August 10th is a special day—Lazy Day!
Don’t get it wrong; it’s not a day for lazy and inactive people. It’s also not a day where everyone is supposed to be lazy, because if that happened, the whole world would shut down, and who knows what might happen. For example, what if a firefighter who needs to rescue someone decides to be lazy? Or if a surgeon has to perform an emergency operation and decides to be lazy? This day is a reminder to those who have taken up laziness that it’s enough, get up! And it’s an opportunity for those who are constantly working hard to pause and take a break. You see, it depends on our perspective. Now, a brave firefighter can take this special day off and be lazy for himself without any justification!
True laziness means doing nothing at all, letting your mind be completely empty. We all need these hours and days, especially if we’re constantly busy and our minds are cluttered. That’s right! Today isn’t a day for lazy people; it’s a day for those who need to be lazy. This is something that teenagers are deeply engaged in, and in an unequal battle with laziness and lethargy, they will eventually win.
But it’s also good to know that laziness sometimes has reasons beyond our control, like hypothyroidism or psychosomatic illnesses and depression. Interestingly, the global pandemic was a kind of worldwide laziness that made many people lazy, while others became more active and achieved their goals. For example, someone who was too busy to read books managed to read a lot during the pandemic. But let’s get back to laziness!
Did you know that there’s a syndrome called Oblomovism that exists in everyone, depending on how much it’s nurtured? There’s also a novel by the same name. (Oblomov, a retiree, lounges on his couch at home every day. His lounging isn’t due to fatigue or boredom, but it’s his habit. His friend Andrei tries to introduce him to social life and save him from his lethargy and laziness.)
What exactly is laziness? It’s a feeling that emerged from our modern, mechanized life. Its symptoms include:
1. Constantly postponing tasks—this is laziness combined with a lack of motivation.
2. Physiological or physical problems—lack of physical activity isn’t always laziness; sometimes, a person is struggling with a physical issue but isn’t actually lazy.
3. Lack of motivation—this is one of the most important reasons for laziness.
4. Perfectionism—sometimes, being a perfectionist makes achieving a goal seem impossible, leading to laziness and avoidance of tasks, even though doing something imperfectly is better than doing nothing at all because at least some experience is gained.
Note: Praising laziness means the regression of a person, society, and family—something the Japanese have proven wrong with their intense dedication and might need to consider due to their overactivity.
Do you know the signs of laziness?
1. A list of unfinished tasks
2. Procrastinating or waiting for the perfect time that never seems to come, or is supposed to arrive on some random Saturday morning
3. Shutting out the outside world and defining a small, goal-less world
4. Fear of not reaching the goal
and many other signs that you can share with us.
Let’s be mindful that sometimes our brain, heart, kidneys, body, and mind need rest, and that’s when we should be lazy to preserve our physical and mental health.
Another important point, especially for you, dear teenager, is your friends and those around you! Are they active or lazy? Do they constantly make excuses? Are they only interested in having fun? Are they successful? Do they encourage and motivate you? It’s important who you surround yourself with.
Another point is that laziness might sometimes be hereditary or genetic, but of course, it’s correctable because humans are a miracle of creation and can change and grow from any weakness.
Nutrition is also very important, especially during adolescence, as it can prevent laziness and lethargy. You probably know better than anyone else how fast food affects your body and causes mental and physical laziness. Do you want lively and energetic cells, or lazy and sluggish ones?
So, how can we chase away the feeling of laziness whenever it tries to visit us?
Break big tasks into smaller ones.
Constantly think about the benefits and success of the work, which will lift your spirits.
Set a limited time for each task, and make sure it’s something you enjoy.
You can make your work more enjoyable by combining it with music or other interests.
And here’s something fun—celebrate and reward yourself once you achieve a goal.
What’s even more exciting is to analyze the steps taken towards success so you can do better next time.
Seek guidance from trusted people and advisors during the process.
Be willing to take risks to gain the courage to take on big tasks.
