Monday Motivation: You Crack Me Up

By Loralyn Mears PhD Loralyn Mears PhD has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team
Published on October 28, 2019

Monday Motivation here we come! We see you – coffee cup in hand, trudging through the rain on an early dark morning cursing your commute. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

This column is for those of you who slog through your Monday mornings. If you lament the end of the weekend and dread returning to the office, you may need our Monday Motivation quick tips. Studies show that your morning mood affects your productivity all day. And nobody wants to go through their day like an unmotivated, unproductive sourpuss, right?

Grit Daily offers an avenue to connect with others like you. We’re here to help get your work week off to a good start. Pump your fists – it’s time for Monday Motivation!

Did you hear the one about … ?

We laugh less as we age. Let that sink in for a moment. This is not funny! Credible scientific research has demonstrated that humor (the more absurd the better) keeps our brains young. Hence, it’s really important to laugh at any time that we can. Monday motivation is tough enough, but finding a reason to laugh on a Monday morning? Now that’s a tall order.

Of course, life gets more serious as we get older. We have financial pressures. Plus we often have to navigate dynamic relationships with inlaws, kids, colleagues and so on. So, theoretically, we have less to laugh about.

Part of this natural phenomenon is that, as we age, we lose our ability to understand complex nuances related to sarcasm and obscure references. We haven’t lost our sense of humor – we’ve lost our ability to understand the jokes. By this phase of our lives, slapstick is funnier than ever so it’s no wonder that America’s Funniest Videos is full of slips, falls and pranks.

As far as Monday motivation goes with the directive to laugh more, watching that show isn’t going to do it for me. Personally, I don’t find those videos funny at all. Laughing at people or animals getting hurt or compromised in some way is no laughing matter. At least for me. But clearly I’m in the minority as the show is ABC’s longest-running primetime series.

“What’s the last thing that went through the bug’s mind as he crashed into your windshield?

His butt.”

I have laughed at that joke ever since I was a kid. It was and still is, my favorite joke of all time. It’s snappy and relatable. I mean, who hasn’t seen bugs splat onto your windshield on a road trip? Especially if you’ve ever driven up in northern US or Canada where the bugs are as big as grapes. They really splat! And cleaning your car after a road trip like that is no laughing matter.

Warning: I’m going offside

Humans aren’t the only species to appreciate a good joke. Or to be ticklish. Rats and dogs both fall into the latter category. In fact, the more you tickle rats and dogs to make them laugh, the more playful they will be. And, in theory, age slower by playing more which is a common behavior observed in youth.

When we’re with our friends, we are 30x more likely to laugh than when we’re with other people. This is no joke! It’s true. I’ve witnessed it myself. Whenever I’m with my besties, we laugh until we cry and our cheeks hurt right on through to the next day. It is the BEST feeling!

Of course, even in the comfort of friends, religious, sexual and political jokes can – and often will – go offside. Each of our friends will have a different threshold for how far we can go offside but, even if we cross the line, it can be good for all of us. According to psychologists, laughter strengthens our relationships more than any other behavior so it’s worth testing that boundary every once in a while.

By Loralyn Mears PhD Loralyn Mears PhD has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team

Journalist verified by Muck Rack verified

Dr. Loralyn Mears is a Columnist at Grit Daily and a podcast host (The Grit Files, which aims to shine the spotlight on female founders). She is a content marketer, founder of the WORKtech startup, STEERus, specializing in personal and professional development to address gaps in soft skills - communication in particular. In her consultancy practice, she helps clients with content and strategy. Loralyn spent over a decade playing with mosquito DNA, got her PhD, decided she would rather market science than be at the bench and has never looked back. Along the way, she’s wined and dined her way around the globe. She's authored two books, including the 2018 Gold Medal Indie Book award-winning, One Sip At a Time: a Memoir and the hard science thriller, "The Battle for Humanity: How Science Saved Us." 

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