update from the lazy coworker

by Alison Green on March 1, 2013

Remember the reader last year who struggled with being lazy at work and felt guilty and anxious about it? Here’s an update from him.

I got through a big project barely on time due to my laziness. In the previous post, a commenter recommended “Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement,” which actually was really helpful. I identified that a large part of my problem has been a low frustration tolerance, and found working on that actually really made me a better performer. Not as good as I should be, but getting 5 hours out of 7 a day is a lot better than my previous 1 or 2.

The book also helped me identify why I didn’t want to work hard, which was that I felt like only suckers ever worked hard. I haven’t gone to counseling, but feel I have improved a lot on my own. Thanks for the help!

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{ 27 comments }

{ 27 comments… read them below }

  1. Marigold*

    Thanks for coming back and giving an update, OP. I didn’t comment in the original post, but I was very glad you wrote in. It’s a hard thing to admit and ask help for, but I appreciated the discussion. I missed the book recommendation, so I’m glad to go check it out.

  2. Anonymous*

    I might take a look at the book, too. I’m not the lazy coworker, but I feel I am lazy in my personal life. Maybe this will help.

      1. Sascha*

        Me too, I feel like I expend all my ambition and productiveness at work and then I’ve got nothing left for when I get home. I’m definitely going to read this.

        1. The Other Dawn*

          I’m glad I’m not alone. I feel exactly the same way. I think I need to read the book as well.

  3. Emily, admin extraordinaire*

    Oh, good! I’m the one that recommended the books, so I’m very glad it was helpful.

      1. Nev*

        The book was very helpful to me too. This is one of the extremely useful references I got from this blog, and I thank you for taking the time to offer advice here.

    2. HSK*

      This whole topic couldn’t come at a better time for me. The original post could have come from me. And Emily, admin extraordinaire, your original comment about procrastination and description of the younger overachiever to adult underachiever was spot on too. It’s something I’ve struggled with and wanted to change, but not knowing how to. I’m buying and downloading the book onto my e-reader right now. Thank you!

      1. Oxford Comma*

        I just read the original thread and have requested the book you recommended. What you described, Emily, admin extraordinaire, that was my college life. I do know that procrastination and perfectionism are heavily linked and that fear plays a huge part in it too. This is something I’ve been working on personally. Really looking forward to the book now! And OP, glad to hear things are turning around for you!

    4. Kristen*

      I just went to your comment on the original post and am ordering this book right now. Thank you!

  4. Sarah from Long Island*

    Thank you ever so much for both your original post and for your update. I found that both what you wrote and the commentary that the original post provoked to be quite enlightening. The book recommendation may prove to be very helpful as well. Thanks for having the guts to go there!!! And also, thanks to everyone else who took the time to read it and add their thoughts on the matter. You all may have helped more people than you may realize. Cheers!

  6. EM*

    This a great update. It takes a big person to recognize something in themselves they wish to improve, work on it, and be successful at doing so. Kudos!

  7. Anonymous*

    I have this blog open on chrome and in teh tabs it said “update from the lazy cow.”
    Ok that’s really really immature but it made me giggle.

    Disappearing now……

    1. Sarah from Long Island*

      Your tab description made ME laugh! Finding at least a little humor in this heavy topic feels so wrong, but I needed it. So, thanks!

  8. The OP*

    Thanks for the helpful suggestions everyone. The book has really helped turn me around.

  9. Amber*

    Working SMART is far better for you and your career than working hard. I’ve found that I can take on more tasks and higher profile work than my peers because I manage my time well, I prioritize my tasks well and I know how to self-promote. By doing all that, I can do a 6-7 hour day every day and not feel guilty and no one complains.

  10. Elizabeth West*

    Yay OP!

    Someone gave me a really good book to read–it’s called High-Performance Thinking: For Business, Sports and Life, by Gayle A. Davis, Ph.D. The sports part is sort of aimed at skaters, which I am one, so I was interested when another skater mentioned it had helped her. I borrowed it from her and found there are a lot of things that can help me elsewhere as well. So I returned it and got a copy off Amazon. It’s just a different way of thinking that I’ve never done before. And it’s not even hard, or something you have to be perfect to do. :)

  11. Po*

    I resonated with your letter so much! I think for me, it’s the fact that I’ve struggled and worked so hard for my entire life, and now that I’ve reached a certain level (multiple undergraduate/graduate degrees, many internships, a book deal, and an apprenticeship at several very well-known publications), I feel entitled to a certain title/job status that I have not gotten (still no full-time job that pays an adult wage or the ability to pay my student loans; looking for part-time serving jobs just to pay rent while I pull freelancing jobs together).

    It’s become harder and harder to put everything into my assignments when it seems like nothing is getting better–even though this is counter-intuitive, and putting everything into my assignments might lead to full-time employment. I know that my sense of entitlement is wrong, but I can’t help but feel it. I know that I should just keep my head down and barrel through, but I’m just so beaten down because that’s all I’ve been doing for the last 10 years to no effect.

    Anyway. Long story short, I feel for you and am taking your recommendation! Thanks!

    1. Grace*

      @Po:
      Check out Debtors Anonymous (they deal with debt, under earning, and the like). They can be found in most major cities
      and also have online meetings and telephone meetings.

      Take care.

  12. Emma*

    I’m another AAM reader who saw myself in this lazy coworker post! I also wonder if he had any early experiences in his job where he *was* trying to be productive and pitch new ideas, etc, only to be shot down time and again. I realize that this sort of experience in the beginning of a year-long-job I had contributed greatly to me essentially saying “eff it, i’ll do my day-to-day work on time, but it clearly isn’t worth it to go above and beyond.” Petulant? Maybe. I’ll have to check this book out.

    1. Lisa*

      OMG, check out my response below… I was treated like this and it kills all productivity when I get to a point where I think my thoughts or opinions will get ridiculed / shot down.

  13. Lily*

    Carol Dwight talks about how the wrong type of praise can encourage people to think that “only suckers ever worked hard”

  14. Lisa*

    I over overthink; therefore I procrastinate…

    I read some of the comments on Amazon for this book. It seems that people didn’t like it due to the audience for it being above-average slackers that are just bored, versus people that avoid / procrastinate work for other reasons like ADHD or personal issues. I thought I was the bored worker, cause when I work, I can excel but getting in that groove is so hard. I feel like I need to have 10 tabs open and 4 programs running to feel like i am working, but I tend to open email and not deal with it for hours cause I overthink my response. So most of my issues are with overthinking my responses after having a micromanager tear apart my work so much that it would delay my response cause I
    wanted to make sure it wouldn’t torn apart when reviewed. Its a few years since this guy was my manager, but I still hold off on doing things because I don’t want anyone to disregard my opinion as stupid or pointless or worse just plain wrong according to the latest industry trend that I may not be aware of.

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