Laziness has fans and opponents. And then, there are people like the lazy secrets team who try to domesticate that wild beast and turn it into a pet.
You know, a cute companion that sometimes bites…
Let’s kick off with an unpopular opinion.
The good: laziness can be a friend
To show you I am not kidding, I am putting it into practice right now.
Instead of listing arguments, scientific studies, and so on, I will do it the lazy way.
That saves me and you time.
Here is our most popular article that explains how to use laziness to your advantage in an ethical way:
Lazy strategies: achieve more with less effort
The bad: laziness can be an enemy
This is what most people believe.
And they are right.
To a certain extent.
Again, I choose the laziest way possible to illustrate my point.
Here is our most popular article about the dangerous aspects of laziness:
The best quotes that highlight the evil aspects of laziness
The balance: ethical laziness in 4 rules
It is easy to come up with 100 rules to define ethical laziness.
But it would take too much effort to remember and apply them.
So let’s stick to the following 4 simple rules of ethical laziness.
Rule #1: Be nice to yourself
You can basically follow two paths.
Either you avoid laziness, or you make it your mission.
Both come with a price.
- A burnout won’t do you any good. You need to take breaks.
- A couch-potato life won’t get you anywhere.
The middle road is a better option.
Rule #2: Be nice to others
There is a thin line between being lazy and harming others, including animals and our planet.
For example:
- Throwing your garbage out of the windows can save YOU from a walk. But what about the trashy balcony of your neighbor?
- Doing all the household chores yourself will get you a trophy for mom or dad. Once a year. But is this really how you had imagined being a parent?
You get it.
Let’s move to the next rule.
Rule #3: Don’t harm yourself
Wait what? That’s the same as the first rule.
Yes.
Repetition is the mother of learning.
It helps to hear the same message differently.
And for sure, it helps to plan some lazy moments in your busy agenda, or master the art of doing nothing.
Rule #4: Don’t be selfish
This rule is to make sure the message of Rule 3 kicks in.
And it is a friendly reminder that repetition IS the mother of learning.
Conclusion: don’t be too lazy/eager to explore laziness
Whether you like it, we all have a lazy stranger inside us.
That is one of the less known facts about laziness.
You can deny that stranger, fight it or turn it into a good friend.
And when you achieve that, Mr./Ms. Lazy You will remind you to take breaks so you can get back on track.
