Why Laughter Yoga in Business

Due to too much stress, work place has become too serious. People think serious people are more responsible and more productive. This is not true. More productive people are those who take their work seriously, but take themselves lightly.

Scientific research shows laughter can help resolve workplace stress and create a happy, energetic and motivated workforce. But, until now there was no reliable and effective system to deliver laughter. Humour was the only tool available, but it is not reliable and seldom leads to continuous hearty laughter.

Laughter Yoga is a breakthrough laughter delivery system with following unique features:
• Anyone can laugh and one does not need a sense of humour, jokes or comedies.
• One doesn’t need to be happy or in a good mood in order to laugh because laughter is done as an exercise in a group.
• Anyone can do it; it is scientifically proven; easy to learn and a lot of fun. People can feel the benefits right from the very first session.
• It is cost effective, less time consuming and scientifically proven.

World-Wide Media Coverage

This innovative concept, developed by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria, has been widely accepted all over the world and has been written about in prestigious publications like TIME Magazine, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Daily Telegraph (UK) and many others. Laughter clubs were also featured on Oprah Winfrey Show, BBC, CNN, ZDF (Germany) NHK (Japan), ABC news (USA) and other TV networks.

 Corporate Benefits

Companies around the world are starting to introduce Laughter Yoga and employers find that it can have a profound influence on their business even making their company more profitable. By introducing laughter sessions for all staff, companies have reported a happier workplace, increased efficiency, better communication, increase in sales and productivity, increased creativity and better teamwork, decrease in illness and absenteeism, and a reduction in employee turnover.

How Laughter Yoga Helps Improve Business and Performance

Workplace Stress
While there are many tools available for stress management, Laughter Yoga is a unique system that helps to reduce physical, mental and emotional stress at the same time. It works simultaneously both on body and mind. A research conducted in December 2006, on 50 IT professionals in Bangalore, India found a significant reduction in stress levels as shown by reduction in cortisol levels in saliva.

Improved Efficiency
At a given time, the performance depends upon mood and Laughter Yoga has the power to change the mood state within minutes by releasing neuro-peptides from the brain cells called endorphins. Science tells us that the brain needs 25% more oxygen than other body organs. Laughter Yoga increases the net supply of oxygen which helps in optimal performance and boosts energy levels.

Team Building
“People who laugh together, work together”
John Cleese, a renowned British comedian, once said during his visit to Mumbai that Laughter is a great connector of people. It breaks all hierarchies and is a force for democracy. Laughter Yoga has the ability to change the work environment drastically by making people happy and cheerful, bringing positive mental attitude, hope and optimism in the workforce. It also increases communication skills to help in teambuilding.

Leadership skills
A good leader is the one who has the ability to effectively get in touch with his emotions and understand those of the others. Laughter Yoga helps to connect with people in the workplace and bring an emotional balance. This is greatly helpful in achieving targets and accomplishing goals.

Innovation and Creativity
The most creative people in the world are children. The essence of Laughter Yoga system is to cultivate childlike playfulness. This playfulness stimulates the right brain activity which is the seat of creativity. This helps to generate new ideas and insights about workplace issues and problems.

Increasing Attention Span in HR Trainings
Human brain cannot concentrate for more than 90 minutes after which the attention span reduces. Even a 5-10 minute Laughter Yoga session can provide a great energy boost during long HR training sessions and conferences. It helps to increase the attention span, enhance learning skills, concentration powers and potential.

Positive Work Environment
Job dissatisfaction and hostile work environment compel people to change jobs more frequently thus affecting productivity and profitability. Laughter Yoga creates positive energy and improves communication between people. The Bangalore study also confirmed the increase in positive emotions and decrease in negative emotions, thereby developing an emotional intelligence. This helps to create a more constructive work environment and ensures loyalty and commitment.

Motivation and Communication
For people working in front office and sales and marketing, Laughter Yoga helps to bring a smile on their face and generate good feelings within the body. This enhances their communication and motivational skills thus increasing their client base and customer satisfaction.

Health Benefits
The basic objective of every human being is to enjoy life, live in harmony with family and have lots of friends to connect with. But, one cannot enjoy life if one is sick. Laughter Yoga is a single exercise routine which brings physical, mental and social well-being in a shortest period of time. People can feel the benefits from the very first session.

Ideal Exercise for Busy People
Dr. Kataria says that in his 30 years of experience in medicine, the two most common causes of ill health are wrong food habits and lack of exercise which leads to heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and many stress related illnesses.

Business people are very busy and have no time to exercise. Dr. Williams Fry of Stanford University proved that 10 minutes of hearty laughter is equal to 30 minutes on the rowing machine. This is not in term of muscular movements but a cardio pulmonary endurance. The purpose of all aerobic exercises is to stimulate heart rate, increase blood circulation, supply oxygen and remove waste products. If you do laughter exercises for 10 minutes you don’t have to run for 30 minutes you will get same benefits.

• History, concept and philosophy of Laughter Yoga.
• A presentation about international Laughter Yoga clubs, scientific research on Laughter Yoga and latest laughter news.
• Laughter Yoga session followed by laughter meditation and guided relaxation.
• Corporate benefits of Laughter Yoga along with health benefits and how one can add more laughter in their personal life, business life and social life.

Laughter Yoga is not about theory; it is fun and an experiential program.

Martin Combrinck , founder of Laughter for Africa, is a popular keynote speaker, on body/mind wellness, in high demand for conferences and events. He personally trained with Dr Kataria, the founder of the Laughter Yoga movement, now in more than 65 countries world-wide.

Laughter Yoga initially began as a social club movement but in view of the enormous benefits in every sphere of human interaction, it has now entered into the business world, companies and corporations, fitness centers, old age homes, schools, colleges, physically and mentally challenged institutes and hospitals and cancer groups.

Laughter Yoga is an exercise routine with positive effects on the body, mind and emotions.

These laughter seminars are customised according to your business needs.

Objective of these seminars:
• To focus on different stressors in the workplace and how Laughter Yoga helps to alleviate them.
• To reduce physical, mental and emotional stress.
• To release the negative affects of stress in the body and mind and improve personal and group responses.
• To provide training to prepare for stressful situations using ‘Laughter Boosting’ techniques.

Target audience: Highly stressed CEOs, senior managers and executives.

Participants will learn valuable relaxation strategies for immediate implementation.