Does burnout sound familiar?

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Does burnout sound familiar? Having found myself on the verge of burnout a few years ago, I know what I’m talking about!

Many factors lead to burnout, but long-term, permanent stress is certainly the main culprit.

During the pandemic, cases of burnout increased, partly due to people working longer hours while working from home, and being even more stressed than normal. At my conferences these days, I even suggest that participants give themselves a bonus point for the level of stress they feel.

So what can you do to avoid burnout?

One of the simplest and easiest things to do is to take more breaks.

Not only will this improve your mental health and reduce the risk of burnout, it will also improve your productivity. Ultimately, you’ll get more done, because regular breaks will improve your concentration. This means you’ll be able to work fewer hours, helping to further prevent burnout.

A study by Owl Labs in 2020 showed that people working from home worked an average of 26 hours more per month, or almost an extra day per week. 26 MORE hours!!!

Even though working from home has many advantages, it does something strange to our way of thinking. We feel guilty taking breaks when we think we should be working. So we often don’t, and just get on with it.

Unfortunately, not taking breaks doesn’t save you time in the long run. On the contrary, your productivity decreases as your brain becomes exhausted, causing you to slow down, lose concentration and make more and more mistakes.

The good news is that your breaks don’t have to be long to be beneficial. A few minutes’ break can make a huge difference to your state of mind and your ability to concentrate for longer.

Overall, you’ll need a good mix of longer and shorter breaks for optimum benefit. This includes a proper lunch break, a good night’s rest with a relaxing evening, weekends and vacations to completely unplug and recharge.

How to make the most of your breaks

  • Write down your breaks in your diary. Set alarms so that you don’t “go straight through”. That way, you’ll be more likely to stick to them. Write down what you’re going to do during your break, for example, go for a walk or read a book, or join a laughter group on URGENCE RIRE for energizing and relaxing 10-15 minute breaks. Your brain will be oxygenated, you’ll feel more relaxed and continue your work with smiling energy.
  • Choose an activity that takes you away from your work. Don’t use it to check e-mail or social media. No. Do something else. Like LAUGH!

Most people can’t concentrate for more than 90 minutes at a time, which is how often you’ll need a mini-break. You’ll notice that you need a break when your mind starts to wander, you begin to procrastinate or you make more mistakes.

Wouldn’t you keep driving your car if the engine started to overheat?

HA! You’d take a break to let it cool off. Don’t treat your body any worse than you would your car!

Jaw clenching? Time to relax a little!

To receive the latest news and inspirations, sign up for the Laughter Yoga School newsletter.

You’ll have ammunition to inspire you to smile and take care of yourself!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

p.s. To consult the 2022 results

Ending the day on a positive note

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I don’t know about you, but I really like to end my work day on a positive note. I thought I’d share with you what I do to give you some ideas!

Here’s what I’m putting on the menu.

  1. Ending the day with a quick phone call to check in on someone – a customer, a colleague, a friend – just to say I’m thinking of them. It always makes them smile, and it’s good for both of us.
  2. Send an e-mail that says “Thank you” to someone. It’s a ritual that feels good.
  3. Taking the last 10 minutes to tackle a task we’ve been putting off is like taking that first bite of elephant before the next day. And elephants are eaten one bite at a time, as you well know!
  4. Tidy up your work surface to find a welcoming space the next morning.
  5. Completing one last task on your to-do list will give you a sense of accomplishment.
  6. Write down things to do the next day. It’s a great way to clear your mind and help you concentrate better the next day.
  7. Meditate for a few minutes. There are many applications that can help. Yes, it takes a bit of practice, but the benefits are enormous in terms of stress reduction. Don’t feel like meditating? Then take a series of breaths (cardiac coherence), smiling broadly.
  8. Research shows that simply performing the same ritual at the end of the working day became a way of closing up store and moving on. Turning off the lights, tidying up the desk…
  9. Take a moment to think about what went well, noting 3 things we’re grateful for, the small successes. The worse the day has gone, the more important this ritual is!
  10. Do something fun, dance, raise your arms to the sky and say “WOOHOO! The day is over”.

