Laziness is aversion to work or exertion. Indolent individuals can be effective in no field of human life. A lazy child can make no progress in studies. Fortunately, by and large, children are seldom lazy. Indolence is a vice which adults acquire. It may start as love of ease, the tendency to take things easy and avoid strenuous effort of any kind. Lazy people shun both physical and mental labour. After completing studies and joining a job with security, people may fall into easy ways. Hardwork may seem unnecessary since they may be under no great compulsion to perform anddeliverresults.
Falling into lazy ways is a great mistake. To be productive in any area, people have to be energetic and active. Physicaland mental effort is the very basis of life. There is a common belief that one’s education ends with getting a degree. In any subject area, one has to continue one’s learning. It will increase one’s depth of knowledge; and one will keep abreast of further advances in the subject. Such interested pursuit can be a great source satisfaction. By giving up such effort, one gets into a stagnant situation. It will reduce one’s ability to assimilate and analyse information. One will gradually lose mental sharpness and the ability to study any subject in depth. These are qualities which are essential in any profession all through one’s career.
Economists and sociologists assert that economic progress of any nation depends on energetic and industrious workers. In a famous book, the German sociologist Max Weber traced the origins of capitalism to protestant work ethic. Protestants are a section of Christians. Protestant moral codes strongly emphasised that people should devote themselves wholeheartedly to work and that they should be punctual, frugal, and honest andthat they shouldkeeptheirpromises.Max Weber argued that thiswork ethic createdtheattitudinal andinstitutional framework necessary fortheemergence of capitalism.
To pursue any enterprise big or small, we need an energetic will. No one who is lazy can summon the mental energy and strength of will to undertake any tasks. Even small jobs will looklike heavy burdens. Taking up and executing tasks is a habit. The more tasks one does, the more willing and ready he would be able to do things. If one shies away from one’s functions and duties, one loses confidence and élan. One becomes hesitant and diffident. One is left with neither energy nor confidence for undertaking any jobs. Many people think that it is smart to duck work, and let others carry the burden. Such people get marginalized in the organization. They get stamped as idlers and non performers. It undermines their morale since they may be seen as parasites on the system. It is in one’s own material and moral interest to lead an active and energetic life and resist temptations of shirking.Further, simplypassingtime without mental andphysical exertion is unhealthy. It creates mental problems and leads one astray. As the saying goes, a lazy mind is a devil’s workshop.