Here Are 50 Moments Of People Taking Laziness To Another Level

We often associate laziness with apathy, carelessness or lack of motivation. And while some people are more likely to look for the easiest option, performing tasks with as little effort as possible can have its benefits. These people are actually good at finding out the quickest way of doing something with little mental or physical activity.

One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology suggests that people who are more physically active have a lower need to engage in activities that require thinking. But this “difference was most pronounced during the 5-day work week and lessened during the weekend“, which means that an easy-going weekend will only benefit your brainpower. The researchers also found that those with high IQ go bored less easily. That's why they tend to be less active and spend more time thinking while the "non-thinkers“ preferred to engage in physical activities.

Also, an easy mistake would be to confuse laziness with proper idleness – choosing to do nothing. As the famous quote by Oscar Wilde goes, “to do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual.” And it's true. Believe it or not, but being idle is actually good for you.

Chris Bailey, author of “Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction”, said that our attention is either focused (when we get our work done and have meaningful conversations) or unfocused which actually makes us more creative. “Think back to your last creative insight — chances are it didn’t happen when you were focusing on one thing. In fact, you probably weren’t focused on much at all,” Bailey said.

According to the author, an idle mind allows us to do three things: rest, plan our future and long-term goals, and think of the most insightful and unique ideas. So in other words, when we see a bunch of do-nothings just sitting around and idling, they might actually be using their energy to think and create.

Some even think that laziness is the key to success. Michael Lewis, bestselling author of “The Big Short,” said that it serves him as a filter. “Something has to be really good before I’ll decide to work on it,” he said. In other words, it helps you to avoid being busy just for the sake of... being busy and also prevents you from taking on opportunities that you do not care much for.

However, if you're feeling lazy more often than not, it could mean that something else is going on. If you're having trouble getting things done, set unrealistic goals and feel exhausted, you might be experiencing a job burnout. Since it's sometimes presented in such a way that overlaps with the concept of do-nothingness, it's not that easy to spot.