Jokes are a great way to start the day. Imagine yourself coming to work – early – after you have just fought rush hour, were unable to catch the elevator, had to contend with being packed into the next elevator car like a can of sardines, and then found out that the deadline for a major project has been moved up and it looks like you might have to pull an all night work session just to get caught up. All this is taking place before you have even removed your coat, and you are in sore need of a bit of a pick me up. Once you log on to your computer, you will check your email inbox, and perhaps you are receiving an automatically mailed joke of the day, or perhaps your spouse or close friend will occasionally send you some funny jokes. After you had a good laugh, things do not look as dire anymore. Jokes are truly good for the soul – and for your sanity!

Jokes come in all varieties; some are objectionable while others are racy and inappropriate for a work environment. Many clean jokes appeal to the intellect – usually via word play or imagery – while other really funny jokes are those that deal with a subject matter to which the recipient is able to relate especially well. An avid golfer will most likely understand and enjoy even the most intricate golf jokes, while a NASCAR fan will enjoy some of the free jokes that circulate around the Internet about the latest scandal involving the cars and drivers.

Children can get in on the action as well. Many a mother has resorted to taping short kids’ jokes to their children’s lunch bags, just so that they may have a laugh at school as well. Jokes there will lighten the mood and remind junior that mom is thinking of him, even though she is at work and he is busy crunching numbers in math class. There are holiday specific jokes – for example Christmas or Valentine jokes – and also the clean funny jokes that you will feel comfortable passing on to your pastor or ladies’ group at church.

When it comes to personal humor, jokes are a harmless outlet that will bring people closer together, take the edge off a stressful day – just consider the term “gallows humor” – and in the end create an atmosphere of friendly banter that goes a long way to avoid potentially disastrous situations where people could be very easily be at each others’ throats simply because of the heightened stress levels.