Does Unemployment Make You Lazy?

Seems like a stupid question but worth pondering. It's hard to imagine a diligent person made lazy by a period of unemployment, but happy people are made depressed by it, right?

Does having the luxury of taking a nap make you lazy? In my case, I would say no. Much as I love naps, I hardly ever take them, and I usually only take them when I have a ton of work to do and stay up late doing it.

Then again, there are times (like right now) when I should be doing something productive but find it all too easy to blog instead. Well, it's not even 9:00 in the morning as I write this so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad.

For someone who was already lazy, I would imagine that unemployment can be a real curse. Taking away a lazy person's job would be like giving an addict an endless supply of drugs.

I don't know, though. Maybe I've become lazier than I used to be when I had to get up early every morning, press my shirt and trousers, and hop on the train into the city. It doesn't seem that way, but maybe I can't see myself clearly, like that proverbial frog in a glass of water slowly being brought to a boil.

It's coming up on 9:00 and I have to go do something productive or I'll start to feel like a lazy lout. For the 14 of you reading: Has unemployment made you or someone you know lazy?

Surprise me with a comment.

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freckles in CT's picture

Not sure...

I get a lot less done now - but I think it has a lot to do with being depressed. I worked at least 50 hours a week at my job - and then after work - took care of my Mom who was in a nursing home - visited her 6 out of 7 days a week. There were days I would think to myself "how much can one little person do?" Then my Mom died in December and I got laid off in January. I don't have the drive for life - probably because I am sad - so I think there are a lot of people out there who are not really lazy but still adjusting - it's tough.

Lazier? Maybe? Been

Lazier? Maybe? Been unemployed about a year. I certainly sleep more, getting up at 8 or 9 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. to go to work.
I did a little more house cleaning and cooking than I used to do, but not that much more. I did more home organization projects, such as filing and scanning more documents to reduce the amount of paper. I also reorganized closets and shelves and donated a lot of items to the Salvation Army. I also did more things I preferred to do, go to the library, (bought a bike) take a bike ride, walk and take photos, visit museums and spend more afternoons in coffee shops. I read a lot more books. I did a lot of business / non fiction reading. Went to lunch more often with friends and old co-workers. Attended alumni events and networking events.
But yes, I have/had many days of inactivity. Depressed, feeling useless and worried about my future. But that's not lazy, that's depressed.
When I get another job I'm going to pay a lot more attention to work/life balance. One thing I have learned being unemployed, I don't have to give my "all" to someone else. I will take my lunch breaks and my vacations. I will work at a reasonable pace and foster more productive relationships with co-workers. I don't have to outwork and outperform everyone else. The work I do and the pace in which I do it, is just fine.

unemployed and lazy

I just can't imagine that unemployment would make anyone lazy. This is one of the worst economic periods in history so people will have to be on unemployment longer not because they like it.

chuck's picture

I agree

Lazy people will be lazy whether they are employed or not; likewise diligent people.

Unemployment doesn't change your core.

When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.

stay busy

Well, I've found it very difficult to find enough time to do all I have to do, all I want to do, and all I would like to do.

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