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Distinguishing between being lazy and being smart

8/8/2017

23 Comments

 
Are you smart, or downright lazy? This is a question I often ask myself when I refuse to accept new time-consuming challenges – something I do more often as I grow older.
Picture
https://pixabay.com/en/cat-sleep-russet-lazy-2445486/
https://pixabay.com/en/cat-redhead-red-headed-cat-pet-2361787/
I mean, I was extremely diligent throughout my life, always willing to juggle more balls in the air, or, as we say in Afrikaans, ‘adding irons in the fire.’ I could work circles around others. Although sometimes accused of neglecting my most important priorities, I knew I had them all under my thumb. 

Nowadays, after my morning work as bookkeeper and finance officer, I come home with the intention of doing as little as possible. During my afternoons I enjoy the company of my best friend, nice naps, and the constant coming and going of my grandchildren as they rehearse their music lessons in my lounge. I have reduced my evening work (writing projects) from heavy-duty to light-duty, and added the time saved to reading, which I can do while lying on my bed.
 
For those who don’t know, severe pain in my buttocks and hamstrings due to osteoarthritis of the hips and greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), compels me to limit the time I spend sitting on a chair, and to alternate sitting as well as lying with brisk walks on my treadmill. The pain is worse while I am sitting - as if I am sitting with a severely bruised bum and legs on unequal stones. Absolutely 
unbearable! 

The new challenge 

When the most recent challenge presented itself – to do some graphic designing for a printing business - I again found myself in the position where a choice between money and leisure had to be taken.   

I contemplated the energy, time, and efforts I put into challenges. For example: My evening job as a writer of web content. In spite of the fact that I have scaled down, it is still hard and time-consuming work. Writing content worthy of reading, publishing them, replying to the comments I receive, reading the work of my followers, and leaving them the comments they deserve, and even replying to emails from strangers in need of more information and/or 
encouragement...

All of this is hard-hard work!

And that flat on my hurting bum and hamstrings! 


Graphic designing, too, requires a chair and a person sitting on it.

Am I lazy, or smart? I  ask myself once again while considering this new profitable challenge.


Being lazy

My dictionary defines laziness as:

1.      Being disinclined to work or exertion;
2.      Inactivity resulting from a dislike of work;
3.      Relaxed and easy activity;
4.      Apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue.

Being smart 

Being smart is defined as ‘demonstrating intelligence, wisdom, cleverness or ingeniousness.'

Please, tell me....  

Until next week, 
​Martie

ShoutOuts

By Angelia: Indie-biz-i-wish-you-had-a-tip-jar

By Rolly: he Unknown Cause and Effect


By Vicki: Simple-stuff-and-a-birthday-giftback

By Maria: Laughing-with-my-mirror

By William: Understanding-the-human-condition/

By Rasma: In-the-moonlight/
23 Comments
Mr B
8/8/2017 07:45:47 pm

Great article. You are one of the smartest people I know

Reply
Martie link
8/8/2017 10:50:37 pm

Dear Mr. B, you, too, are one of the smartest people I know ♥♥♥ Like attracts like...

Reply
William Holland link
8/8/2017 08:43:03 pm

Neither lazy nor smart, if we are describing me. I've spent over fifty years working hard. I finally came to the realization that I don't want to work hard again. I do what I want for as long as I want and then I shut down. I've earned that and you have too.

Reply
Martie link
8/8/2017 10:55:55 pm

William, you are definitely not lazy, but very smart - as clear as daylight for all to see.

Reply
Rolly A. Chabot link
8/9/2017 02:14:49 am

Hi Martie...
My vote goes for smart my friend. That is when you weigh the options you have. at hand and make your decision based from experience.
I used to be a great one at playing the game, taking the risks and living with the pain just to say I have accomplished it.
Years ago all you had to say was climb that mountain and I was all over it. Now when someone says climb that mountain I say lead the way... Listen to what your heart is telling you... wisdom is the greatest asset we have.

Hugs for the pain...

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 04:27:14 pm

Hi Rolly,

We seem to be birds of the same feathers. I can write a long post about my previous excessive fervor to prove my abilities to myself and others. In my case it had a lot to do with seeking the recognition I have missed during my childhood and even adulthood. But I have outgrown all of that, and believe me not without some painful wide-awakenings. One too many of those wide-awakenings finally triggered my reluctance to burden myself with unnecessary responsibilities. However, a nasty urge inside me still prompts me to contemplate my decisions, eager to accuse me of being wrong or negative.

Thanks a lot for the hugs!

Reply
Michael link
8/9/2017 05:29:05 pm

Nobody could accuse you of being lazy. We all know how hard it is to work especially when in pain.
I came to the same conclusion as you. Do what makes the most sense as long as you can afford to make those choices.
Time is the one commodity that we have very little of so I spend mine doing what makes sense to me.
I think you are smart not to invest time and effort into unproductive projects.

