Humor that lands isn't performed — it's noticed. You spot something absurd, specific, or true, and you name it. That's the whole move.
Specificity is funnier than generality.
'I hate mornings' — not that funny. 'I stare at my coffee for 4 minutes every morning before I can process language' — funnier. Detail creates the picture that makes people laugh.
Timing in text is about placement.
In text, timing is about where the punchline lands in the message — not the pause before delivery. Put the funny thing last. Never in the middle.
Self-deprecation wins when it's light.
Gently laughing at yourself reads as confidence, not insecurity. 'This is peak awkward-me behavior' is more charming than any constructed joke.
Don't explain the joke.
If you have to explain why it was funny, it wasn't. Trust your delivery. If they don't laugh, they don't. Move on. Laboring a joke kills it every time.