The Discipline of Laziness

There are way too many lazy people that I encounter. Yes, first blog this year and the opening sentence is a bold one. I was brought up in a household that defined work ethic and also taught it. Me lazy? Only on the weeks allotted for laziness in my yearly calendar, I believe the name for that is VACATION. This past week, yes I admit, I was a little lazy. I took in a few movies, stopped working out, ate a lot of junk food, and disengaged from the normal routine of people contacts, e-mails, and phone calls. As my son put it this week, after I told him playing video games for 4 hours a day isn't healthy, "Dad, I'm on vacation." Even he understands the need for a break, on occasion, but not everyday! The opening statement is because I have observed a lot of people who get lazy on the job. Yes, calling out people with jobs, not the one's without them(at least in this particular blog). People without jobs who are lazy...well, different day, different blog.
I have seen a routine start to form among those with many different titles, that people get either comfortable, in "their groove", or even to a place without accountability, and the result is to slack off. I was in a conversation the other day, about the visualization of those who fall into the category of lazy. It centered around the practices in our life that have gotten sloppy: the way people dress, keep or rather don't keep their home, the hours they spend unproductive in front of a television or computer, personal practices, and even those who have 'koosh jobs' yet are rather not really moving in any one direction. Of course, some other factors may play into why people may seem a little lazy; but I'm not about to bail some people out on excuses. So, here are my 10 thoughts on how to overcome the discipline of what has become laziness in the lives of so many people:
1. Find balance in your life. Family, Work, Health, Friends, Finances, Faith, etc...
2. Put together a LifePlan-that pushes you toward inspiration.
3. Set goals for yourself.
4. Get out of the regular weekly routine-even if that means taking a different route to work.
5. Make new friends.
6. Keep fresh projects in front of you, with realistic time lines.
7. Find a new hobby or learn a new skill.
8. Celebrate victories in your life-by yourself and more importantly with others.
9. Find a place(cause, ministry, organization) to serve at regularly.
10. Put into play the practice of systematic renewal in the 4 Health Zones: Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, and Relational.

To break the discipline of LAZINESS, you have to do something. So start now! Make a list of the things you can do this day, this week, this month, this year, that will keep you from falling into the trap of the discipline we have become so accustomed too, called-Laziness.