Ever see the Steve Martin/Rick Moranis classic “My Blue Heaven?”In it, the incomparable Joan Cusack asserts that people are either “The Funny One,” or “The Smart One,” assuming most people are NOT both.Emmy nominee and PRSA Western District Conference presenter Hilary Blair, however, begs to differ.A popular voice-over artist and actor who teaches voice, public speaking, and voice-over for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the National Theatre Conservator, Hilary is currently preparing to lead a group of PR peeps (myself included) in a full-on Improv Workshop at the Conference in March. More details here.So, this got me to thinking…Hilary – why does comedy have a place in the work day?

Comedy and creative play is – or at least should be – part of our daily lives. As adults, we move away from play – or separate out play time from our serious work time. What most people don’t understand is that play itself is about exploration and constructive problem solving, not mere frivolity. While it sometimes gets a bad rap, play and comedy can play a very serious part in the learning process.

Humor can also help get to the core of issues in business – responses while at play and when in the throes of laughter are often from the gut. Our gut responses to most things are all too often dead on – if only we would listen. Some of us have turned a deaf ear to our own brilliant ideas!

When we make time for play and comedy, we give ourselves a chance to get back to listening to that small voice, trusting that tiny prod to move forward in a certain direction – to try a crazy idea or look at something from a new angle.

Every day is a chance to rekindle our playful creativity for life and work.