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"paid emo", "paid chatting", "paid daydreaming at work" and similar behaviors are jokingly called "slacking off" at work by people in the workplace. some people say that "slacking off" is probably one of the few happy moments at work.

while the "slacking philosophy" is prevalent, many "slacking tribes" also say that they are "very tired". on the internet platform, topics such as "'slacking' is not happy" have also sparked heated discussions among netizens, with many young people sharing their own experiences, saying that "hard work may not be noticed, but slacking will definitely be noticed" and "i can't quit, but i regret it."

so, is “slacking off” fun or not? why does it make young people feel conflicted?

image source: visual china

one

"mo yu", taken from the term "muddy waters", has evolved into a specific buzzword with the development of workplace culture, referring specifically to behaviors such as slacking off and being lazy during working hours.

on the internet, there are a variety of "slacking strategies" that make people laugh. for example, if you master the "slacking special shortcut keys" that everyone in the workplace must know, you can switch to work mode in seconds when facing the boss's "sudden attack"; cultivate yourself to be an "expression management expert" who does not show your emotions, so that you can always show a serious thinking state; collect a pile of waste documents and spread them on the table, put on headphones and listen to an audio novel quietly, and so on.

at the same time, some netizens have also found many arguments that "slacking off is beneficial". for example, su shi "ate, drank and had fun" in his place of exile, but he wrote famous works throughout the ages; and liu cixin "slacked off" at work, but he wrote the science fiction masterpiece "the three-body problem".

one can’t help but ask: why is “slacking off” so popular in the workplace?

on the one hand, the overtime culture of "996" and "007" is prevalent, and 24-hour "extra-long standby" has become the norm for many "workers", especially faced with the excessive pressure brought by ineffective overtime, internal competition and other phenomena of a few employers. "workers" need to find an outlet to vent their emotions through "slacking off" and take a break from the busyness; on the other hand, it is undeniable that a few people "slacking off" may be because their workload is not saturated enough, or it may be a kind of "passive sabotage" caused by the mentality of lying down.

in my opinion, for most young people, "slacking off makes me happy" is more of a self-deprecating statement. although they keep saying "slacking off" every day, in their hearts they are actually unwilling to just lie down and play around with life, and their bodies are still working and struggling very honestly.

netizens discuss "slacking off" in the workplace. source: screenshot of social platform

two

many netizens believe that the "slacking off" mentality is a "positive psychology" and a legitimate way to relax at work, but more and more people lament that "slacking off" is not actually happy. why is this? it may be due to the following psychological factors.

for example, the “feeling of stealing” does not bring peace of mind.someone described the feeling of "slacking off" like this: "i have to pretend to be busy all the time, and i am afraid of being discovered." this kind of "non-physical performance" is actually a kind of emotional labor. pretending to be busy when you are not busy will also consume your energy and increase work burnout.

people who are always paying attention to the "slightest movement" around them, keep a "poker face" all day, and are always in a tense state of mind may seem not to be working, but in fact their emotional labor is already overloaded. in fact, this "working state" may make people feel more tired than devoting themselves to work.

for example, procrastination increases anxiety.as someone said, "everything in the world has a price tag." we thought that "slacking off" was a happy thing, but unsatisfactory work performance and ubiquitous peer pressure will make us fall into deeper self-blame and anxiety. from a practical point of view, "slacking off" is fun for a while, but as the "ddl" is approaching, the work that needs to be done still needs to be done. the longer you delay, the more likely you are to get anxious and hurried.

for example, escape eliminates meaning.some "slacking off" behaviors are "silent resistance" to ineffective overtime and other situations, which is understandable. however, behind excessive "slacking off", there may also be a mentality of escaping from work and resisting work, which not only reduces work efficiency and affects teamwork, but also indirectly affects one's mental state to a certain extent, making it difficult to find one's own value in the workplace, unclear about one's position in the team, and even feeling that one is "dispensable", thus generating a sense of self-worthlessness.

image source: visual china

three

"running fast" is tiring, and "slacking off" doesn't seem to be fun. how can we get out of this dilemma? the author thinks of three sentences.

instead of “counteracting slacking off”, it is better to “give positive feedback”.it has been reported that in order to deal with the "slacking off group", a few companies have used "anti-slacking off" measures, such as installing timers in toilets, monitoring employees' work computers, and installing automatic tracking cameras, which has caused considerable controversy. in fact, in a high-pressure workplace environment, the rest time of some "workers" is constantly compressed, and choosing to "slacking off" is also a disguised way for them to regain the time and space that has been squeezed out. in my opinion, these "anti-slacking off" methods are not humane.

in fact, what young people yearn for is the courage to work hard and live hard, as well as the freedom to take a break and treat themselves well. therefore, employers should also consider whether unreasonable task allocation has caused employees' "soft resistance"; whether the assessment is too strict and lacks humanity; whether too much ineffective overtime has induced employees to "slack off" or "fish"... less accusation and control, more understanding and encouragement, try to meet employees' reasonable demands, and create a better growth and development environment for young people full of vigor.

you can both "pull the bow to its full extent" and "loosen the string".in reality, some people "slack off" and waste their work, while others "slack off" and heal themselves. it depends on how you view "slack off". if you regard "slack off" as a short "gap" in high-pressure work, by taking a short break so that you can work more efficiently, then it's okay to touch the "fish". as someone has pointed out, even a "micro-break" of no more than ten minutes between work can play a role; but if "slack off" is used as a "pastime" to escape work and kill time, then most of the time it will not only fail to really make yourself feel comfortable, but will instead cause more and more problems to accumulate and the burden to become heavier.

some people say that the string should not be too loose or too tight. you may try the popular pomodoro technique and "to do" list management in the workplace. after concentrating on work for a period of time, give yourself a short break and then devote yourself to work. perhaps you can find a delicate balance between "doing well" and "having fun".

whether "slacking off" is self-consistent or self-troubling often depends on the "worker" himself. under pressure, instead of "pretending to be inefficient and diligent" and then "chasing the ddl with fear and trepidation", it is better to cultivate a calm and stable mind in a moderate tension and relaxation, control the time and rhythm, arrange the work and tasks, and use "all-out" efforts in exchange for "peace of mind" relaxation. perhaps a cup of coffee after "brainstorming", a moment of emptying one's mind after high-intensity output, and a sense of accomplishment after successfully completing the work can make people more happy.

life is like the sea. it is harmless to occasionally "slack off" while chasing the waves, as long as you don't lose the courage to ride the wind and waves and the ability to face the wind and rain. after all, sometimes, you can go further if you are neither too fast nor too slow.