And what about you? What do you do to take a break between work and home? Especially now, when many people are telecommuting. It’s harder to “let go of work” while you’re on the way home – commuting time often sucks! It only takes a moment to switch from office space to family space. This makes it all the more important to plan the smiling transition between the two.

Have a nice evening!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

How about a hug to reduce your anxiety?

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Yes! How about a self-treatment to reduce anxiety?

Most of us suffer from anxiety from time to time. At least, we suffer from high levels of stress. Experts agree that chronic stress causes many problems, including insomnia, depression, exhaustion… and very serious illnesses.

And right now, when our whole world seems to be falling apart, when our usual landmarks have disappeared, hello STRESS AND ANXIETY! For many, the sense of security we once felt may be gone.

However, there are some simple, practical exercises that have been around for a long time that can help reduce or even eliminate this anxiety.

I’ve discovered an exercise that can be practised at any time when anxiety strikes. It is also suggested as a daily practice to help increase our inner security on a daily basis. It not only helps us feel grounded, but also more balanced physically, mentally and emotionally.

It’s a“self-cuddling” exercise derived from a technique developed by trauma and stress expert Dr. Peter Levine. I’ve made a video here to demonstrate how it works. Click on the link to do it with me.

How to exercise self-care

Before starting the exercise, I’d like you to think of your body as a container, not just for your physical organs and systems, but also for your emotions. It’s all in our bodies. Keep in mind that if you feel anxious, it’s because your “system” doesn’t feel safe. So we aim to maintain feelings of security within ourselves through“self-cuddling“. In this way, we dominate overflowing emotions such as anxiety.

You can do the exercise standing up or sitting down.

  • Place your right hand under your left arm, just under the armpit.
  • Then place your left hand on your right shoulder.
  • Feel the loving embrace you give each other.
  • Inhale slowly to the count of four and exhale to the count of seven.
  • Note the sensations in your body.
  • How are you feeling?

You can continue to breathe slowly and deeply, or normally. Stay in this position for as long as you need, until you feel calm and more relaxed. This may take 30 seconds or several minutes. The idea is to stay present to our sensations and emotions. Without judging them.

You pay attention, you breathe, you relax and you give yourself a big dose of love. All this helps calm your nervous system.

It’s another great technique that works very gently. A self-cuddle to reduce anxiety!

Well, of course, laughter also works little miracles in the body! You don’t have to convince me of this, and if you haven’t already experienced it, I invite you to laugh intentionally and energetically for two or three minutes. Then watch your body and mind calm down. Need a little boost? Do the exercises with me here

So the next time you feel the anxiety creeping up on you, when your stress level is too high, give yourself a nice loving hug… and laugh!

It really works!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

Smile with a mask?

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Have you noticed that it’s harder to see a smile when wearing a mask? Half the face is covered, leaving only the eyes to detect facial expression.

When we pass people walking in the streets or parks, we keep our distance – which, on the one hand, makes us feel safer, but, on the other, also distances us emotionally. Whenever I walk, I notice that most people walk while looking at the ground… as if looking at each other were going to be a contaminant!

If science is studying the impact of masks to reduce the spread of COVID, it is also studying the impact of smiling on humans. Mask and smile… How to reconcile the two?

Sharing a smile creates a bond. It sends a signal of comfort and human warmth – something we sorely need right now. Mask or no mask!

Smiling at another person activates physiological changes by triggering neurotransmitters associated with well-being. These include oxytocin – the love hormone, which circulates when we feel a shared connection – endorphins, which promote a sense of ease and calm, and even serotonin – all those wonderful hormones that are also natural antidepressants, which activate when we feel good about ourselves, laugh or think about some of the good moments in our day.

