If you missed last month's call with Deborah Cole Micek, aka "The Motivation MD," be sure to check out the recording available to Team Women members in the Members Only section of the website.

Deb gave us a great overview of using Twitter and other social media to grow our presence and make connections with power partners. It was fun to see how many people joined Twitter and sent "tweets" to each other during the call!

For more information, you can visit Deb's website, or order her book, Twitter Revolution. (Click on book cover image for more information or to order through amazon.com.)

I've been a Team Women member from very early on. I have to say it's the one single thing that has done more for my business than any other. I have made some great friends along the way, and expanded my business considerably. If you are wondering if it works, go to a meeting and see the variety of interesting businesses and women there. Other networking and lead generating organizations are strict and stressful- Team Women is fun and energizing! - Julie Edwards, East County, CA

Team Women Book Submissions

While we await additional submissions to the Team Women book, we will be publishing some of the ones we have already received in this ezine. Please consider sending in your own contribution. For details, please email support@teamwomen.com.

Combat Stress in the Workplace: First Line of Defense – Laugh!
By Suzanne Jones, Team Women Scottsdale, AZ

There is nothing more physically freeing than a prolonged belly laugh. Medical studies prove that laughter affects our overall health and well-being. Humor is an excellent tool to deflect pain, diffuse tense situations and better cope with life’s curveballs. So how can you use laughter in stressful work situations? Unless you want a co-worker to speed dial the closest mental health facility, you cannot burst out laughing during an important presentation, giggle after missing a critical deadline, or chuckle while speaking to an irritated customer.

Before delving into using humor to avoid an unplanned vacation to the Nervous Breakdown Spa, let’s examine a few of today’s popular stress busters. You will quickly realize how laughter trumps them all in terms of practicality, accessibility and affordability.

Yoga – Although yoga has its benefits, you can’t drop to the floor and twist your body into ‘downward dog’ or ‘upturned noodle’ during a stressful conversation.

Massage –A massage would be lovely every time you are faced with workplace stress, but hiring Antonio to chip away at your cement-like neck and shoulders just isn’t practical. Not only will your checkbook suffer, you will also have to dispel rumors about his frequent visits.

Retail Therapy – Shopping is a perennial favorite of overstressed women. But when credit cards are maxed, and closets are so overstuffed they are close to a Mt. St. Helens eruption, know there are better ways.

Hot Bath – This is fabulous for sleepy time but who can slide into a lavender-scented bubble bath at work? Using the office restroom sink to immerse one body part at a time in tepid water just isn’t the same.

This brings us to laughter and how we can use its substantial power to alleviate stress at work. Jettison any pre-conceived notions on the appropriateness of laughter in the workplace. Think of laughter as a mental mini-trip to your doctor, spa and therapist combined.

A stressful workplace issue many of us face revolves around finances. Your business may be suffering from decreased sales, credit to run your operations may be tightening, your 401 has shrunk to a paltry 201, and employees are fearful for their jobs. The fear may even be impacting productivity and attitudes. Sound familiar?

Laughter can be used to get back on track. Think about a funeral (sounds odd but trust me). Someone’s loved one passed away and there is rampant grief and sadness. This is truly the worst of times for that family. Then observe them closely. You will see family members slowly gather together as a team and recount stories about the person who passed on. You will soon see a smile emerge or hear a muffled giggle, followed by outright laughter. Others chime in and what was a somber, heart-wrenching time has turned into a positive, uplifting event.

The same principle applies to your business during these incredibly challenging times. Gather your troops and acknowledge what is occurring in your business without dwelling on the situation. Talk about the fun and rewarding times you had in the past and will have again in the future. Every company has funny stories to share. Work as a team to recall company events, team retreats, holiday parties, and any other laughter-inducing incidents that morphed into company lore. The funnier the better – it doesn’t matter what the story is but that everyone has a connection to it. Make it a contest and vote on the most hilarious incident. Turn it into a buzzword and use it frequently to keep up the momentum. Now that everyone is in the right frame of mind, you can tackle your issues more effectively. If you instill positive thinking and set positive intentions, you will be amazed how these seemingly inconsequential gestures can help you and your company cope even in dire conditions.

You can apply this concept even if you are a one-woman operation. Think about why you started your own business and funny incidents that happened along the way. Focus on the one memory that makes you laugh every single time and use it when you start to have negative ‘what’s-the-use’ feelings. Laughter works and it’s free!

Will laughter cure all your workplace stresses? Of course not, but it will give you physical and mental relief, change your perspective, and open your mind to creative solutions. There is always a silver lining even in our darkest times. The silver may not be from Tiffany’s but it represents hope that brighter days are ahead. So, when in doubt – laugh it out!

"The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are." - Stephen R. Covey