Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Adjusting your way of thinking
• Part 2 of 2: Taking action
• Tips
• Warnings

Being lazy has a negative connotation, but have you ever wondered why? Is it because all those overworked workaholics think the world will end if they take a minute to do nothing? Or is it because your faith tells you that laziness is a sin? Or is it because laziness is consistently identified as one of the seven deadly sins, and so have you been indoctrinated from an early age with the idea that laziness is unacceptable? It's time to take a step back and see that laziness is a very different thing from most people trying to make you believe. In fact, being lazy every now and then is a path to happiness, relaxation, and even success.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Adjusting your way of thinking

1. See what "lazy" means to you. Your definition of "being lazy" may depend on your background and beliefs, but it ends up being about the same. It is a term with a negative connotation, meaning not taking responsibility, or doing less than the rest. It also implies that the lazy person does little or nothing to improve himself or his living conditions. But what if you put laziness in a different light? Here are some ways you can do that:
   • What if you see laziness as an indication that your mind and body want to relax? Many people would be a lot more relaxed and happier if they were more attuned to their own body and mind. They would be a lot less stressed if they could meet that cry for laziness every now and then.
   • Lazy probably means getting a little tired of everyday life and routine. And who decides that we have to like the mundaneity and routine of life per se? Okay, we can be grateful for what and who we have, but that doesn't mean we have to be grateful for the grind!
   • Being lazy can also mean that you are going through an internal battle. You have the feeling that you should do something different than you actually want to do. It is quite possible that this sense of necessity has been imposed on you by external factors.
   • Lazy can mean someone else isn't doing what you want them to do, or vice versa. This does not necessarily have to be lazy. It can also be related to control issues (manipulating people to do certain things) or the inability to communicate clearly. By labeling the behavior as lazy, you (or someone else) get rid of it with a little bit of distraction.
   • Lazy means you have something really relaxing in mind. Like nothing, nothing at all. For example, you can leave that pile of dishes for what they are - a pile of dirty dishes. Is that so bad if it happens now and then? What about the benefits, such as a sense of well-being and renewed energy?
2. See how your lazy self can push you to do less. Since when isn't making it unnecessarily difficult for yourself a sin? Do you prefer to always choose the path of the most resistance? If so, why on earth? If the same result can be achieved with less effort, why not listen to your laziness? Just think about this. For example, consider all the technological advancements that have been made as a result of laziness. Consider the following things:
   • We drive cars because we are too lazy to walk. We use washing machines because we are too lazy to scrub. We use computers because we are too lazy to write everything out by hand (in addition, typing is faster, and therefore finished earlier, so that we can relax earlier).
   • Finding new ways to do things is fine. Laziness creates ways to accomplish those things with less stress, energy, and time. Still, it is important to recognize the traditional obstacles that laziness puts in the way.
3. Find out who benefits from the busy, always-working you? Every time you complain about your busy job eating away your heart and soul, you're actually complaining about not having time to clear your mind. As a result, terms like "good-for-nothing", "idle", and "time-waster" are applied to people who don't take their responsibility. We are therefore constantly concerned whether we ourselves will not be labeled as such. Even if we're bold enough to call others lazy when we're overworked.
   • And while a rested worker is a lot more productive and happier, ironically people are going to work more than they need to. They focus on being busy and less on productivity. Still, getting more done in less time is much better than getting less done in more time.
   • At the end of the song, a society that values ​​a healthy work-life balance and knows when enough is enough will be a lot more productive.
4. Know that leisure time can energize and bliss your work ethic. The virtue that acts as the opposite of laziness is diligence. For some people, that diligence — which actually means an unconditional and fervent belief in the value of hard work — means working longer, making more money, and impressing others. Yet not the whole world sees it that way. The Danes work about 37 hours a week, pay an awful lot of taxes (in exchange for excellent social benefits), and take an average of six weeks of vacation a year. Yet they are always among the happiest countries in the world.
   • Many people spend that extra time doing the things they enjoy. They recognize that no one benefits from just working and not having fun. Perhaps diligence can learn a thing or two from laziness. Allowing the mind and body to relax has renewed strength and inspiration.
   • Laziness is nuanced, just like zeal is. Neither is necessarily good or bad, and both should be used in moderation. To insist that one is good and the other is bad is too simplistic. This also prevents you from giving in to moments of pure relaxation.
5. Redefine productivity. The "how" of being lazy is quite simple (and it should be). It may seem a bit paradoxical at first that doing less (i.e. being lazy) can make you more productive. What is actually happening is there is a shift in how you view "productivity". If you think of being productive as "doing more," "getting more done," or perhaps even the extreme of "never doing nothing." then the idea of ​​being lazy will probably drive you crazy.
   • On the other hand, if you define “productivity” as a way to get the most out of your work, and to be as effective as possible within the time and energy allotted to you, then laziness may be the best way. to be productive.
   • Check: you can work in a hurry and fanatic all day long, but barely achieve anything (especially if it concerns a long-term performance).
   • Or, you can only do a few things every hour, but think of those little things as things that result in real performance. In the second example, you have done less, but you have made better use of the time. Take a look at how you work, and be honest. Are you trying to "look as busy as possible", or are you really trying to be "as productive as possible"?
6. Know when to quit when you are no longer productive. You may think that because you are sitting at your desk, you are working; or that if you are scrubbing the countertop that is actually quite clean, that you are cleaning. If you want to be lazy, you have to learn to recognize that you are not getting anything else done and that you look further. This can also save you a lot of energy, getting you done what you really need to get done, and being a diaper.
   • If you've already completed your project at work and are trying to look a little good by sitting down, ask to do something productive. Or go home. You're not doing anyone a favor if you sit at your desk checking emails and pretend you're busy.
   • Suppose you are trying to write a novel. Perhaps you have already written a fair amount of good text in the first two hours, but you can no longer think of anything. If you find out that you don't have enough strength or motivation to move on, stop. Give yourself a break and continue the next day.
7. Know that it is okay to spend quality time with people. Not everything is about multitasking, or doing as much work as possible. If your spouse, best friend, nephew, or new acquaintance wants to spend time with you, do so. With full dedication. Don't ask your friend to go shopping with you, or send work emails if you're having movie night with your family. Learn to be okay with enjoying time with loved ones, even if it means you can't get a grain of work done.
   • Spending time with people and giving them your undivided attention will make your relationships stronger. It makes you happier and gives you time to get away from all your work under pressure.
   • You don't have to feel disappointed when you give in to the lure of pleasure; that's good for you!
8. Stop all that planning. It is of course great to have the organization in order and to know what you have to do. But if you want to be lazy, try not to plan your whole life. You can, of course, schedule meetings, set deadlines, or put a social event on your calendar, but know that planning is already stressful. There are always things you cannot predict. Keep that in mind. Sometimes you have to take a step back and let the reins loosen a little.
   • If you find that obsessive planning is stressing you out, it's time to change. Learn that it is okay to not always know what to do. This can help you relax and yes, it can even make you an outside diaper!
   • In addition, if you don't plan everything down to the minute, fun things can spontaneously come your way. This can help you relax and prepare for the work you have to do later.