Right now, this visual cue is even more important than ever, as many of us are not doing well. Autumn is here, the days are shorter and we’re preparing – in Quebec at least – to “go into our caves” for winter. Many of us suffer from seasonal depression and look forward to November with apprehension.

When we feel socially isolated or deprived of human contact, smiling becomes an essential link with normal life. Without our usual means of social interaction, of which smiling is an important part, we unconsciously run the risk of rewiring our brains to fear and anxiety. This is particularly worrying in children, given the elasticity of their brains and the rapid formation of their neurons.

Research has already established a link between the negative impact of not sharing a smile and so-called “subjective happiness” – including in people who use Botox, as it restricts facial movement, suppresses laughter or smile lines. Interesting, isn’t it?

So how can we make sure we still get our daily dose of happiness and connection while wearing a mask? How can we, for the sake of children and young people, find ways to express our smiles?

Even if our mouths are hidden, we can still share a certain intimacy with each other.

We have to smile more widely – so much so that our eyes light up.

A sincere smile triggers a whole series of changes in our brain and autonomic nervous system. We’re more relaxed and therefore less anxious.

To your smile, you could also add a friendly gesture. Wave, wink or raise your eyebrows in a friendly way. Find other creative ways to express your smile; make a mask with a hand-painted smile or a decal like the one my cousin Joëlle my cousin Joëlle (By the way, I invite you to listen to the episode of L’Élément JOIE where she is my guest. You’ll hear the smile in her voice). Wear a mask with a transparent part. Smile broadly!

And “watch” people. Be even more kind to each other. When we’re masked, our ability to sense whether someone is doing well can also be masked.

Can’t we see your face? Take the opportunity to smile ALL THE TIME! You won’t look weird in a crowd because… you’re wearing a mask over your smile! Make your eyes smile! And let me know if you feel the difference the next time you’re out in the fresh air or in a public place, proudly wearing your smile under your mask!

It’s a fact!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

 

Can’t you laugh right now?

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Can’t laugh right now? For any number of reasons, laughter may not be an option for you right now.

I’m chatting on Messenger with a friend who had a big scare yesterday. She was rushed to hospital and underwent heart surgery. Young, fit, active, eating well… and yet she had a massive heart attack.

A friend with whom I was discussing the matter said he was surprised because, according to him, it’s “more men who are affected by heart disease”! Sadly, no. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Quebec, “a third more women than men die of stroke in this country. Women with heart failure are more affected than men.”

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

I’ve already told you about the research Dr. Michael Miller has undertaken at the University of Maryland, where he is a professor and researcher in the School of Medicine. I told you about it in a video I made when I returned from the American Laughter Yoga Conference in 2018. Watch the video here Laughing is EXCELLENT for our heart health. If only because laughing will “zap” the harmful effects of stress, I’m convinced of the positive effects of laughter on our cardiac system.

So I suggested that my friend imagine that she was laughing out loud. To feel the energy of laughter in her body at rest after her surgery. By closing her eyes, by “pretending” she was laughing out loud. But above all, to pay close attention to how she feels as she imagines herself laughing. To feel intensely. Because she’ll reap the benefits of this physical visualization.

I have a little theory about that, you see.

Several years ago, when I was immobilized with a shoulder injury that made my every move hurt like hell, I found myself unable to laugh out loud. IN CA PA BLE! For a pro in daily practice, this is not an easy thing to live with.

That’s when a colleague suggested I imagine I was laughing. And I tried it.

To my amazement and delight, I found that I relaxed, felt lighter and smiled more. Just imagining and feeling it very strongly in my body.

When I’m laughing out loud, I know how it feels. And I feel great!

So the power of our mind allows us to FEEL the well-being of our body, which is laughing. Hello endorphins and goodbye tension!

I’m extending an invitation to you. Try it! You don’t have to wait until you can’t laugh to try it. Just do it. Just to see if… And let me know how it goes. Because I’m curious to know if you’ve dared to do it!

But I know it works miracles. HAHAHA!

And I’m convinced of that.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

Have you spoken to your adrenal glands recently?

