Laziness Does Not Exist

by Devon Price

Does looking at your calendar fill you with dread? Do you have a deadline that you keep pushing back because confronting it head-on seems impossible? Do you “waste” hours every day scrolling through Twitter or shopping online for things you don’t need? If so, you might be feeling very lazy right now—and that might actually be a good thing. When we feel unfocused, tired, and lazy, it’s often because we desperately need some time to rest our bodies and brains. Research has repeatedly shown that a person on the verge of burnout will have trouble staying focused and productive.40 No amount of pressure and stress can magically help a person overcome that lack of focus and motivation. The solution is to cut way back on expectations for a while. Overextended people have to find space in their lives to sleep, power down their stressed-out minds, and recharge their mental and emotional batteries. You can wait until you reach a breaking point like Max and I did, or you can prevent illness and burnout by being gentle with yourself before it’s too late.

When we stop fearing laziness, we can find time to reflect and recharge, to reconnect with the people and hobbies that we love, and to move through the world at a more intentional, peaceful pace. “Wasting time” is a basic human need. Once we accept that, we can stop fearing our inner “laziness” and begin to build healthy, happy, well-balanced lives.

It’s true that Americans tend to have trouble drawing firm boundaries between work and the rest of our lives. Compared to Europeans, who often have upward of twenty paid vacation days per year, American employees are lucky if they get ten to fourteen.22 The Laziness Lie has also infected numerous American employees with a strong sense of “vacation guilt,” which makes it hard for us to feel comfortable actually using those vacation days up.23

Another way to curb an achievement obsession is to consciously find time to experience awe. Awe occurs when we encounter something completely new or deeply inspiring, such as a sparkling, blue sea, a rich, green forest, or an amazing vocal performance at a concert.20 Awe reminds us of the universe’s largeness and our own smallness, in a way that feels exhilarating and soothing rather than threatening. When we feel awe, all our individual problems and worries can seem to drop away, because the vast beauty around us puts everything in perspective.

Awe is a much deeper and more restorative form of self-care because it has a spiritual component.22 Even if you aren’t religious at all, you can feel a sense of greater purpose, a connection with nature, or a deep bond with all of humanity by seeking out moments of awe and wonder.23

Unlearning the Laziness Lie isn’t really about trying to scrub every sign of its influence from our minds. No matter how carefully we reexamine our thought patterns and question our old assumptions, its influence will always be there. Over time, though, we can get better at dismissing the parts of ourselves that have been conditioned to letting go of and judging, and start observing with compassion instead.