– Don’t procrastinate, even with simple things like brushing your hair or anything else small.
– Engage in group activities; competition and courage found in rivalry help steer us away from harmful laziness.
– Take responsibility for your work and don’t blame others. Seeing the results of your efforts is truly rewarding and satisfying. That’s when laziness feels justified—lounging and being lazy, but not forever!
– Exercise is crucial in staying active and avoiding laziness, especially during adolescence.
– Thinking about the future sometimes helps us put laziness in a closet, lock the door, and save it for later!
Now, a fun break:
When we say “lazy,” everyone thinks of the animal by the same name, which moves very slowly and lives in South America. We all became well-acquainted with it in the cartoon “Zootopia.” This animal is fascinating but boring for those who don’t have the patience to wait for it to, say, raise its hand after half an hour… That’s right! Lazy people can be boring. I don’t want anyone to get bored and frustrated with me, how about you?
Now, if you’re very active, if you have a lot of work, a lot of plans, etc., it’s not a bad idea to take a day off. Take a day off work or treat yourself to flowers on the weekend. Go to the movies, a concert, or the theater. You can ask kids for lazy day ideas—they’re experts! Or you can go back to your childhood and act like a kid.
Make plans with a close friend, or spend the entire day in bed. Have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in bed, but make sure this doesn’t become a bad habit, especially for kids, and doesn’t spill over into other days, or you’ll become a full-fledged lazy person who doesn’t even have the energy to move into the shade.
Do you know this saying: “Lazybones, don’t go into the shade; the shade will come to you”?
On this day, even be lazy about using your phone and technology—just shut it off completely. Imagine you’ve gone back to the Stone Age and there’s no technology. I promise you’ll have an amazing lazy day.
For just this one day, it’s okay not to do the dishes or help Mom—on the condition that you encourage her to be lazy too so you can both enjoy the rest.
Now, there are some funny lazy people who have come up with a few rules:
– I’m not lazy; it’s just that the task isn’t worthy of me… Happy Lazy Day!
– If you drop something, don’t bother—just kick it under the bed.
– If you spill something on your blanket, just wipe it with a napkin; there’s plenty of time to wash it later.
– Drink less water so you don’t waste time in the bathroom.
– If you’re tired, you don’t even need to speak—just communicate with a blink.
– Don’t bother eating either; an IV drip works fine!
What rules do you have for an epic lazy day amidst your busy and productive days? Send your ideas to “Ruyesh”…
Book Recommendations:
– Enough of Laziness!
Author: Gary John Bishop
Translator: Zahra Aloushi
– Eat That Frog!
Author: Brian Tracy
Translator: Fariba Sabz Chamani
Publisher: Shadan Pejvak
– From Saturday
Author: Mohammad Payam Bahram Pour
– 23 Anti-Procrastination Hacks
Author: S.J. Scott
Translator: Amir Hossein Mirzaian
Publisher: Pendar Taban Publications
– The 5 AM Club
Author: Robin Sharma
Translator: Reza Eskandari Azar
Publisher: Noon Publications (Audio)
– No Excuses
Author: Brian Tracy
Translator: Seyed Morteza Nazari
Publisher: Nasl-e Nowandish Publications
– Winners Don’t Wait for Saturday!
Author: Mohammad Bahrami
Publisher: Bahar Sabz
– End of the Nightmare of Laziness
Author: Hadi Karami
Publisher: Raz Nehan Publications
– Oblomov (or Oblomovism, also a film adaptation)
Author: Ivan Goncharov
Translator: Soroush Habibi
Introduction: Ilya Ilyich Oblomov spends his childhood on his father’s estate in the countryside with his family and friend Andrei. In his youth, he works in government service in St. Petersburg. After years of service, Oblomov retires and spends every day lounging on his couch at home. His lounging isn’t due to fatigue or boredom, but it’s his habit. Whenever he’s at home, which is always, he’s either
