I think managers sometimes think they can’t afford to lighten up. With so much to do, and less time and resources in which to get it done, we all have to buckle down and get serious. Right?

Sure, we do. But we also have to lighten up. If we don’t, our stress level will be so intense we’ll burst like a water balloon, making everything so sloppy that nothing gets done.

When we lighten up, endorphins flood us. We are more attractive. We bring people into our lives instead of repelling them. Our shoes wear out more slowly because our stride is lighter (okay, I made that part up, but it makes sense, doesn’t it?).

Watch my video clip, Lighten Up.

Just this week, my team held a staff meeting to discuss some hard work we have to do in the coming month. We could have gotten down to business and focused on glum or stressful topics. Instead, guess what we did? I let one staff member put her 6-year-old (who was home for a snow day) on the phone, so that I could talk to her about having a good attitude. I also made fun of myself a lot. We turned a tight situation into a light situation. And then we got to work.

How do you change a tense situation into a lighter situation? Post your comments below, and let’s spread this. Share this blog with others, would you? Let’s Go Positive!

-Sammy