Sometimes “Lazy” is Really Giving Yourself Grace
Do you ever suffer from a laziness hangover? I thought about the unfortunate condition this morning as I was walking through my office. I was feeling alert and ready to attack my day, and then I recalled the prior night’s activities … or perhaps I should say lack of activities.
I’ve never had a hangover from alcohol, but I think I’ve heard enough about them to get a general idea of what happens. The tiredness, the disconnectedness, the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, the regret (I understand there could be lots of vomiting, too…). Oh, the regret! Why did I make those choices? Why didn’t I do something? Anything!
I came home from work the evening before, feeling tired but not really exhausted. I fed the dog, watched the news, and made myself pancakes for dinner (yes, pancakes. In my defense, I was home alone and, hey, at least I cooked!). Following dinner, I had every great intention to spend some time working on a writing project. I also needed to unload and re-load the dishwasher and make a grocery list. In hindsight, I think my choice was actually quite simple and innocent. I simply sat down in my lounger, my oh-so-comfy chaise lounger. I began watching television. Then, each of my family members called, first my oldest daughter, then my husband who was out of town, and then my youngest daughter. About an hour’s worth of chitchat blew by. And still, I sat. Finally, 10:00p.m. rolled around, and I decided I should get ready for bed.
Oh, the regret! Why did I make those choices?
That brings me back to the following morning, walking down the corridor at the office with a false sense of feel-good. Then I remembered the night before, and I regretted it. I wished I had done something productive. I began to feel lazy, unproductive, and dissatisfied with myself. The term “laziness hangover” came to mind, and I thought it would make for a good article for The Grit & Grace Project … grace. The word echoed in my mind over and over. Why am I my own worst enemy? Why am I so hesitant to show myself any grace?
I needed to cut myself some slack. Yes, I had one night of doing nothing. Was that such a bad thing? I did go to work for the day and had been up since about 5:30a.m. Excuses? Maybe. But I decided that I didn’t need to disparage myself over an evening of sitting and resting in my chair.
Why am I so hesitant to show myself any grace?
Maybe you need to give yourself a break every now and again. Perhaps taking extra time to chill is a good thing. You’ve been burning the candle at both ends for so long that you’ve begun to think it’s normal. But, you make a choice to take time for yourself to just do nothing. And you know what? There’s absolutely no reason for regret. You work hard; you need to take time to rest.
Go sit down. Do nothing for a few hours. Then choose to go through the next day without any regret. Don’t allow a laziness hangover to steal the joy of your well earned and much needed time off!
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For more articles on giving yourself grace and finding balance, read How to Lose the Scale and Walk Lighter, 7 Tips for Life in Chewable Bites, Can I Be a Hippie in Heels? Balancing a Healthy Lifestyle, and Are You Grumpy or Just Neglecting Yourself?
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