Unstoppable Joy: How Busy Professional Women Can Bring Back Laughter and Fun

By: Kimberly DeShields-Spencer

Life as a professional woman is often described as a balancing act, but most days it feels more like a full-blown juggling show. You’re spinning plates at work, keeping up with family responsibilities, nurturing friendships, pursuing dreams, and—somewhere in there—trying to make time for yourself. With so much responsibility on your shoulders, it’s easy for joy and laughter to get pushed aside as “optional” or “something I’ll get to later.”

But here’s the truth: laughter is not optional. It’s essential.

Laughter is medicine, therapy, release, and celebration all wrapped in one. It reduces stress hormones, boosts creativity, increases energy, and strengthens relationships. More importantly, laughter reconnects us with the lighthearted side of life—the one we so often lose while climbing ladders and checking off to-do lists.

Think about it: when was the last time you had a good, shoulder-shaking laugh that left you wiping tears from your eyes? Those are the moments that recharge your soul. And you don’t need a week-long vacation to find them—you can weave laughter and fun into your everyday life.

Here are powerful, practical, and creative ways to infuse laughter and joy into your world—even when your schedule is overflowing.

1. Transform the Mundane into Joyful Moments

Not every task in life feels exciting, but you can sprinkle humor into the most ordinary routines. Whether you’re driving to work, cooking dinner, or doing laundry, you can choose to invite fun into those spaces.

• Try this: Instead of listening to the news on your commute, play a stand-up comedy set, a witty storytelling podcast, or an audiobook that makes you chuckle. Create a “Laughter Playlist” filled with comedy skits or bloopers you can watch in five-minute bursts. Before you know it, traffic jams or sink-fulls of dishes will become less stressful and more entertaining.

  
  

• Mini-story: A friend of mine listens to comedy sketches while ironing clothes. What used to feel like a boring, endless chore now leaves her giggling through piles of laundry. She even says she looks forward to it now because it’s her “built-in laugh session.”

2. Bring Micro-Laughter Breaks to Work

Workplaces can be intense, but even the busiest offices benefit from small infusions of humor. Not only do laughter breaks lower stress, but they also improve team bonding and creativity.

• Try this: Start a “Meme of the Day” group chat at work where team members share one funny (and appropriate) meme or gif daily. Or create a weekly 10-minute “Fun Break”—play a quick game of charades, share funny stories, or vote on the week’s funniest office moment.

  
  

• Mini-story: At one law firm, employees started a “Friday Funny” tradition where someone tells a short (clean) joke at the end of the week. It’s now something the entire office looks forward to, and it’s changed the culture—people actually laugh on Fridays instead of just dragging themselves out the door.

3. Embrace Improv and Silliness

If you want to break free from seriousness, improv is your secret weapon. It teaches you to say “yes, and…” instead of “no, but…”—which is not only hilarious but also liberating.

• Try this: Sign up for an improv class or invite friends over for improv-style games. Play charades, karaoke, or even record a silly TikTok dance together.

  
  

• Mini-story: A group of professional women I know meets once a month for “No Judgment Night.” They try something silly together—lip sync battles, improv games, or bad karaoke. What started as a stress outlet has become a sisterhood rooted in laughter.

4. Redefine Exercise as Play

Workouts don’t have to feel like a punishment. Moving your body can be both healthy and hilarious when you choose fun.

• Try this: Roller skating, hula hooping, trampoline fitness, or even dance cardio bring out your inner child. If you prefer group fun, plan a “Throwback PE Night” with girlfriends—dodgeball, jump rope, kickball, or hopscotch.

  
  

• Mini-story: One busy executive started a Saturday morning dance class with friends. They’re not there to perfect moves—they’re there to laugh, sweat, and reconnect. She says it’s the best part of her week.

  
  

5. Weave Humor into Family Time

Guilt often creeps in when you’re balancing work and family. The solution? Make the time you do have with your family laughter-filled and memorable.

• Try this: Designate one night a week as “Family Fun Night.” Play silly games like Telestrations or Heads Up! Or create a “Comedy Jar” filled with silly dares, jokes, or family challenges.

