3 research-backed improv tricks to help manage stress

Stress isn’t just an occasional visitor in our lives—it’s more the houseguest who never got the hint to leave. Between economic uncertainty, workplace upheaval, rounds of layoffs, and the delightful unpredictability of daily life (surprise traffic jams, anyone?), most of us are living in a near-constant state of low-grade panic.

But here’s something most people don’t realize: resilience—the ability to stay calm, flexible, and creative in the face of stress—isn’t just an inborn trait. It’s a skill. One that can be learned, practiced, and strengthened. And some of the most effective tools for doing that come not only from the world of business or psychology, but also from improv comedy.

I stumbled on this connection over a decade ago. During the day, I worked with startups and leaders—after hours, I practiced and performed improv. Eventually, I noticed the overlap: The same tools that help improv comedians thrive on stage can help anyone navigate the unscripted, often absurd, realities of modern work and life.

And research backs this up. A study I conducted in collaboration with neuroscientist Dr. Ori Amir found that improvisational activities improve creativity, confidence, and even sleep, some of the key elements of resilience. 

Here are three specific improv-inspired practices I use myself and share with leaders, teams, and individuals navigating change, uncertainty, and desiring a new way to cope with life’s stressors. They’re deceptively simple but surprisingly effective, precisely because they work with the brain’s stress response, not against it.

The ‘Yes, And’ Mindset: From Resistance to Resourcefulness

We’ve all been there: The project scope changes at the last minute. The client scraps months of work. The market tanks overnight. The instinctive reaction? Resistance. Frustration. Freeze mode. That’s not just emotional, it’s neurological. When our brains perceive a threat (even a calendar invite titled “urgent”), the body shifts into fight, flight, or freeze mode, flooding us with cortisol and narrowing our focus to survival.

In improv, the foundational rule is “Yes, and.” It means accepting what’s happening (even when it’s not what you wanted) and building from it. It’s not about blind agreement; it’s about acknowledging reality so you can move forward instead of staying stuck. From a nervous system perspective, “Yes, and” mimics emotional acceptance and acts as a regulatory tool: It signals safety to the brain by reducing resistance, which helps shift you out of survival mode and into a more flexible, solution-oriented state.

Consider this real-world example: When the pandemic hit, many restaurant owners faced ruin. Some who thrived, like those who pivoted to pop-up markets or meal kits, were effectively practicing “Yes, and.” They acknowledged reality and improvised forward.

Next time stress hits, try this: Literally say to yourself, “Yes, this is happening. And here’s one thing I can do.” Even identifying one small action helps break the paralysis of overwhelm.

Fire Your Inner Judge: Quieting the Critical Voice That Blocks Action

One thing that keeps people stuck in stress is an overactive inner critic. In improv, there’s no time for the voice in your head that says “That’s a stupid idea” or “You’ll mess this up.” You have to act before you overthink.

In every workshop I lead, including one for a Fortune 500 team navigating layoffs, the first thing I ask everyone to do is “fire the judge.” Everyone pictures their inner critic, then, together, on the count of three, we say whatever needs to be said to let go of judging the activities we’re about to do, judging each other, and judging ourselves.

The effect? Most people report feeling both lighter and sharper, because they’ve bypassed the internal filter that often fuels stress and indecision.

This isn’t just theatrical. It’s neurological. Research shows that self-criticism is associated with higher anxiety, while reducing it through self-compassion improves emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility. Softening judgment creates the conditions for clearer thinking and more effective action.

If It Feels Weird, Do It: Using Unusual Actions to Ground and Reframe

One of the fastest ways to disrupt a stress spiral is to do something that feels slightly ridiculous.

In improv, weird is where the magic happens. The unexpected action, like walking backward while giving a speech, or delivering a toast in gibberish, pulls us out of autopilot and into the present. It breaks habitual thinking and creates space for a new response.

When we do something “weird,” it works in two ways: First, it grounds us. Movement or gesture helps regulate our emotions and the nervous system. Second, it primes the brain for possibility. Engaging in unexpected behavior temporarily loosens our grip on “the way things are,” which makes space for “the way things could be.” It’s a reset button for the brain.

Here’s one “weird” three-minute exercise to try. Start pointing at objects around you and naming them out loud. Point to a table and say “table,” a plant and say “plant.” Do this for 30 seconds. Now shift: point at objects and label them with anything they are not. Point to a chair and say “giraffe,” a laptop and say “birthday cake.”

It feels silly, and that’s the point. Research shows that simply naming what we see or feel can calm the nervous system by shifting attention to the present moment. Combined with deliberately disrupting automatic thinking (even by saying the “wrong” word), we loosen cognitive rigidity and open the door to more creative problem-solving.

I’ve led this exact exercise with executive teams navigating pressure, and every time, it opens the room. People laugh. Shoulders drop. Ideas start flowing. Weird works.

These tools aren’t about turning you into a comedian. They’re about building a more responsive, resilient nervous system, and one that can meet chaos with curiosity instead of collapse. Stress may be the houseguest who never leaves, but improv is how you learn to live with it, laugh with it, and maybe even dance with it. Try one of these practices the next time stress hits, and you might just surprise yourself.