Scott Porad

Today’s guest post comes from ex-nanny Heather Smith.

When you open up your internet browser you’re probably immediately redirected to some sort of news site that is primed and ready to flood you with all sorts of impending perils around the world, and maybe a sweet baby animal picture or two if you’re lucky.  That’s assuming that you’re like the majority of people online and not one of those people that is motivated enough to actually change your homepage to something cool.

Landing on the news page every time you open your browser serves as a pretty constant reminder that the world we live in is in shambles and that people, in general, pretty much suck. Which is why having websites like Happy Place and I Can Has Cheezburger?, and other sites of that type offer such a refreshing change of pace.

In fact, I’d wager to say we need funny websites.  Don’t believe me?  Read on.

1.  Sometimes you just need to take a break.  Come on, let’s be honest here. How often can you really stare at a computer screen at work before you want to lay your head down on the keyboard and nap or go Rambo on the next person that asks you where you’re at in your latest project? Funny websites = insta-cure. I guarantee you that after silently laughing hysterically for 15 minutes you’ll find yourself quite revived. And possibly a little embarrassed because you’re doing the creepy smile at your computer and silently shakething. Which isn’t weird at all.

2.     They remind us that we’re not alone when it comes to stupid mistakes.  There’s nothing worse than sending a text to your mother-in-law that was meant for your spouse, except, of course, if you’re the person whose mom sent a text to her son that was meant for the dad. While it’s unlikely that you’re going to stop making stupid mistakes any time soon, at least you can rest assured that you’re not alone as you peruse all of the epic fail text messages that have been and our now enjoying the spotlight on some of these websites.

3.     You’ll bond with your coworkers over them.  What’s better than going to lunch with coworkers and bonding over gossip? Being able to lock eyes as you both crack up over a funny website and simultaneously both do the creepy silent laugh at your desks. This only backfires when whatever you’re reading is so hilarious that one of you laughs out loud and then you both dissolve into laughter, so make sure the boss isn’t around while you’re passing those internet gems back and forth.

4.     Low confidence is a thing of the past.  Everyone has moments where they feel like the absolute worst thing alive. You hate your looks, you hate your personality, you hate that you missed your exit on the freeway to work, you hate that your best friend and boyfriend are now together and you’re now single, and that you got the last cup of coffee that was full of coffee grounds. When your self-confidence is clocking in at an all-time low all you really need to do is open up a hilarious website. You’ll either a) instantly feel better because someone who is worse off than you is showcased on the website or b) instantly feel better because there are a thousand adorable pictures of kittens doing adorable things taking up the entire first page.

5.     You can never really get enough of kittens.  I mean seriously, who can really ever see enough kittens doing adorable things? No one. Even the toughest of tough people will emit a little “awwww” as they see a kitten paw the face of a big dog, or one curl up in a sink and go to sleep. So while the rest of the world is reading about bombings and political elections, you can take a much-needed five minute break to look at the kitten dunking it’s paw into a glass of milk.

While I definitely agree that there’s a time and a place for seriousness and that we all should probably stay abreast of current events, I also strongly believe that we need funny websites to offer up a little ray of sunshine in otherwise dismal days. So the next time you’re feeling down in the dumps or a little too serious for your own good, just read some Failbook approved Facebook status updates or look at kittens doing cute things.

You’ll feel better, promise.

About Heather Smith
Heather Smith is an ex-nanny.  Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to www.nanny.net service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.