On the flip side of the coin, burnout seems to be running rampant these days. And it makes sense — it’s not just leaves that have been changing this season! School nurses are overwhelmed as they try to keep COVID out of classrooms, health care workers keep having to find new ways to stay afloat, students facing Zoom fatigue have stopped asking for help and are resorting to cheating, and all over the country, we’re just feeling beat.
With so much going on in the world, taking time to snuggle up on the couch for a streaming binge or clock out for a movie date might feel like a guilty pleasure. Maybe thoughts of cozy clothes and warm cider mid-conference call are weighing heavy on your conscience. Or maybe your body is screaming for that afternoon nap, but that voice in your head calling you lazy is just too loud.
Lucky for all of us, laziness does not exist. At least, not according to social psychologist and author Devon Price.
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“Laziness is usually a warning sign from our bodies and our minds that something is not working and we really need to break,” says Price, “The human body is so incredible at signaling when it needs something. But we have all learned to ignore those signals as much as possible because they're a threat to our productivity and our focus at work.”
The “laziness lie,” says Price, tells us that there’s always something more we could and should be doing — be it at home, at work or in our relationships — and that our worth is based on our productivity. It’s time to unlearn that. Instead of seeing laziness as a deficit or something that needs to be fixed, we should listen to the call that it’s time for a change.
And while it’s not realistic for everyone to skip out for a PSL and a walk around the block as needed, Price says it is possible to set ourselves up for success and make room for rest whenever possible.
Always a victim of the 3 p.m. slump? Don’t beat yourself up. Instead, plan your workday around your rhythm as best you can, and if possible, make a little room for joy when you know you’ll need it most. Your body and maybe even your coworkers will thank you.
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