The lost art of laziness: Here's why it's good for you

 Most people see laziness as a negative trait, especially capitalist societies in which one is taught that the person who works the hardest will get the furthest—whether that's true or not.

STARS INSIDER

 We describe those who sit around and watch TV as “couch potatoes,” or people who put off their work as “slackers." These pejorative terms all signify the lack of perceived productivity AKA laziness, which is judged as a bad thing.

However, being lazy can have its advantages—many of which are backed by scientific research. Laziness can even mean greater productivity in the long run. 

Laziness is necessary for creativity, especially because in a world where everyone did things the same way no one would have new ideas to further our societies.

Not all procrastination has consequences! Passive procrastination is the traditionally 'bad' kind where people are paralyzed by their indecision to act and become overwhelmed and don't complete tasks on time. But active procrastination is much different.

According to Ness Labs, a high-leverage activity is an energy multiplier that requires minimum input and results in an outsized output. The opposite are things like long meetings, unnecessary paperwork, and other things that require more energy for less output.

This principle of tactical laziness also provides the ideological foundation for the four-day workweek, which involves more time to be lazy on the weekends but has also proven to increase productivity in those remaining work days.

It might sound backward since most people get stressed thinking about being unproductive, but research suggests that spending time away from work, in an unproductive manner, can help us cope with stress.

Burnout, a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, has become a global health crisis, characterized by feelings of depletion, detachment, cynicism, and a reduction of efficacy. The syndrome can threaten your job, your relationships, and your health.

The places our mind wanders to include the future (48% of the time), the present (28%), and the past (12% of the time), reports Time magazine. If we're always focused on the productive task at hand, we don't get to set long-term goals. Letting your mind wander is therefore a way to have a more productive future.