Part 2 of 2: Taking action

1. Be smarter about doing less. If you are lazy, the choice is easy. Do less. But do it smart: Lazy people can assert every second when they're doing something. If the action doesn't help, doesn't save you time, and doesn't get you done faster, then don't. Or try to find a way to do that so that it will save you time and effort. Here are some ways to do that:
   • Send fewer emails, but make the ones you do send more important. As an additional advantage, this has the fact that people will take it into account. They will automatically start to regard your scarce emails as more important than if you were constantly sending emails just to prove that you are working.
   • Write this message on your forehead (or on a post-it you put somewhere): laziness doesn't mean "less is more"; laziness means "less is better".
2. Enjoy nature. When was the last time you lay in an open field, admiring the splendor around you? If the answer is "as a child" or even "never", then you are overdue. Even if you are not an outdoors person, a few hours in a beautiful field, by a lake, on a beach, in a forest or garden, can already make you feel more comfortable. This can cause you to revitalize both body and mind.
   • Bring a friend, a snack, or some reading material that will help you relax. Do not bring anything related to your work. Just be content with not doing much.
3. Allow yourself to sleep late on the weekend. There has been a lot of sleep research that states that regular sleep patterns are important. Sudden changes in your sleeping habits are unwise. But sleeping in doesn't have to mean just sleeping; sleeping late is all about staying in bed and indulging yourself. Read a good book, eat your breakfast in bed, draw, or otherwise. But keep chilling in bed.
   • Invite the pets and kids to hang out with you. First, pets are naturally good at being lazy at the right times. Second, you can never prematurely tell your kids that chilling is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
   • Call some old friends and ask them how they are.
   • If spending the whole day in bed is too lethargic, you can also take a walk in the fresh air. Just don't do much more than that.
4. Shop less. Less shopping gives you time to do nicer things. You can spend time with your friends, spouse, children, or on the beach. Make a grocery list, and only shop when you need to. Spending less also means that you obtain less, which means that you own less, so that you have less that requires maintenance and cleaning. You will be in better financial shape and clutter free. What the lazy?
   • For example, try to stock up on groceries once or twice a month. This will save you a lot of time and give you more time to just be lazy.
   • You can even ask other family members if they want to do some shopping or do it online.
5. Put your inner busy bee in the fridge for a while. Hustle and bustle is a habit (often beyond doubt), not the road to success. Your productivity will drop dramatically if you keep trying to look busy. Your focus is on the busy, not on the performance. Rather than running from place to place, take it easy. Do a little less and live a more peaceful, calmer life. Be content to just sit around doing nothing. Relax a little. Smile. Be happy.
   • Take a look at your "to do" list and ask yourself how many of those things you really need to do. Do a few things, but don't worry. Also, don't let it take up all of your free time.
6. Simplify your life. Own less clothes, fewer cars, less stuff, less everything. Get rid of things that require maintenance, time, attention, and effort. Donate the clothes you no longer wear, tidy up your kitchen cupboards, maintain a less hectic social schedule, and just try to make your life easier in as many ways as possible. This will take a little more effort at first, but will eventually allow you more time for laziness.
   • Ask yourself if you are participating in too many activities, if you have promised your help to too many friends, or if you have promised too many complicated meals to everyone. Don't always outsource yourself. If you do, you will have no time left for laziness. See where you can save so you have more time to relax. More time to do nothing.
7. Let someone else do it. This is not about manipulation. It's about finding the right person for the right job. If they are willing, happy, and capable, let them do it. Mind your own business. Many of us feel guilty when we let someone else do something, even when that person has indicated that he / she can handle it easily. That's because we want to help. But sometimes our help is no more than an obstacle, an obstacle. And sometimes people don't want it at all.
   • If you have an administrative position, trust that your staff, child, or volunteer is competent. Don't get too involved with it.
   • Using less management ensures that employees, children, and volunteers have the opportunity to develop their creativity. They are given the space to learn for themselves how things work, and the space to succeed and fail.
   • The less you do, the better others will find out how to do something. You can guide and teach them, but don't get involved.
   • It is wise to divide the household tasks. Most people find them tiring and boring. So share them to create a sense of cohesion. Try to make progress together as quickly as possible so that you can do something more fun afterwards. It is quite possible that the anger against laziness originally arose in the household.
