We all know that sleep is supposed to be the secret to feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. But let's be honest: sometimes, a good night’s sleep just doesn’t cut it. Enter the "lazy day" - the unsung hero of modern life, where the only thing on your to-do list is to do absolutely nothing. Nice!
But how many lazy days do you need to keep your sanity intact? Two? Four? Or maybe you're dreaming of 25? According to a new poll, the average American requires five lazy days a month to feel truly rested and relaxed. That’s 60 glorious days a year dedicated to the fine art of loafing, evading, slacking, lounging, and procrastinating.
Roughly one blissful day per week where you can let go of all responsibilities and just be.
Planning for Laziness
You might be thinking that lazy days just happen organically, like when you suddenly find yourself three episodes deep into a Max series with no recollection of how you got there. (I recommend The Righteous Gemstones series. It’s great.)
A staggering 21% of people plan their lazy days in advance, and many of them go so far as to mark them on their calendars. Scheduling it like a colonoscopy appointment. A little relaxation blowout.
The Ideal Lazy Day, Hour by Hour
So, what exactly constitutes a proper lazy day? The folks in the poll had some pretty specific ideas:
3 hours of doing absolutely nothing, like a pro.
3 hours of simply existing in your living space, contemplating the mysteries of your ceiling.
3 hours of indulging in movies and TV shows—because your watchlist isn’t going to binge itself.
2 hours in bed, not necessarily sleeping, just existing in horizontal bliss.
2 hours of napping. I can do that with my eyes closed.
2 hours of mindlessly scrolling through your phone, discovering things you never knew you didn’t care about. Or - just drooling over IG models.
1 hour dedicated to eating - because snacking is an essential lazy day activity.
1 hour for reading, or at least pretending to read while scrolling through social media.
1 hour of listening to an audiobook or podcast, or at least pretending to listen while scrolling through social media.
And finally, 1 hour spent dreading the next day - because anxiety is SUPER relaxing.
All told that’s 19 hours of top-tier laziness, leaving just enough time for a half-hearted five hours of sleep. After all, even on your laziest day, you’ve got to rest up for tomorrow’s busy schedule of… well, whatever you feel like doing.
Embrace the Lazy
That’s right embrace it. The next time you feel guilty about spending the day in your Sponge Bob PJs, just remember: you’re not being lazy—you’re engaging in a highly sophisticated form of self-care. Lazy days aren’t just a treat; they’re essential to maintaining your sanity. Go ahead, pencil in that day of nothingness, and remember—sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing at all.
Photography credit: Jeremy Padgett
