The importance of being lazy...

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I could have sworn I saw this book discussed here, but a search comes up empty. It is Al Gini's "The Importance of Being Lazy." It was recommended by an also-recently-retired friend. See what you think.

Of note is a chapter on retirement as the ultimate vacation, and a serious questioning about American culture's disdain for leisure. This book helps look at things in a different light, one which should play well in our forum.

 

[RonBoyd]

And for those of us who need to feel an actual book in our hands:

The Importance of Being Lazy: In Praise of Play, Leisure, And Vacations

 

[Meadbh]

Sounds like essential reading........whenever I get around to it.
Right now I'm too lazy......

 

[CuppaJoe]

Thanks, Rich, it's Sunday, I bookmarked for a less lazy day.

 

[Moemg]

Thanks Rich , I read the retirement chapter . It made some good points ! I do think that people have to have interests in retirement but I do not think you have to do heavy planning for retirement interests . How many board members have long lists of what they were going to do in retirement and have not done any . I think retirement just evolves and you add more interests as the need arrives .

 

[bbbamI]

Interesting read Rich....thanks.

You know, I used to be a microwave...now I'm a slow cooker.

Things get done, it just takes more time now...but I reckon that's ok.

 

[Stevewc]

I practised being lazy for several years before I retired.
DW thinks I've just about got it down to a science now.
Love N Every Minute of it,
Steve

 

[NW-Bound]

... a serious questioning about American culture's disdain for leisure...

Are we that hard working? Well, I mean Americans in general and not these forum posters.

I worked with some Israelis in the past. In an off-work conversation, they commented that we Americans were able to spend so much time and money for leisure, such as vacationing, travel, and vehicular toys of all different types. They said that they themselves worked long hours, and put in a lot of unpaid overtime, compared to us Americans.

I sensed quite a bit of envy there. It is true that their small country does not offer the "easy life" that we have here. So, I don't know about the Europeans, but there are people who think Americans are slackers.

 

[FUEGO]

Thanks Rich. I think this book was discussed here as well. I even hounded one forum member via PM who I thought had posted about this book.

 

[eridanus]

I worked with some Israelis in the past. In an off-work conversation, they commented that we Americans were able to spend so much time and money for leisure, such as vacationing, travel, and vehicular toys of all different types. They said that they themselves worked long hours, and put in a lot of unpaid overtime, compared to us Americans.

An Israeli employee with <4 years company tenure gets more vacation by law than the average American gets (14 days v. 13). Who knows about overtime -- self reported overtime hours are always exaggerated. It's interesting to note, however, that strictly speaking the Israeli law is based on a 6 day work week (though it's not applied that way).

Vacation Days: Is Your Israeli Boss Giving All of Them? | JobMob


Of course, we know Europeans get much more time off than Americans.

 

[NW-Bound]

Holy cow! 28 days of vacation with 15yrs of service. These guys were BS'ing me!

 

[flyfishnevada]

I heard a report a few years back that professional athletes die younger, on average, than regular folks. Scientists were surprised that the fittest among us died so early. Professional Football players averaged something like late 50's. One theory is that they wore themselves out with years of working out and training. It suggested that, like a video game, we only have so much life or energy in us and if you use it up too fast you die young. Sounds like remaining fit with the minimum amount of effort (in other words being lazy) may be the ticket to long life.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I don't think the book is advocating getting as little exercise as possible. Professional football players aren't exactly normal. Taking crazy number of hits, playing hurt, taking drugs for pain, and taking drugs for performance enhancement don't in my book make for a long life.

As for the original google book that Rich quoted, I really should forward a copy to my boss who invited me to a meeting with from 11:30 PM to 1:30 AM tonight. I looked at the agenda, and there is nothing for me to do there other than showing the flag and burning up 2 hours of my precious cell phone minutes.

 

[haha]

Oh man I love that gargoyle on the first page! Anyone recognize the city?

Ha

 

[retire@40]

Oh man I love that gargoyle on the first page! Anyone recognize the city?

Ha

Looks like Paris to me.

 

[ScottFromUtah]

I heard a report a few years back that professional athletes die younger, on average, than regular folks. Scientists were surprised that the fittest among us died so early. Professional Football players averaged something like late 50's. One theory is that they wore themselves out with years of working out and training. It suggested that, like a video game, we only have so much life or energy in us and if you use it up too fast you die young. Sounds like remaining fit with the minimum amount of effort (in other words being lazy) may be the ticket to long life.

There is no study ever published (at least that I'm aware of) that suggests that lots of exercise in one's youth leads to early death, or even to early disease, disability, or frailty. On the contrary, copious exercise has been shown to increase longevity.

My hypothesis is that professional athletes die young because they mature a lot younger than the average person; i.e., their biological clock is sped up. I look at 20-year-old athletes (football and basketball mainly) and they have the physical (but definitely not mental) maturity of a 35 year old.

I would really like to know how much exercise retired professional athletes do. My impression is that when they retire, they retire from most physical activity, but I could be totally wrong.

 

[Texas Proud]

Are we that hard working? Well, I mean Americans in general and not these forum posters.

I worked with some Israelis in the past. In an off-work conversation, they commented that we Americans were able to spend so much time and money for leisure, such as vacationing, travel, and vehicular toys of all different types. They said that they themselves worked long hours, and put in a lot of unpaid overtime, compared to us Americans.

I sensed quite a bit of envy there. It is true that their small country does not offer the "easy life" that we have here. So, I don't know about the Europeans, but there are people who think Americans are slackers.

They were probably pulling your leg....

When I was in the UK... I was on a floor with a lot of HR clerks... to leave they had to come through my department... I used to tell people to make sure they were not standing in the wrong place at 5PM.. they would be trampled... They used to go to the pub for a drink or two (or five)... I used to get there an hour or two later and leave before they did...

I had employees from NZ, Australia, South Africa, India, Scotland, Ireland, and France... none worked as long as most of the people I knew in America...


BUT, my sister who is a nurse keeps telling me of the lazy people at her work... they hide, show up late, leave early etc... she seem to indicate this is the 'younger crowd'.... so it might be a generational thing...

Most of the places I have worked... working a normal workweek was frowned upon... it hurt me a lot when I would leave 'early' at 6 PM.. or even 7... and don't get me started when I was in public accounting and working 100 hour weeks...

So... I see or hear both sides here... but only saw and heard one side over there.. but, don't get me wrong... they did work hard when they were working... not many slackers...