5 Ways to Enjoy a Lazy Day Without Feeling Guilty
Have you ever woken up on a rainy day, turned off your alarm, and just said, “Nope!” Sometimes, nothing is better than rolling from the bed to the couch and spending the day eating cereal and watching Netflix.
And you know what? That’s ok.
Living lazy days to the fullest is actually beneficial to your mental and physical health [1]. We even celebrate laziness every year on National Lazy Day! However, we live such fast-paced lives that it can be difficult to enjoy a day off without feeling anxious about work or guilty for being inactive. These feelings can make your lazy days less enjoyable and can even affect your productivity on workdays.
So, to celebrate the beauty of binging series, wearing PJs all day long, and being blissfully unproductive, here are a few ways to get the most out of your lazy days without feeling guilty.
1. Give Yourself Permission
Your lazy days will not benefit you if you have a constant nagging voice in your head that says you should be doing something else. This can increase stress and even make you feel depressed.
When you decide to have a lazy day, you need to go big or go home. Give yourself permission to be supremely lazy. That means putting ZERO pressure on yourself to do any activities that might be physically or mentally taxing, such as doing a project for work or lifting weights.
To give yourself permission to be lazy, simply make a decision not to do anything for a day or a half-day. If you clear your schedule, then you can’t feel guilty for not doing anything.
2. Plan Your Lazy Days
One of the easiest ways to remove any guilt from your lazy days is to plan them in advance. For instance, you might decide to have a lazy day every other Sunday. So, you wouldn’t schedule anything on those days besides watching TV, scrolling social media, or whatever other lazy activities you might enjoy.
You can also optimize your lazy days by prepping in advance. Maybe you download a new video game a few days before so you don’t have to wait to play on your lazy day. Or, you email your friends who like to call often and tell them you’ll be unavailable.
Make sure to take care of any chores in advance too. Telling yourself that you shouldn’t do anything isn’t as easy when you have dirty dishes and a full garbage bin staring you in the face.
3. Make Nutritious Choices
Remember this: LAZY DAYS ARE NOT CHEAT DAYS.
Giving yourself permission to be lazy isn’t the same as a free pass to eat whatever you want. Inhaling fast food and ice cream on the couch will definitely make you feel guilty. Plus, eating unhealthy food while being lazy can make you feel bloated and gross. Instead, enjoy your lazy day while following your nutrition plan. Or, choose one unhealthy snack to enjoy, such as a small bag of chips.
If you don’t want to cook or eat fresh food, that’s ok too. You can still get your nutrition by taking nutritional supplements. Liposomal-based nutrients make it especially easy. They come in a liquid form, so you can add them to a healthy smoothie or a beverage of your choice and sip your vitamins while binging Real Housewives.
The ideal lazy-day supplement is Liposomal Curcumin. It doubles down on the benefits of relaxation by supporting brain function, strength, and glowing skin as you laze the day away. It also detoxifies the liver, in case your lazy day is also a hangover day!
4. Learn Something New
There’s nothing wrong with watching the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy for the 14th time on your lazy day. But if you sometimes feel guilty after doing nothing, try stimulating your brain by learning something new. Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting doing any actual work. Here are a few suggestions:
- Watch a documentary
- Start a new book or read a short story
- Catch up on the latest show that everyone’s talking about
- Start learning a new tune on an instrument (if you play one)
- Try a new recipe
All of these things will give you a sense of accomplishment while still letting you be very lazy.
5. Accept that Laziness is Good for You
In the end, the key to the coziest guilt-free lazy days is to accept that being lazy is good for you. It’s NORMAL. It’s HEALTHY. And EVERYONE needs to be lazy sometimes.
Not only that, but laziness is a big part of the road to success. Constantly hustling without time to rest and recharge leads to burnout. It will also reduce the quality of your work and your efficiency. And we’re not just saying that. Studies have shown that laziness is good for you time and time again. Research has found that laziness helps us manage stress and boosts productivity, among other benefits [2, 3].
So, next time you feel like saying “Nope!” to being a productive member of society for a day, you can feel good about being more productive on your non-lazy days. Go ahead and burrow into the sofa with some healthy snacks and your phone. A little laziness goes a long way, and that’s nothing to feel guilty about!
1. https://time.com/5379422/why-being-lazy-is-actually-good-for-you/
2. https://www.ehps.net/ehp/index.php/contents
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233768331_Letting_go_of_the_present_Mind-wandering_is_associated_with_reduced_delay_discounting
