The Power of Laziness

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Did you know that giving in to your lazy side is sometimes the most productive thing you can do?

Have you ever found yourself stuck and unable to move forward? I have. Lately I’ve been in a rut and struggling to get out if it.  I went from being completely motivated to not wanting to do anything at all.  I don’t like this feeling.  I enjoy when I am filled with passionate purpose and a sense of direction and drive, but sometimes we all need what my Alexander teacher called a “good old slump”. 

The Alexander Technique is a movement technique that teaches performers how to have good physical alignment.  The premise is that we are born with a sense of natural alignment, but over time our body develops habits that create obstacles to our alignment.  To correct this we have to first notice our habit, then take a minute to pause so we can redirect our body to go into better alignment.  This is a process that continues over and over again all day.  But sometimes we need a break and that is when we take our “good old slump.”  The idea is to remind us that we are not striving for perfection and sometimes we need to just let everything go and be right where we are.

I find this useful in my daily life.  So much energy is geared towards accomplishing things, being successful, productive, doing, doing, doing. But ultimately we need a rest.  We are born with a natural sense of love and self-acceptance, over time our minds become taskmasters spurring us forward and judging our results and abilities.  This can make us successful at times, but it can be exhausting and destructive as well. Therefore, we need to recognize this tendency, pause, and then redirect our thoughts to support our true needs and desires.  Afterwards, we are replenished and have a new sense of vigor to pursue our passion and purpose, which ultimately leaves us more productive than ever. So I encourage you when you are feeling low, stuck, and in a rut, to take the time you need to just be lazy and enjoy it.

Below is a recipe for how to be lazy and have yourself a “good old slump”:

Indulge: Don’t judge yourself if you need a break. I think this is one of the biggest problems we face when we find ourselves in a rut.  Not only are we struggling because we are craving our passionate purpose, but we are scolding ourselves for being lazy, unproductive, and ignoring the tasks that need to get done.  When you die, as Richard Carlson says in his book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”, your inbox is still going to be full. We were born to not only accomplish our life’s work, but to enjoy ourselves along the way. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to take that break so you can replenish, reconnect to yourself, and make room for your energy to return.

Wallow: Honor your feelings – they are trying to tell you something. So often we try and escape what we call our negative feelings.  But feelings are neither positive nor negative – they are just sensations and our response to the stimuli around us.  Really what causes our sense of negative feelings is the story we attach to the circumstances we find ourselves in.  Instead of pushing those feelings away, I encourage you to welcome them.  Remember what we resist persists.  Make room to experience the message these feelings have for you.  Let your emotional intelligence remind you that you need this time to relax, reassess, and replenish.  Many times when we find ourselves unmotivated there is a good reason.  Seek it out, ask the tough questions, and create new actions that honor your truth.

Enjoy: Live your life as if you are on vacation.  Did you ever notice that when you are on vacation you never worry about being lazy? Instead you wake up energized and ready to tackle the day. You allow yourself to do what feels good without guilt.  You are also more aware, present, and apt to discover new things.  There is a freedom that accompanies the idea of being on vacation.  So I encourage you to take a vacation from your productive mindset and take pride in your ability to relax, enjoy, and experience the divine blessings available to you each day.  Breath in the simple uncomplicated moments you have and embrace your lazy side – it is truly the key to your ability to accomplish great things. 

I hope this blog post has given you permission to have your “good old slump” and that the next time your feeling in a rut you will remember being lazy is just another step on the journey of following your passion and purpose.

How do you embrace laziness? What struggles do you face when you find yourself in a rut? What do you do when you need a break?  Share your thoughts, tips, and techniques in the comments below.

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6 Responses to The Power of Laziness

  1. Camesha says:

    I love the idea of living life as if you’re on vacation. That just sounds.. heavenly!

    I tend to kick myself for being lazy and I’m going to take this post as permission to give myself a break. I do a lot and I need to veg out every now and then! LOL!

  2. Lisa says:

    Ruts are hard for me. They feel more like full blown depression and I lay in bed and watch netflix and have a hard time pulling myself up and out.

    Laziness however is different. I love to indulge in time to myself having a nice lunch sitting at a bar with my computer catching up on blogs and doing piddly fun graphic creations on pic monkey.

    I can always tell the difference between the two because one has me holed up in my bedroom (rut) and the other has me enjoying a nice meal/beer and down time on the internets or reading a book.

  3. Hunter says:

    That self-judgmental voice is definitely the worst part of a slump! Your message of acceptance is good – we are human and need to have down time and fallow days. Without that, we really don’t give our best when we are “on.” In my life, meditation has been the most important factor in noticing that voice and getting a bit of distance from it.

  4. Ana says:

    Yes! I was in a total slump and thought I wouldn’t have the energy to put into my biz througout the rest of winter. I went to Hawai’i for a week – ALONE – and did nothing but read, do yoga, snorkel and hike. I came back with more energy and ideas than EVER and now I am cranking away again – joyfully. I love your tips – that is SO IMPORTANT to remember, and I am going to try to do those things more regularly instead of waiting for a big vacation;) Love the reminder! Thank you

  5. Cathy says:

    Thanks Krystal. Really appreciate your thoughts.

  6. I love your thoughts on this. I get into these “slumps” all the time and they greatly affect how I work. I find I don’t get anything done and I’m beating myself up for not being productive. Next time I will take your advice and allow myself to have that break, I must need it. Hopefully your tips help.

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