   • Delegate, and trust your delegation. Many hands make light work, for everyone. Give everyone the opportunity to go home earlier by carrying the burden as a team or group. Whether it's at church, at school, at work, or wherever.
8. Limit communication. Being constantly available online can turn into a tedious, time-consuming job. And that while it should be fun or productive. Communicate less online and allow yourself the space to be lazy. Less talking, less convincing, less yelling, less arguing, less emails, less chat, less phone calls, less everything. If you do your best on this, you will be amazed at how quickly you feel "diaper" and more relaxed.
   • We live in a time where most people no longer know what the boundaries are when it comes to communication. That is why it sometimes seems like an obligation, or a chore. And if we don't keep up with communication, we even get a bizarre kind of guilt. Yet much of this communication is nothing more than banter to each other. Little is listened to. It's noise.
   • Allow silence into your life. Let the peace enter your mind. Let yourself be lazy about your communicative "obligations".
   • Make every email matter. Chat only when necessary.
   • Spend less time with your phone and Twitter. Spend more time with… people, yourself, your favorite book, and the present.
9. Do things when they need to be done. This sounds like work! It has to be said that many things are best done right away. A true adept of doing less and being lazy will have learned some time ago that a lot of work comes from a weak beginning."Working on time does make things ready." Here are some ways you can save time by getting things right first time:
   • Learn to write good first drafts quickly. Practice makes perfect.
   • Fold your clothes when the dryer is ready or when you take them off the line. That way you can clean it up right away. They also wrinkle less than if you leave them in the dryer or laundry basket.
   • Read your emails and respond immediately. Postponement leads to cancellation. If emails are not worth your attention, delete them immediately. Respond immediately to the emails that do require your attention. Try to keep the amount of unanswered emails in your inbox to a minimum, and only leave them unanswered for good reason (such as getting the right information, or sleeping over an angry response).
   • Buy your gifts for the parties or birthdays in plenty of time. That way you will feel less rushed. The lazy person has time to avoid haste.
10. Stop complaining. Lazy people don't complain. First, it takes far too much energy. Second, complaining stems from a sense of injustice, exclusion, and exhaustion. Less complaining and criticizing will save you time. You can also use your mental capacities better to find creative solutions, and better to respond to situations. You can find more productive ways to solve your problems by focusing less on the blame and more on the solution.
    • Everyone complains and pisses every now and then. Just make sure it doesn't become a habit. Remind yourself of all the energy you are wasting with it and how you could make better use of that energy. For example, you could have relaxed and looked beyond what annoyed you.
    • If you have a big reason to complain, consider doing something about it. Write a letter to your councilor, or make a banner to protest.
    • Develop compassion, acceptance, love, and understanding. They are the antidote to complaining.
    • Stop catastrophizing. It may never happen. And if it does, will it help you worry about it? Maybe you can put your finger up and say "I told you", but that's not very productive. There are better ways to learn how to deal with the future.
    • Learn to go with the flow, look for opportunities, see the natural course of events, and do what is needed now. You are not in control of the outcome, but you can try to do something about it. You can prepare constructively for events (such as having your first aid kit ready) so that you can adjust the impact of the outcome on you.
11. Be spontaneously lazy. Do it completely different every now and then. Sleep on the couch in whatever outfit you want (not because you are too tired to move). Make a tent out of blankets and pillows with your kids, and crawl into it. Fall asleep together. Lie on the grass and count the clouds or stars. Do that until you're fed up and fall asleep. Don't get dressed at all on Sundays if you don't feel like it. You don't care what the neighbors would think of that anyway.
    • Just let things come your way. Take a step back, see where the ship is stranded.
    • Do not force anything. Be like the water that finds the way of least resistance.
    • See where life's pressure points are. Press it. Do not press in stone walls. Find out where things have the least amount of pressure. You need a head-head for this. You do not avoid responsibilities with this.
12. Just relax. If you've had a long day, or if you're just doing nothing. Sit down comfortably, and do it with pride. Sit on your front street, in front of the TV, or wherever. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the feeling that you don't have to do anything. Don't think about things to do later or worry about what others think of you. Think of something that will put a smile on your face. Or don't think about anything at all.
    • Laziness likes company. If you have a good friend who also likes to pop down, invite him over. Get lazy together.
    • You can listen to your favorite music, pet your dog, eat ice cream, or whatever. Do what you want.

