The age-old question that has remained a mystery
It's in our nature! Every animal's biological processes are optimized for laziness, Ness Labs reports. Even beyond species like koalas or pythons, who sleep the majority of the day, most animals spend a majority of their time doing nothing in particular.
The amount of time animals spend doing nothing depends on the amount of time they must spend on activities like hunting, foraging, and reproducing. The faster they get their tasks done, the lazier they will be.
Things like light switches and remotes, even the wheel as we know it, were all products of laziness. These innovations have in turn made us even more productive.
Not all procrastination has consequences! Passive procrastination is the traditionally 'bad' kind where people are paralyzed by their indecision to act and become overwhelmed and don't complete tasks on time. But active procrastination is much different.
In 'Time Resources and Laziness in Animals,' Professor Joan Herbers writes that highly efficient predators like pythons or lions may appear to be lazier than relatively unproductive predators simply because they have more free time.
According to Ness Labs, a high-leverage activity is an energy multiplier that requires minimum input and results in an outsized output. The opposite are things like long meetings, unnecessary paperwork, and other things that require more energy for less output.
This principle of tactical laziness also provides the ideological foundation for the four-day workweek, which involves more time to be lazy on the weekends but has also proven to increase productivity in those remaining work days.
Because lazy people are precious with their energy, they tend to focus on high-leverage tasks, and thus avoid unnecessary tasks. This can look like automating or cutting out monotonous and time-consuming activities.
Laziness is necessary for creativity, especially because in a world where everyone did things the same way no one would have new ideas to further our societies.
On the other hand, laziness is a way to regain control in the face of such chronic stress, because laziness naturally entails taking control of one's own body and one's time, according to Dr. Isabelle Moreau. Of course, laziness also provides the opportunity to recharge.
It might sound backward since most people get stressed thinking about being unproductive, but research suggests that spending time away from work, in an unproductive manner, can help us cope with stress.
You'll recognize this particularly in teenagers, as adults may perceive them as lazy but in reality the lack of activities is a necessary mechanism for their mental health.
Our mind reportedly has two modes of thinking: diffuse and focused. Focused is often celebrated more, but we actually need both in order to be creative and productive. Diffuse thinking is the daydreaming and mind wandering that we wrongfully condemn.
The places our mind wanders to include the future (48% of the time), the present (28%), and the past (12% of the time), reports Time magazine. If we're always focused on the productive task at hand, we don't get to set long-term goals. Letting your mind wander is therefore a way to have a more productive future.
Diffuse thinking is an extremely useful mechanism for our brains to process information, and it often leads to creative solutions. Think about all those moments a brilliant idea just struck you while you were in the shower, on a walk, or sipping your morning coffee.
Burnout, a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, has become a global health crisis, characterized by feelings of depletion, detachment, cynicism, and a reduction of efficacy. The syndrome can threaten your job, your relationships, and your health.
Many people hide behind their busy schedules instead of facing their truth, concerns, and feelings, leaving so many unresolved thoughts to fester. Psychoanalyst and professor of leadership development Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries says, "Slacking off may be the best thing we can do for our mental health."
We often think going away on a vacation will recharge us, but this finite slice of time wedged between long periods of hyperproductivity is never as rejuvenating as we need it to be. Instead, a habit of laziness has shown better results!
It's all semantics. Rest has a less pejorative connotation compared to laziness, but the positive effects are the same. Research has shown that your daytime naps and regular breaks have numerous benefits, from lowering your blood pressure, improved memory, greater attention span, decreased inflammation, and lowered stress.
This one is funny because it's true. Sometimes problems solve themselves if you're just lazy enough! Perhaps someone else will step in, or perhaps the problem itself will become irrelevant.
Of course, perpetual laziness may be a negative coping mechanism of a deeper issue, like depression or anxiety, but even so it serves as a natural protective measure from your body, which is kind of beautiful.
We are officially giving you permission to be lazier. Enjoy!
Sources: (Ness Labs) (Fairy God Boss) (Time)
If you're not a regularly lazy person, then when a bout of laziness arrives, it can be an important message from your body and mind.
If we begin to talk about laziness in a less pejorative manner, it might become easier for people to recognize if and when their laziness is not coming from or leading to a healthy place. Beyond that, we should stop feeling guilt and shame for regular laziness!
Your body might be telling you you're tired or hungry. Your mind could be telling you you're not motivated in this kind of task, or the task itself could be unnecessarily repetitive. Acknowledging laziness as a response to something can be a great way to calibrate.
Most people will agree it's the disinclination to use energy, as well as a lack of "productivity." Though it has very negative connotations, it's common in everyone, even those who wake up at 5 am to go for a run!
Chris Bailey explains in Time magazine that laziness is not reading the news, scrolling Facebook, or filling the time with small unproductive tasks. Laziness doesn't involve things that make us more tired!
Most people see laziness as a negative trait, especially capitalist societies in which one is taught that the person who works the hardest will get the furthest—whether that's true or not. We describe those who sit around and watch TV as “couch potatoes,” or people who put off their work as “slackers." These pejorative terms all signify the lack of perceived productivity, AKA laziness, which is judged as a bad thing.
However, being lazy can have its advantages—many of which are backed by scientific research. Laziness can even mean greater productivity in the long run. Curious to see how this supposed flaw can actually be good for you? Click through and we’ll tell you!
Laziness is often the result of productivity. "For all these arguments against laziness, it is amazing we work so hard to achieve it," writes Hal Cranmer in 'In Defense of Laziness.'
Studies show that active procrastinators, the 'good' kind, actually recognize that they work better under pressure. These people have been proven to have greater control of their time, coping mechanisms, and even overall performance!
The surprising benefits of laziness: why slowing down is good for you
The science behind it!
LIFESTYLE Wellness
Most people see laziness as a negative trait, especially capitalist societies in which one is taught that the person who works the hardest will get the furthest—whether that's true or not. We describe those who sit around and watch TV as “couch potatoes,” or people who put off their work as “slackers." These pejorative terms all signify the lack of perceived productivity, AKA laziness, which is judged as a bad thing.
However, being lazy can have its advantages—many of which are backed by scientific research. Laziness can even mean greater productivity in the long run. Curious to see how this supposed flaw can actually be good for you? Click through and we’ll tell you!