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Right now, we’re seeing an increase in adrenal fatigue. What is adrenal fatigue? It seems to be the new buzzword for sheer exhaustion. And I assure you, it’s very real, especially for those living in a constant state of high stress. Continual stress also means adrenal fatigue!

There are many things you can do to energize your adrenal glands. I’m not a health specialist, but I would suggest relaxing the adrenal glands to slow down the release of cortisol and adrenaline in the body. By doing so, you’ll allow the glands to reset (reboot) on their own.

How to get there

A great way to do this is through meditation, or more precisely, what my friend Cathy Wildschuetz calls the body scan technique. If you’ve never experienced a body scan, I recommend you do!

It’s hard to explain the relaxation that occurs with a body scan. The way the body relaxes and unwinds, the way the organs inside the body relax as the muscles do. It’s wonderful, and since Cathy introduced me to it, it’s become one of my favorite techniques. Apart from laughing, of course!

Talking to your body?

During the body scan, we command certain parts of the body to rest. Yes, I said “command”. And when I get to the adrenal glands, I ask them to relax and tell them they’re safe, that I don’t need them right now.

Okay, so it’s possible that you’ve never talked to your body before. However, it’s proven that by focusing our attention on what we want or need, our body will respond. And why am I telling these little glands that they’re safe? Well, they’re the central glands for cortisol and adrenalin in the body!

So, when we’re under a great deal of stress, like the one we’ve been dealing with for several months, our bodies use these hormones to regulate our emotions. With constant stress and fear, our bodies are flooded with these hormones, resulting in fatigue.

Are you beginning to understand why I’m talking about these glands? YES!

By telling them you’re safe, you stop this process and give them a chance to “reset”, to recharge. Even if you leave the body scan meditation and find yourself in a stressful situation, this reset will help the glands differentiate between the need to turn on the little faucet rather than the big garden hose! As a result, they’ll be able to better regulate the production of stress hormones in your body. You’ll have them in your body, but not in staggering quantities! It’s healthier.

Taking a break is vital to our health. It’s much easier to schedule time to relax our adrenal glands than to drive ourselves to exhaustion or burn out when it’s not in our plans! Someone said to me a few weeks ago, “I’m taking my vacation now and I’m doing it before my body chooses a time that won’t work for me.” Good idea, don’t you think?

So talk to your adrenal glands today, and if you need help, use the short meditation my friend Cathy recorded for you below. And I did it in French! You’re worth the joy! Your body deserves it.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda
Cathy’s website: www.naturallyguidedhealth.com

How’s confinement working out for you?

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Hello! How’s confinement working out for you?

I was talking to a fellow speaker this morning and he said that everything was going well for him, his wife and their children. However, he’s very worried about his mom, who’s in an old people’s home. She’s almost deaf, so it’s impossible to call her on the phone. For almost a month now, he’s heard nothing from her. It must be terribly difficult.

At least, even if they’re far away, I can talk to and see my parents thanks to Messenger and Skype. I know they’re together, healthy and safe in their home.

The situation we now find ourselves in is so far from any scenario we could have imagined! Reality meets fiction!

I was watching Andrea Bocelli’s live broadcast on YouTube from the Duomo in Milan on Easter Sunday. The cathedral was empty. The cathedral square was deserted. I well remember the crowds that used to gather there when I was there a few years ago! And today… nobody walks there! The images from Paris, London and New York of empty thoroughfares… it was chilling! When you consider that all these places are frequented by thousands of people at all hours of the day and night, it was a nightmarish vision we were shown. But at the same time, it’s a good sign. It means that people are staying at home to avoid the spread of the virus. That people are taking the instructions seriously and thinking of each other.

Still…

More than 30 days of confinement… that’s tough!

I avoid going out for anything other than fresh air and essential food shopping.

I’m busy with several projects.

First, I collaborated with my colleague Corinne Cosseron in France to set up an intentional laughter “circuit” offering 3 blocks of time to laugh for 10 minutes each time.