Tips

• Consider setting a time each week for why you can be lazy. Maybe that's your Sunday, or a particular afternoon or evening. Make time for yourself to chill. During that time, you don't respond to anything, no matter how guilty it makes you feel. You will soon begin to embrace this time. It ensures that you restore the balance in your life.
• Many hunter-gatherer tribes had certain patterns where they made sure to do as little as possible and only meet their most basic needs. Try to do that too. You will then have a lot of time for the things you really like.
• Always being lazy takes its toll. Especially if you are not smart about doing less.
• Doing things you enjoy doesn't hinder being lazy. If you're socializing online and chatting about birds or model airplanes, then you're not being the workaholic. Everyone has different ways to relax. Dancing can be just as relaxing as sitting still. It's about how you look at it yourself. It is therefore that you enjoy it, and not that you are always result-oriented.

Warnings

• Don't be too hard on yourself when you're chilling out; that is allowed! Think of it as "restoring your soul". You don't have to apologize for it. You do less, but get more out of life.
• Some people are born stress chickens. They should always keep busy, and criticize people who are less busy. For people like that, being busy is a habit. Walk around them as wide as possible.
• If you've been playing around with a hobby like drawing for years, you might get so good at it over time that people assume you're going to be a pro. Seriously consider whether you want to make your hobby your job and change the way you view your hobby. If you make your hobby your job, it is important to find a new hobby. If you don't, you will never be able to enjoy it stress-free again, without worrying about the results. Playing even is just as elegant, and keeps your life simple.
• Don't use manipulation or extortion to get other people to do something for you. That's not lazy, that's manipulation and extortion. It's about controlling other people. And, like other things to do with control, it takes a lot of energy to plan and stick with it. A lazy person would never do that. It also gives you a lot of bad karma.
• Laziness and sloppiness are not the same thing. If you leave the dishes out every now and then, that's okay. But if you're the type to open the kitchen door to cover up the stench of unwashed plates, you've got a problem. Always take care of your hygiene, both at home and on your body.