  
  

• Mini-story: One mom told me her family has a tradition where they each share their funniest moment of the day at dinner. Sometimes it’s a silly mistake, sometimes a joke, but every night ends with laughter.

6. Laugh at Yourself (and Teach Others to Do the Same)

Perfectionism keeps us heavy. Laughter makes us light. When you learn to laugh at your mistakes, you turn embarrassment into empowerment.

• Try this: Keep a “Mishap Journal” where you write down the awkward, clumsy, or funny things that happen to you. Over time, it becomes a reminder that your quirks are part of your charm.

  
  

• Mini-story: I once spilled coffee during a presentation. Instead of shrinking in shame, I cracked a quick joke and moved on. The room laughed, and suddenly, instead of being mortified, I felt human and relatable.

7. Protect Time for Laughter Dates

We schedule meetings and appointments religiously, but how often do we schedule fun? Friendships require intentionality.

• Try this: Add “Laughter Dates” to your calendar with your closest girlfriends. Go to comedy shows, plan game nights, or host themed dinners. Treat joy like the important appointment it truly is.

  
  

• Mini-story: One group of women I know hosts a “Comedy Brunch” every month. They eat, laugh, and watch a stand-up special together. It’s now their most sacred tradition.

  
  

8. Use Music as a Joy Trigger

Music is a time machine—it takes you back to seasons of your life when things felt lighter.

• Try this: Build playlists for different moods: a “Kitchen Concert” playlist, a “Dance in the Mirror” playlist, or a “Car Karaoke” one.

  
  

• Mini-story: One woman plays her college party playlist every time she’s feeling stressed. It instantly transports her back to carefree days and makes her laugh at the memory of her younger self dancing without a care in the world.

9. Add Humor to Your Workspace

Since we spend so much time at work, your environment should spark joy.

• Try this: Decorate with funny calendars, inspirational yet hilarious quotes, or silly desk toys. Keep a “Giggle Box” with things that make you laugh—like memes, photos, or trinkets.

  
  

• Mini-story: A doctor I know keeps a little wind-up toy in her office. Anytime stress is high, she winds it up and watches it wobble across the counter. Patients and staff alike can’t help but laugh.

10. Start a Fun-First Challenge

Accountability makes laughter consistent.

• Try this: Try a 30-day “Joy Challenge” with friends where each of you commits to sending one funny thing daily—whether it’s a gif, meme, or silly selfie.

  
  

• Mini-story: A group of moms I know created a “Laugh Chain.” Every day, each mom texts one funny thing to the group. What started as a small idea turned into a lifeline during stressful days.

11. Make Self-Care Joyful

Self-care isn’t just serious journaling and candles—it can also be loud, silly, and playful.

• Try this: Schedule a “Guilty Pleasure Night” once a month. Binge-watch your favorite sitcom, eat your favorite snack, and let yourself belly laugh guilt-free.

  
  

• Mini-story: A friend of mine watches reruns of The Office while painting her nails on Friday nights. She calls it her “therapy session.”

12. Reclaim Childlike Fun

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we traded fun for “being grown.” But play is not just for children—it’s fuel for the soul.

• Try this: Jump in a bounce house at a kids’ party, play with sidewalk chalk, or host themed dinners like “Pajama Night” or “80s Throwback.”

  
  

• Mini-story: One woman’s family does a “Wacky Wednesday” dinner every month where they dress up in mismatched clothes and eat dessert first. The laughter is worth every bit of the chaos.

Laughter Is Leadership

Laughter doesn’t mean you don’t take life seriously. It means you take life joyfully. It’s a sign of resilience, strength, and wisdom to know when to pause, smile, and lighten up.

As a professional woman, your influence stretches far and wide. When you make space for joy, you show your team, your family, and yourself that life is more than just tasks—it’s about thriving.

So don’t wait for joy to find you. Create it. Protect it. Embrace it.

Because laughter doesn’t just add years to your life—it adds life to your years.