Laziness

Laziness

How many times have you thrown your Saturday morning plans out the window in favour of an extra two hours of sleep? How many brilliant ideas never stand a chance of realisation because you’re too lazy to work on it?

“I’ll get around to it” is a phrase we use when we put it off for tomorrow. Tomorrow is when we shed laziness, roll up our sleeves and get down to work. Well, not too bad really, isn’t it? Except that such a tomorrow never ever comes. Our focus is how to make the here and now as comfortable as possible. And because our basic needs are relatively easily met, we have the luxury—and burden—of fretting, dreaming, and procrastinating about future actions, while doing nothing.

In the grand scheme of things, we’re all members of the leisure class now. We have all the technology that our ancestors never had. We need not move a pen or walk to the market. Even driving the car is different from 10years ago, with automatic gears and button controlled window roll downs.

For most of human existence, resources were scarce and unpredictable, so it required us to conserve energy as much as possible. External motivators were powerful and compelling: Starvation and predation were very real threats; days and nights alternated between searing sunlight and freezing darkness. Safety was in no way guaranteed. Feeling thirsty meant looking for water, feeling hungry meant looking for food.

Today, we have abundant sources of energy, food and safety. Most of us have not seen starvation nor are we hunted by dangerous animals. It is fair to say that today’s laziness emerged only when planning for the future became possible. Today the lazy man is one who does nothing to work for the future and settles of what they get without moving too much. Many of us feel oppressed by long-term goals that do not bear directly on survival or status—they gnaw at us and distract from our daily enjoyment. Sticking to a workout regimen, jump-starting that screenplay, and transferring ink to paper are all easier planned than done.
Laziness by definition is not getting ourselves into uncomfortable movement—it is simply an unwillingness to expend energy.

However, the advent of hardworking peers, in an environment where we could be highly productive makes laziness a recipe for defeat and discomfort. There are those who are extremely competent and extremely lethargic. However grading people can show us a wide range between absolute laziness and the extremely hardworking person. Those who are ready to do a great deal to those who want it easy.

Whichever step of the ladder you find yourself in, it may be a good idea to move up one step at a time and not try to make the change overnight. This could be severely uncomfortable and maybe even hazardous.

Laziness may not be good for you bank balance or the size of your waist. But it can be a truly enticing way to spend that Saturday afternoon, after all.