Personally, I feel like laziness gets a bad rap.
Obviously, we all need to have goals and put in the work, but there’s something to be said for taking a day off now and then to do nothing but veg out on the sofa and watch a bit of rubbish telly. That being said, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, and if you relate to any of the following, you may be taking laziness a bit too far.
1. You’ve figured out how to reach things without getting up.
You’ve developed an impressive ability to grab the remote, your phone, or snacks using only your toes or by creating elaborate contraptions. Standing up is so last year. Your friends are equal parts impressed and concerned by your newfound flexibility and ingenuity.
2. Your dirty laundry pile has become your new wardrobe.
Why bother washing clothes when you can just dig through the pile on your floor? If you’re sniffing t-shirts to find the “cleanest” dirty one, you might have embraced laziness a tad too much. You’ve even started to convince yourself that the wrinkles add character to your outfits.
3. Your idea of cooking is whatever takes the least effort.
Source: Unsplash Cereal for dinner? Check. Eating crisps straight from the bag? Double check. If your culinary skills have devolved to whatever requires the least amount of movement, you might be in lazy territory. You’ve even started to consider squeezing cheese directly into your mouth as a balanced meal.
4. You’ve worn pyjamas to the shops more than once this week.
Getting dressed is such a hassle. If you’ve convinced yourself that pyjamas are acceptable public attire, your lazy side might be winning. You’ve even started to eye up those all-in-one adult onesies as a potential everyday outfit. Please just put on clothes when you leave the house!
5. Your plants are begging for water, but you can’t be bothered.
Source: Unsplash Those poor, wilting plants. You know they need water, but the watering can is all the way in the other room. Maybe tomorrow… or next week. You’ve started to wonder if plastic plants might be a better fit for your lifestyle. (Ikea does have a fair few good ones!).
6. You love a good kip at odd times.
Midday nap? Check. Evening nap? Check. If you’re finding excuses to sleep at all hours, laziness might have taken over your schedule. You’ve even caught yourself nodding off during important Zoom meetings, blaming it on “poor internet connection”.
7. Your car hasn’t been washed in so long, it’s developing its own ecosystem.
That layer of dirt is practically a second paint job at this point. You keep telling yourself you’ll wash it next weekend, but we both know that’s not happening. You’ve started to see the dirt as a form of camouflage, perfect for avoiding parking tickets.
8. You’ve started using paper plates to avoid washing up.
Washing dishes? Too much effort. If you’re stockpiling paper plates and plastic cutlery to avoid cleaning, you might have crossed into extreme laziness territory. You’ve even contemplated eating directly over the sink to save on clean-up time.
9. Your unread emails have reached a terrifying number.
The little red notification bubble on your email app is in the hundreds (or thousands). You’ll get to them eventually… maybe. You’ve started to view your inbox as a digital time capsule, preserving moments from a more productive past.
10. You’re great at looking busy while doing absolutely nothing.
Whether it’s at work or at home, you’ve perfected the art of appearing productive while actually scrolling through social media or daydreaming. You’ve even developed a series of important-sounding sighs and keyboard taps to really sell the illusion.
11. Your idea of exercise is walking to the fridge.
That gym membership card is gathering dust. If your most strenuous daily activity is reaching for the TV remote, you might be embracing laziness a bit too enthusiastically. You’ve started to justify your lack of exercise by claiming you’re “conserving energy for important things”.
12. You’ve started using your stomach as a table.
Why bother sitting up when your belly makes a perfectly good surface for your plate or laptop? It’s all about efficiency, right? You’re even considering getting a small tattoo that says “Place food here” with an arrow pointing to your navel.
13. You’ve given up on folding laundry and just live out of the clean clothes basket.
Folding and putting away clothes? That’s for overachievers. If your “wardrobe” is just a basket of clean but wrinkled clothes, laziness might have taken over. You’ve started to view wrinkles as a fashion statement, calling it your “lived-in look”.
14. You’ve started considering fast food delivery as “cooking”.
Hey, you had to look at the menu and press some buttons on your phone. That’s practically the same as making a meal from scratch, right? You’ve even started to refer to yourself as a “curated meal coordinator” instead of admitting you just order takeaway every night.
15. Your to-do list has become more of a “maybe someday” list.
That list of tasks you made with good intentions has been sitting untouched for weeks. You’ll get to it… eventually. You’ve started to view your procrastination as a form of time travel, always living in the future where things will magically get done.
16. You’ve mastered the art of looking presentable for video calls while still wearing pyjama bottoms.
Business on top, lazy party on the bottom. If you’ve perfected the art of looking professional from the waist up while still in your comfy bottoms, you might be embracing the lazy life. You’ve even strategically placed a few important-looking books in your background to complete the illusion of productivity.
17. You’ve started considering binge-watching as a productive use of your time.
Source: Unsplash Finishing an entire series in one weekend? That’s an accomplishment, right? If your biggest achievements lately involve completing Netflix shows, you might have let laziness take over a bit too much. You’ve even started to include your viewing stats in your CV under “Time Management Skills”.