Then I created Urgence Rire to allow people in our Canadian time zones to benefit from 10 minutes of intentional laughter several times a day. I have to admit, it took me a long time! Technology is miraculous right now when we can talk to our families and see them through all this. But when things get stuck and we don’t understand why, we can spend many hours… which is what I did! After a few attempts, things got back on track and we now offer over 30 “windows of laughter” a week in Quebec. Not to mention all the possibilities with French schools! It’s all wonderfully beneficial and liberating. I’d like to thank the animators and teachers who donate their time!

And this morning, I put the finishing touches to a “Containment 2020” idea kit. In a few minutes, I’ll be sending it out to my newsletter subscribers. My intention is to offer ideas for doing something creative, constructive and rewarding during confinement. Stuck at home, maybe. But you don’t have to stay in your pyjamas all day, watching time go by!

I continue to make my cuckoo clocks live on Facebook every day. I call it Operation Hope and Good Humor! Would you like to see it but aren’t on Facebook? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, because we’re putting the whole thing on the Laughter Yoga School YouTube channel! hahaha! In the Coronavirus playlist. And if you subscribe, you’ll never miss one!

Not an easy task…

A rollercoaster of emotions some days. From laughter to tears. Anger and frustration sometimes creep in.

LOVE… radiate love. Feel love. Sending love. Flood the world with love. To love and forgive ourselves. Love yourself. Like in James Taylor’s wonderful song “Shower the people” ( chills guaranteed).

What about you? How’s confinement working out for you? Write to me and tell me about it, your favorite recipe, your favorite activity… Talk to us!

I wish us an abundance of love and health

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

 

My wishes for you

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I’ve decided to share my wishes for you as the decade draws to a close.

I want you to simply choose to be happy now, even if it’s only for a little while. Choose to be happy.

Just for a moment, the present moment, abandon the idea that “something has to change first” and choose to be happy. Just be happy.

How would it look if you gave it a try?

  1. Put aside all regrets – all the “I wish I or someone else had done things differently” – just for this moment. No regrets.
  2. Let go of worries about the future – it will be what it will be – and be present now. Without projecting yourself into what isn’t there.
  3. Choose something, anything, from wherever you are right now. Find it beautiful and breathe into it. Enjoy it.
  4. Let things be easy – just for a moment. Without forcing it.

And if you take pleasure in breathing in the beauty you see in this moment, I invite you to keep doing it in another moment, and another… and another. Stay in this state of bliss for as long as you feel it!

You know that believing we’ll only be happy “when” (complete the sentence), freezes us in place.

And it’s all there! The moment you pay attention to what’s around you and CHOOSE to be happy, you’ll change the game. No more waiting for happiness to arrive. Happiness is here! In this tiny moment you’re living. Yes, it’s here!

Practice being happy!

And if you get inspired, drop me a line and let me know how it goes!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

p.s. Yes, I admit it. It can be a challenge! And I sincerely believe it’s worth a try!

In search of happiness?

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Last November, I spent several days at the Salon du livre de Montréal, and as I wandered the aisles, one thing struck me. It’s mind-boggling how many books are published on the pursuit of happiness. How to be happier. What to do to feel happier.

I get internet alerts almost daily that articles have been written on this topic. (Yes, I’ve created alerts! HAHAHA! I draw my attention to the beautiful…)

“5 must-haves for happiness…”, “150 quotes to be happy”, “Happiness is within your reach”, “What do happy people do…”, “What you absolutely must know about happiness”. “Don’t do this anymore and you’ll be happy”. And the list goes on!

Whew! Every day, people suggest things to do or not to do to find (or rediscover) happiness! If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we all want to be happy!