Angelia Phillips link
8/9/2017 05:25:09 am

Martie,

You're for sure smart and for sure industrious. 😀

Time management is sometimes a bummer but we gotta do what we gotta do when it comes to working with health challenges. 💖

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 04:35:17 pm

Hi Angelia, you have just taught me a new way to use the word industrious. Thank you! I empathize with you and all my friends who have pain as a frequent or permanent partner ♥

Reply
Vicki
8/9/2017 05:36:13 am

Dear Martie,

Pondering your question, I realise it's difficult to answer. "Lazy" has negative connotations. "Smart" is generally considered to be positive. So let's assume you are in the positive category, which is how I see you. There are lots of "working smart" books, and they all emphasize the need to avoid stress by creating a mixture of doing things you like, and finding ways to NOT do things that over tax you, physically and mentally. It's great when you achieve this situation in your life, and to be working on it is sometimes a lifelong project. Usually that begins when you reach a stage of maturity. So at this point, the word ."lazy" simply wouldn't belong!

Congratulations, friend. You're definitely working "smart."
.

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 04:40:42 pm

Dear Vicki, making choices is surely a lifelong project. "No" was something I could never say until about ten years ago. Saying no to a challenge was as good as admitting I was a failure. I am so glad I have finally reached the stage of maturity. Hugs from SA.

Reply
Maria link
8/9/2017 03:25:41 pm

Dear Martie,

Mr. B said it best and I agree with every other insightful comment made as well.

On a funny jag - "You say LAZY like it's a bad thang... ;) Yet, Vicki makes an excellent point - the word carries such a negative aura. For me, it is a rare gift when I allow the luxury of feeling and being lazy.

You are wise to put such thought into your work - life balance. Pain is a reality and you do a herculean job of managing yours while living your beautiful life. I'm also voting 'smart' for your recent decision.

Your heart will never steer you wrong. If all else fails, you KNOW I'll give you my two cents ... Love you and hugs, mar

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 04:48:52 pm

Dearest Maria, I know a wealthy woman who never hesitates to introduce herself as the laziest person on earth. If I didn't know better, I would have thought laziness is a rich (wo)man's privilege. Lots of hugs to you.

Reply
Mike
8/9/2017 03:42:58 pm

Hi Martie - Know one that knows you would ever think you are lazy. Even your vacations turn out to be five or six page photo journals that you share. We have all worked hard, and now it is time to take it easy a little. I vote smart.

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 04:58:35 pm

Thank you, Mike, for the vote and for making me laugh. Yes, I am hyperactive. When I am awake, I have to be busy doing something productively. Can't even watch a movie - or enjoy a holiday - with folded hands. I wonder if Nuelle knows a nice place for people like me?

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 07:15:09 pm

Hi Michael! Good to see you in my corner!

I envy my friends who seem to be more productive than I. Wish they could share their secret schedules with me. I mean, a day has only 24 hours. How can someone do more than I in 24 hours? Or perhaps I envy them because their activities seem to be more enjoyable and profitable than mine?

Time management could be tricky!

Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and for giving me a 'smart' star :)

Take care, dear Michael!

Reply
Alexandra Lucas link
8/9/2017 07:25:30 pm

As I get older, work smart not hard takes on new meaning. Naps are good and so is getting lost in a fabulous book! You have earned it.

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 07:58:22 pm

Hi Alexandra!

I must remind myself that daily naps are allowable and also highly recommended at my age - a luxury I could for most of my life only enjoyed on a Sunday afternoon. We have indeed earned it!

Reply
Martie link
8/9/2017 08:01:28 pm

I am adding this comment I have received in Facebook -

Deryck Coetzer: What about a smart lazy person? Does it have to be either or? I don't know what your GTPS entails, but I do understand working around physical adversity. Sometimes self-preservation is too important. Live to fight another day so to speak. I love my photography, but sometimes my bad eyes forces me to put the camera and computer down to fight another day. It may look lazy, but I think it is smart. In fact I think to be really smart, you have to be lazy sometimes.

Martie Coetser Pozyn: Hi Deryck, I love thinking about it as 'live to fight another day', because, really, this is exactly what I do. Call it a day in order to be able to cope the next day. GTPS was previously called 'Bursitis' - one of the consequences of the osteoarthritis in the hips. It really sucks! But I think most people especially 50+ have one or another 'thorn in their flesh' that compels them to scale down :)


Reply
Rasma Raisters link
8/10/2017 07:10:13 am

What comes to mind with all you do is really smart and also very clever. If you can do all you do and manage your pain you are way ahead of a great many people who when faced with such challenges tend to just give up. I wish the very best for you and always look forward to hearing from you. Love and hugs from my side of the world.

Reply
Martie link
8/11/2017 12:08:56 am

Thank you so much, dear Rasma, for your comforting and encouraging comment. Tons of hugs to you!

Reply
paula link
8/11/2017 12:33:51 am

Good grief Martie! The very last word I would ever use to describe an Energizer Bunny like you, is...Lazy! You are so smart that you wrote this article at a most timely moment for me! How did you know that I too have been juggling the activities in my life, what I want to do, what I'm capable of, what I should do....oh, blah blah, blah! To the devil with all the stress! Just as everyone here has commented...we should do what WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO DO!
We deserve to, we've earned the right, it makes perfect sense, it feels good....and by the way lovey, just WHO is going to stop us??!
You are one SMART cookie! Love ya, Paula

Reply
Martie link
8/11/2017 09:23:40 pm

Dear Paula,

Seeing that we are no longer oblidged to take care of any dependants, besides ourselves, we have all the right in the world to do what we want to do instead of what we have to do. Making money is no longer something we have to do. Being kind to ourselves is now our first priority. Enjoy whatever you want to do, dear fellow-Aries 🌼🌼

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