How to Be Lazy and Also Productive

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? CLICK HERE to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Laziness and productivity seem like two ends of a spectrum. But they’re not actually opposites! You can be productive and lazy at the same time. In fact, laziness and productivity can go hand-in-hand if you play your cards right. It’s all about conserving your energy for the things that actually matter. Here’s how:

1) Outsource wherever you can.

Outsourcing small tasks is a great way to save yourself time and energy. For example, say you’re feeling lazy about doing the laundry. Instead of letting dirty clothes pile up, it might be a good idea to try a laundry service like Rinse — it’s convenient and you get your laundry back clean and folded. It’s a little luxury that can give you a couple hours back every week! 

Another outsourcing hack I love is ordering groceries — you can use apps like Instacart to order ahead and pick it up, or a service like Fresh Direct which will deliver all your goodies right to your door. I also love hiring a TaskRabbit to get little things done. You can also try Fancy Hands, which offers virtual assistant services. These little things might feel like you’re just being lazy — but they really help you conserve your energy and save it for the things you want to do. 

2) Get comfortable saying “no.”

Having no plans is such a good feeling sometimes. But it’s all too easy to undermine yourself and say “yes” to too many things. We all do this sometimes — for many good reasons! We say “yes” because we want to help people out, avoid FOMO, nurture relationships, avoid conflict, or further our careers. But saying “yes” all the time can leave you feeling exhausted and depleted. Save those “yeses” for the things you’re really excited about, and get comfortable saying “no” for everything else.  

That’s sometimes hard to do in practice, of course. Here’s what I do: 

• Be plain — Tell the person you can’t and politely decline right away.  That way you don’t hold up anyone else’s plans.
• Be honest — Explain that you have other commitments and just can’t make it.
• Suggest an alternative — Give them a suggestion for another person who could take your place.
• Ask for a raincheck — Sometimes we really do want to do something but just don’t have the time right now. Make a plan for the future so you still show good faith.

Sometimes it can really help to have criteria for when you want to say “yes” versus “no.” Here’s the decision tree I use to guide my choices:

1. Do I want to do this — truly?
2. What do I gain out of doing this task/attending this function?
3. What has this person done for me lately?
4. What else will I do with my time if I don’t do this thing?

Saying “no” can feel awkward and definitely takes practice. Once you overcome your fear of saying no, you’ll realize how easy it is! Try not to substitute ways to be agreeable, go ahead and say no to requests that don’t work for you or meet your needs. Saying “no” is one of my favorite lazy hacks because it frees up so much time for you to get more done in the areas of your life that you want to prioritize.

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3) Help “future you” with lazy hacks that pay off.

I have a bunch of strategies I love that fall into the category of helping “future you.” This is all about doing things ahead of time that let you be lazy when you need to be. I shared about these tips on PIX11 News — you can check out my full segment here. Here are some of my favorite ways to help your future self save energy.

At home, try some of these hacks:

• Sign up for delivery/subscription services for products you use repeatedly in your household. This will vary depending on your needs — it could be dog food, supplements, wines, fresh flowers, or whatever you find yourself wishing could be magically restocked. 
• Make a “second batch” when you’re cooking meals that freeze well, like chili or meatloaf. That way you’ll have something ready to go on busy nights!
• Make a cooking schedule for the week ahead with linked recipes so you don’t need to stress over what to cook.

For vacations, try these ideas:

• When you return from vacation, refill your toiletries and makeup immediately so you’re ready for your next trip. 
• Schedule food delivery for the day you get back. That way, you don’t need to run right out to grab groceries.
• Schedule a cleaning service or clean the house right before you leave so you’ll come back to a clean home. 

Being lazy isn’t about shirking responsibilities. It’s about making time and space for the things that bring you energy.

How do you use lazy hacks to be more productive?

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? CLICK HERE to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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