Earlier at work, I found myself on a 5-way call helping to troubleshoot a system issue. Although I wasn’t in a position to fix the problem directly, there were areas in which I could help with it’s progress. It’s this part of the job that demands the most discipline; I don’t find any enjoyment in it. It’s frustrating. Fixing a problem often feels like a step backwards. A system that once served a useful purpose is now not doing what it aught to be doing, and it doesn’t instill a feeling that progress is being made as part of what we’re ultimately trying to achieve. On this particular occasion, I didn’t maintain much discipline, and didn’t work the problem as much as I could. Thankfully, a colleague offered some useful input instead.
It’s a rather boring story, but even so, it had me thinking about what makes us lazy. We often think of some as being generally lazy. Particular people you know may come to mind when you think of this term…
But, do we ever offer more than a passing thought as to why we see them as lazy?
We attribute lazy people as those who don’t put much effort into what they do. But there must be a reason for that lack of motivation. Perhaps we just don’t know what those reasons are.
Some who we see as lazy at work, might be extremely dedicated in their family life, or their hobbies.
Referencing back to the example I made in the first paragraph, following the Teams call held with some of my colleagues, I reasoned on why it’s useful to help in these particular situations. The issue we faced was in regard to internet access for a subset of staff. Most of the affected staff were Doctors and Nurses. They need internet access for some clinical systems which support the care of patients at the Trust. Interruption to these systems has the potential to affect patient care. It wouldn’t affect care to the same level as if all our Doctors and Nurses fell ill simultaneously, as they’re the ones who do the real work; but, their support could be affected nonetheless.
Reflecting on this helped me once again to find the motivation to carry out a task that on face value, I didn’t want to do. Thinking about how I would want the people supporting a hospital to act if it were a member of my family being supported by it, really puts into perspective its importance. It’s not the only quality that matters, but a little empathy can go a long way, and nowhere is that more important than in a care system.
“Nobody Is Lazy, They’re Subject to Circumstances They Haven’t Found a Passion For”
The title of this post is admittedly a rather bold statement. It suggests an assumption that people are either fortunate, or they’re not; that some have found themselves in careers, in family and in a community that line up with their passions.
But, how did they get there? Perhaps they were indeed, handed a set of circumstances that they’ve grown to appreciate, and therefore found a passion for.
If their current outcome isn’t a desired one, were they simply unfortunate?
What would we intend to do if we think our circumstances fall under this more unfortunate category?
Some might accept their lesser than aspired-to state, whilst others might work continuously, for years, even for decades to change their circumstances; and perhaps this is the ultimate reflection of a lazy or hard-working person; not necessarily someone who has found their ideals in a fortunate set of circumstances, rather, someone who despite their less than ideal situation, continues to work to make their lives, and the lives of those around them better.
There are many appearances of success, and I think it would be reasonable to say that it’s somewhat subjective. For some it’s found primarily in building a good career, some pursue the joy found in building a family, some find it in strengthening their community or faith. For many, it’s a combination of these, with one sat as it’s primary focus.
It’s easy to see laziness reflected in someone’s lack of motivation at work, or their unwillingness to partake in other activities. But I find it’s useful to offer a thought into how events in another persons life may have lead to a lack of passion in those areas. Could it be that it’s within us all to encourage each other to discover the beauty found in a useful, engaging and joyous way of life?
I personally find myself coming across as lazy in the things I don’t want to do. I think many would agree with that sentiment. So, just like I had to remind myself of the bigger picture to motivate my efforts in a support task at work, when we acknowledge why we’re not motivated to carry out our actions, perhaps it’s useful to take a step back, and consider why we’ve deemed these things important to begin with. If we can’t recall that reason, or if the circumstances surrounding that reason have changed, then perhaps that’s our call to do something about it.
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