Why to rest before you get tired (yes, be lazy!)

This month we celebrate laziness. Most times we consider laziness as something negative.  Most of us forgot how to be lazy or are scared to be lazy because it makes us feel useless. So we keep ourselves busy all the time. But let’s not forget we are human beings, not human doings. And doing nothing and being lazy is actually really healthy. So here’s your green light on why to be lazy (before you get tired!). 

Laziness and rest is the only way to prevent worry and fatigue. Because a tired brain isn’t likely to see things very clearly or solve problems. And most importantly, being lazy boosts your creativity and happiness! And Bill Gates once said he would always ‘hire a lazy person for the difficult jobs because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.’

Let’s tap into your laziness (more often):

  1. Quit working late at night. So you won’t fall asleep on your computer or having trouble falling asleep.
  2. Don’t cross your boundaries in yoga class because you think you have to be able to do a certain pose. Being ambitious is good, but respect your body limits. It’s okay to go back in child’s pose and catch your breath again. Losing your steady breath means you’ve already gone to far.
  3. Meditate, meditate, meditate.
  4. Fuel up your tank before it’s empty (mentally and physically). Listen to your body. Always.
  5. Go to bed early (yes, that’s before 12 am).
  6. Put away your phone more often. For example after 8pm or every sunday.
  7. Stop saying: “Okay, one more thing and then I’ll be done.” Because there’s always one more thing on your to do-list.
  8. Let go. And dare to let go (with the flow).  David Bowie once said: ‘I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.’
  9. Give yourself at least one day in the week to fully check out and just be lazy. No phone, no computer, no email, no nothing.
  10. Stop worrying. Otherwise, write down precisely what you are worried about, what you can do about it and decide what to do and just do it. And remember this: ‘If you’re depressed you’re living in the past. If you’re anxious you’re living in the future. If you are at peace you’re living in the present.’  – Lao Tz0.
  11. Don’t give yourself all kinds of tasks all the time. A task-orientated mindset prevents the creative juices from flowing. A wondering mind promotes creative thinking. According to recent research  occasionally relaxing and becoming a couch potato is great for daydreaming and creating new things. And besides, dreaming is also a way of planning!
  12. Create a particular place at home where you can fully relax. May it be your bed, the couch or your yogamat. As longs as you feel comfortable and totally at ease. And no hard feelings about being lazy whatsoever.
  13. Do yoga! Especially yin yoga will support your ‘laziness’.
  14. …or Netflix and chill!
  15. Don’t you still have to finish that great book laying beside your bed?
  16. It’s summer! Enjoy the sun, walk around the park and just observe the people and nature surrounding you. And know that you don’t have to do anything or go anywhere.
  17. Breath! Nothing has more influence on calming down the body and mind than a calm and steady breath. Make sure it’s deep and even. You can even do some pranayama. It will make you feel calm and so alive at the same time!
  18. One more thing: Being lazy doesn’t equal failure or you being a bad or non-ambitious person. It’s about quality not quantity, remember?

 

 

 

 

Image source: Source: The Zoe Report

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