s pretty likely that someone you find humorous has their own regular podcast show too. These can be easy to digest on a daily basis, which you can listen to while walking the dog or cooking dinner.
Choose a close group of friends and/or family and put together a chat group that is for sharing funny memes and jokes. Maybe you have a shared occupation, or something else that connects you all – and let the chat purposely create laughter and silliness.
Laughter is always more fun when others join in, so get everyone in your home to write down jokes they find funny on separate pieces of paper. Put them all into a jar and take turns reading a couple out every night at dinner.
It may feel a little strange to write a list of things that make you laugh, but it helps to have a ‘go to’ for when you’re not feeling in the right headspace to seek out something funny. Think of it as a quick reminder of how to achieve guaranteed laughter when you need it the most.
You probably won’t want anybody watching, but pop your favourite tune on and have a boogie. Throw your legs and arms around like you just don’t care, and no doubt you’ll have a giggle at how goofy you feel - but also at how much fun you’re having.
Read more: How to lift your mood through dancing
Pets and children can be pretty silly, and that’s a wonderful thing to cherish. So make time everyday to play with your four-legged furry friend, or two-legged family member (or both?). Laughter is absolutely guaranteed!