Study: Being Lazy Can Help You Boost Your Productivity!

So, now you are probably wondering about how on earth can one get a ton of work done while being lazy at the same time? It plausibly seems like a paradox, however, it is not- because being lazy is something that you can do strategically i.e by taking regular breaks throughout the day.

Taking breaks should be a vital part of every workaholic’s daily schedule as it enhances the ability of the brain to produce great work and also keeps it healthy. It is like the yang to hard work’s yin or like the necessary white space that enables great prose to be read on a printed page.

By being a bit lazy at regular intervals throughout the day you enable yourself to work far more intensely and effectively during your actual work hours. But when you don’t use the little bit of time to fill up these pockets of laziness, you rob yourself the ability to focus at all.

We often like to consider our brain as a computer, but then technically the functioning of a human brain can’t be compared with that of a computer’s because they are truly disparate. The computers are designed in such a way that they are able to run on a steady supply of power/electricity in return of which they can work ceaselessly and tirelessly, keeping aside the occasional update or crash.

On the other hand, WE CAN’T! because we are a product of millions of years of evolution that is always dependent on a cycle of work and rest i.e stressful exertion and relaxation, and this applies just as much to our brains as it does to our muscles and all the other parts of our bodies.

So, here is how you can schedule your break-

1) TINY BREAKS

Now, tiny breaks are those little 5-10 minute breathers that let you briefly step away from your work, move around, and get mentally refreshed

2) LONG BREAKS

It involves longer break periods, which is usually 30-60minute long. During this time you can disconnect completely from working or studying.

How to schedule breaks-

1) Pre-determine long breaks

Do this to avoid feeling guilty about ruining your time. This way you truly know when you are supposed to work/study and also you know exactly when it is time to take a break. The existence of a pre-planned break coming up in the near future is going to create a bit of time-pressure which will consequently nudge you to work harder and faster.

2) Get up from your workplace during your short break

Move around, get some snack, drink water, or maybe do some basic stretches. Basically, you should move around a bit to temporarily disengage from what you are doing.

3) Avoid using social media during the break

Try to avoid scrolling over the trends and updates on Facebook or Instagram and in fact don’t even check your mail. Essentially, don’t engage yourself in any lower value work during your tiny breaks because your memory gets gunked up with the new images, information, and ideas which consequently lowers your productivity and also impedes your ability to get back into the flow.

Most of us are already aware of how- engaging into social media can turn a 5 minute break into a 55 minute break! because these platforms are designed to suck up all our attention and time.

4) Go for a walk outside

When you feel mentally drained or unmotivated, then without fail you should go out for a walk as it will immediately lift your mood and help you in getting back to the flow of work.