CHICAGO, Ill. — The idea of being lazy is one that often elicits negative reactions. The concept that a person is unmotivated or unwilling to do something is often looked down upon by American society. But new research suggests being lazy is often just our body's way of telling us to slow down.
Devon Price recently wrote a book called Laziness Does Not Exist. Price is also a professor at Loyola University who has run from the word "lazy" for his entire life.
"I was someone who was terrified of being lazy or being perceived as lazy for much of my life; I always wanted to achieve more," Price said.
In the dictionary, "lazy" is an adjective, typically defined as someone unwilling to work or use energy. Prices' research though suggests sometimes we feel lazy because we’re running too fast.
"There is no clear boundary from when work is allowed to end. There’s always more we think we can do, even when we’re off the clock we think we should be doing Spanish on Duolingo," Price noted.
Curing laziness, at least from what Price has found, might be as simple as embracing what your body is telling you, and accepting it’s OK to relax and be lazy sometimes.
"Embrace ideas of solitude and savoring the importance of life experiences," he added.
At the end of the day, the negative connotation surrounding the word lazy might also be generational. An estimated 69% of people think adults younger than 30 have a different work ethic than older Americans.
"I want to validate in people that they can listen to their bodies and minds when they feel like they’re at their limit," Price said.
