The Art of lazy

There is no question that the transition from work/life balance to life/work balance is a tricky one. As much as we don’t want to admit it, there is the increasing likelihood of falling prey to the overachiever’s paradox. It seems any small bit of free time quickly gets filled in with some kind of work or another. Apparently, the art of lazy is something that has to be relearned after reaching financial independence. It is no longer second nature to me.

I have started to try to reclaim the habit from time to time because I think it is healthy. Every once in awhile, a day should be spent lounging with a book or a movie with no expectation of accomplishing anything.

I’m striving towards mastering this goal

Rest

The thing about the achievement treadmill is that it is easy to forget about rest. I’m not talking about a momentary lapse in activity, I mean deep, rejuvenating rest.

In the midst of career building, parenting, and forging a life, there has been very little time in the schedule for letting go. I can count the number of days over the last few decades on one in hand in which I have had no agenda.

I am trying to recapture the art of lazy (for a day at least) because I think it is more healthy. The mind needs to slow down for a little while and enter autopilot. Complex systems needs to be shut off or be put on sleep mode.

Sleep

Speaking of sleep. There are few luxuries as complete as lounging around in bed instead of getting up. All you have to do is think about all those busy work mornings when the alarm goes off and your soul cries out to ignore it. Yet, you never do. You get up and go to work.

Part of the art of being lazy is allowing yourself to sleep in. To turn off the world and unplug the alarm clock. For me, this means staying in bed till 9am. I know, call me crazy, but this is a marked departure from my usual 4:45 am.

I would never have had this luxury while working my full-time 9 to 5. I always had too much going on to turn it off and sleep in. Even if I were so inclined, my mobile would have pulled me back to reality when a patient had some need or another.

Creativity

In my mind, there are two things that allow for creativity. Stress and rest. Stress because that’s where some of our deepest and most meaningful thoughts and feelings come from. And rest because we need time to sit back and contemplate the previous stress, and have the freedom and safety to decompress.

It is often in those times when I dial my thoughts down that I become the most articulate. I let whatever happens to bubble up take form and grow unhindered.

I think of it as the act of decluttering. The art of lazy is clearing all that worry and concern out of your mind, and make room for the new and inspired.

You can’t do this when you are stressed out. It is in possible when you are on a deadline. It only becomes possible when you have the air and space to breath.

Final Thoughts

I am trying to rediscover the art of lazy. Up until now, the dictates of work and responsibility have always gotten in the way. Now that I have reached half retirement and financial independence, I feel like I can rediscover this joy.

It’s starts today. New Year’s Eve. I pledge to spend the rest of the day with no plan and no expectations.

My new book awaits.

I better get going.