Why Lazy People are More Likely to Succeed in Life

We all know that hard work is one of the most important ingredients for success – so why do so many lazy people seem to float effortlessly to the top? It’s not just dumb luck. Laziness, although far from being a virtue, can actually have some unexpected benefits when it comes to efficiency, creativity, and innovation. Here are five ways that being lazy can help you to get ahead:
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Sloth Forces Creativity

This picture went viral because of its sheer brilliance and simplicity. It shows a dad sitting in a lawn chair and enjoying a beer while pulling his daughter on a swing with a long string tied to his finger. Is the dad who thought of this clever parenting hack a genius? I don’t know – but I do know that he is definitely a lazy guy. Had he not been so determined to put his feet up and sip a cool beverage, he would never have had the epiphany that led him to this solid parenting decision. I’m inclined to think this penchant for creative problem-solving serves him just as well in the office as it does in his backyard.
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Lazy People Know When to Rest

Most of us are overworked and burnt out. Lazy people, however, deal with this to a lesser degree. They are more likely to take breaks at work, which not only boosts their morale and health, but can make them a better employee in the long run. They come back refreshed, recharged, and ready to look for more shortcuts. This is a habit we could all benefit from.

Sloths Use Technology

The lazier a person is, the more adept they likely are at using technology. Would a lazy person spend all day sorting, organizing, and analyzing a set of data, or would they spend a half-hour creating a macro that will do it for them? Technology can help us to get repetitive, tedious tasks done much faster, and it can minimize errors without us having to go back and check our work. Nobody knows this better than a lazy person!

Lazy People have an Eye for Efficiency

Efficiency is all about getting great results while expending as little effort as possible – and who knows more about avoiding effort than a lazy person? Arvind Krishnan quotes billionaire Bill Gates as saying “’I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because he will find an easy way to do it’.” The lazier the individual, the more practiced he likely is at finding shortcuts and identifying steps that can be skipped over. This is not always a bad thing. In fact, it translates into a natural advantage when it comes to process improvement.

Lazy People Network Well

The less time you spend at your desk, the more time you have to socialize. The irony of this is that networking is one of the most valuable things a person in business can do with their time. You can use networking time to promote your own projects, learn about what others are working on, discuss current events in your field, or simply build relationships. Who is more likely to get the promotion: the person who was stuck at their desk re-checking their work, or the one who brought in a new client, or made time for a round of golf with the boss? It isn’t fair, but it’s real.
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When you sit at your desk, are you more likely to be working hard, or hardly working? It turns out that both approaches to the daily grind have their benefits. Although you don’t want to throw a good work ethic completely out the window, it may be worth looking at your workday with lazy eyes once in awhile. Find ways to simplify your workload, and take some time for yourself. It just might be the change you need to get ahead!

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