I search, you search, we search

It got me thinking. Why are there so many books, articles and columns on the pursuit of happiness? Do we believe that one book will give us the infallible, “ready-to-use” recipe without our having to make any effort? Why do we need to be reminded that happiness can be found in all sorts of little things? In our daily lives? In the bright eyes of a child eating his favorite food. In the song of the birds. In the smell of bread, the smell of apple purée simmering on the stove, the smell of flowers or the clementine we’re about to eat (they’re in season right now, and that smell makes me sparkle!). In the amused gaze of a colleague with whom we’ve just exchanged a joke. In the satisfaction of having accomplished something good. In the synchronicity that puts green lights on our way to work…

As the decade draws to a close, I invite you to make an important list. Write down a minimum of 50 things that make you happy. Things that make you feel good. Your 50 “happinesses”. And keep this list in sight. So you don’t forget! So you can dip into it when you need it. When things aren’t going so well.

I challenge you

And I’m doing it with you too.

I’ve even created a sheet so we can write it all down. It is here in pdf format, easy to print!

Challenge issued. Challenge accepted!

And share YOUR finds with me! Who knows, I might just add them to my own list! Nothing’s stopping me from going to 75, 100 or, why not, 200!

Shall we do it? Let’s do it!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

P.S. Want to see a list of books on happiness? I simply typed “books on happiness” into Google and this is what I found – only on Amazon… And even more here, what Mrs. Google gives me…

Change your body chemistry with a laugh?

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Change your body chemistry with a laugh? Think it’s impossible?

Think again! All our emotions, every little feeling, has an impact on our body’s chemical composition! What you see here are the effects of anxiety, depression, love, happiness… Impressive, isn’t it?

How emotions affect our body chemistry

Change your body chemistry with a laugh? Yes, you can!

Depression, anger, anxiety, love, good mood… watch the tubes fill up or empty. It’s not science fiction at all! hahaha! (although how you can make a little graph that moves is a mystery to me…)

Do you know your hormones?

First, dopamine. It’s an important neurotransmitter involved in many of our body’s systems. See an interesting video to explain its action more scientifically.

Serotonin is a central nervous system chemical messenger involved in a number of physiological functions such as sleep, aggression, eating and sexual behavior, as well as depression.

Among other things, the serotonin/dopamine balance ensures mood stability.

Oxytocin is often referred to as the love hormone! After a long hug, its level rises. It’s associated with empathy, trust and interpersonal relationships.

One of the hormones illustrated here is missing: endorphins. Endorphins are hormones secreted in the brain when we exert ourselves with moderate or vigorous intensity (De Matos et al., 2009). These neurotransmitters play several important roles. Indeed, when endorphin levels rise, the body allows our negative emotions and sensations to take a breather, fostering the emergence of a good mood and a sense of well-being. Not only does the secretion of these hormones contribute to well-being and pleasant sensations, they also influence the perception of pain and stress (De Matos et al., 2009). This chemical is said to have an anxiolytic effect, i.e. a substance that reduces sensitivity to anxiety and stress (reference on http://www.centrecircuit.com/fr/Pour-les-familles/Blogue/Juillet-2017/La-magie-des-endorphines).

We know that laughter has an impact on the secretion of all these hormones. We also know that laughter reduces the concentration of adrenalin and cortisol (the main stress hormones) in our bodies.

The result? Less of what’s associated with the effects of stress – tension, discomfort, illness. More of what makes you relaxed and happy!

So, what do you think? Do you believe, as I do, that laughing more is totally appropriate as a joyful prescription?

Looking for a little extra laughter – even if you’re alone? It’s been proven that hearing laughter predisposes us to laugh.

I remember when my cousin and I were teenagers, we played a “game”. One of our aunts had a tape recorder and she lent it to us for a little while. So my cousin and I would take turns going into the bathroom and recording ourselves. I often sang and told stories. Her? She laughed! To this day, I still remember the physical sensation of the mega giggle that followed! Laughing so hard to hear her laugh, to see us laughing together! It felt so good!

Then today’s “Good mood” tip will give you an idea to stimulate your laughter!

Do you? Yes? and tell me how it worked out for you!

Laughter, joy and health

HAHAMasté

Linda