The Art of Lazying: An Ode to Strategic Inactivity

Laziness is not a state but an action

Hello, dear readers! Welcome to the maiden voyage of The Art of Lazying — a series that illuminates the intrinsic brilliance of strategic laziness. In these articles, I will unravel how a cultivated art of inactivity not only streamlines our lives but enriches them.

The Genesis: Grandpa’s Request

Let me take you back to when I was 8 or 9 years old. My grandfather handed me a simple task — moving things upstairs. The task seemed trivial but exhausting. I had a lightbulb moment: why not build a pulley 滑 system? And so, I did. Even as a child, I was attuned to the principles of action waste and shortcut principle.

Mastering The “Lazy of Lazy”

My whole life has been a quest to find methods that simplify my work. I learned programming batch shell, an exercise in ultimate efficiency, enabling me to perform bulk actions that would otherwise consume untold minutes, if not hours.

The desire to simplify transcends my professional endeavors. I took up meditation to master the art of what I like to call the “lazy of lazy” — a form of thinking lazily, allowing my mind to sift through the complexities of life and retain only what is essential.

The Clothesline Approach

There’s beauty in the mundane too. Let’s take the act of hanging clothes to dry. I always club the same actions together. First, I put all clothes on hangers, then hang them collectively on the rod. These little efficiencies add up over time, providing me with extra moments—moments that allow me to cherish every beat of life.

The Essence: Mindful Laziness

So, what is mindful laziness? It’s an intentional action akin to meditation or yoga, a lifestyle that allows us to cherish every moment. By applying a business-like strategy to the various facets of our lives, we can achieve a state of being similar to the peace found in spiritual practices.

A Life Journey in Strategic Laziness

Throughout my academic and professional journey—spanning from chemistry to programming to machine learning—I have always sought ways to apply knowledge to liberate both time and energy. This strategic approach to laziness helps streamline the learning process, eliminate unnecessary tasks, and fosters a life that is not only efficient but meaningful and enjoyable.

Future Episodes

This series will continue to explore the art of laziness, adopting novel approaches to optimizing our lives, from how to lazily learn, earn, research, and live a life, all without compromising on the richness of our experience.

Stay tuned for more episodes where we delve into the rich tapestry of living life the lazy way—strategically. Until then, cherish every moment, and as we say in the world of strategic laziness, less is always more.

Bye-bye!