How to practice radical laziness
Doing nothing in order to be your most productive self
Okay so I know we're all on our productivity flex this month and getting into our new habits so this title might sound a little odd but hear me out. Pursuing a lifestyle of continuous self-improvement requires a lot. Morning routines, night time routines, journaling, working out, self care, 'healthy' food, meditation, being present - the list goes on. One thing I've noticed within the community and particularly within my own life, is that I need to 'reset' constantly. I don't know why but something about having to essentially re-calibrate my life every single week makes me feel like maybe I'm not doing this right? Now there's a good chance it's just the inner perfectionist in me feeling like if my week didn't go perfectly, I need to start over, but I can't be the only one who feels like they're in a constant cycle of burnout-reset-work-repeat.
Typically my reset days consist of writing, laundry, meal prepping and catching up on tasks I've neglected during the week but the more I think about it, the more I realise that my reset days actually aren't 'resets' at all - they're just more work! In a society where laziness is seen as unattractive and undesirable, it's no surprise that many of us have found ways to turn self-care into another excuse to be productive. So what can we do about it? It's time to embrace radical laziness! Today I'm sharing some things you can do on your reset days to actually switch off and feel well rested for the week ahead.
1. Wake up later
I know we're all super attached to our routines and this idea of waking up early to make the most of the day but on a reset day, it's okay to let go of the reins a little. You are not a lazy slob if you skip your morning routine, roll out of bed late, eat cereal for lunch and binge watch Netflix shows until evening. While we obviously don't want to make these things a daily habit, they can be extremely comforting and therapeutic after a week of hard work and productive living. The more we restrict ourselves from doing 'unproductive' things, the more we'll begin to resent the work we have to get done during the week. It's so important to give ourselves grace and space to be imperfect and sometimes it takes letting go of that strict schedule to break us out of a funk.
2. Minimal movement
While we're talking about the importance of lazy days, I do still believe that some form of daily movement is important. Although I don't recommend hitting the gym for a high intensity spin class on your reset day, a 5-10 minute yoga routine can actually be really beneficial in helping you to rest and relax. Similarly, instead of lifting weights or running to hit a certain workout target, you could spend 30 minutes dancing to your favourite playlist or taking a 'hot girl walk' around your neighbourhood with a friend!
3. Do an activity that is purely for fun
I cannot stress enough how important it is to make time for fun in your life. We all know variations of that quote that says if you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life. And I'm sure we all know by now that this couldn't be further from the truth. Although we might enjoy working on our side hustles and life goals, it's not the same as having fun for the sake of fun. What I'm referring to are those activities that have absolutely no output other than satisfaction and enjoyment. For me it's playing The Sims or watching reality TV; two things that I typically wouldn't do during the week but provide the perfect escapism on those rest days. Perhaps for you it's a creative outlet like painting or perhaps you're an avid collector of limited edition board games. Whatever your unique interests are, find a hobby where the only measure of success is how much it made you smile.
