Reader Score
79%
79% of readers
recommend this book
Extra-curricular activities. Honors classes. 60-hour work weeks. Side hustles.
Like many Americans, Dr. Devon Price believed that productivity was the best way to measure self-worth. Price was an overachiever from the start, graduating from both college and graduate school early, but that success came at a cost. After Price was diagnosed with a severe case of anemia and heart complications from overexertion, they were forced to examine the darker side of all this productivity.
Laziness Does Not Exist explores the psychological underpinnings of the "laziness lie," including its origins from the Puritans and how it has continued to proliferate as digital work tools have blurred the boundaries between work and life. Using in-depth research, Price explains that people today do far more work than nearly any other humans in history yet most of us often still feel we are not doing enough.
Filled with practical and accessible advice for overcoming society's pressure to do more, and featuring interviews with researchers, consultants, and experiences from real people drowning in too much work, Laziness Does Not Exist "is the book we all need right now" (Caroline Dooner, author of The F*ck It Diet).
NPR is an independent news organization committed to informing the public about the world around us. You can find us every other place you read the news.
Is it OK to lack ambition? Devon Price, a social psychologist and author of the book "Laziness Does Not Exist," takes on this anonymous question for #dearlifekit. @nprlifekit https://t.co/BXgB1FjmBh
artist | writer | editor @illum_official | @medium | med lab scientist | proud mom-dad of 4 gifted kids | lover of all things inspiring ❤💒
“Laziness Does Not Exist” by Devon Price https://t.co/w5cSFhIkEd https://t.co/mWBqMv6A2X
Connecting up the poorest and most disenfranchized among us with resources and the greater human family. Starting in Portland, Oregon. Leading with love.
Dr. Devon Price's article (and resulting book) should be required reading for everyone, but especially educators IMHO. Laziness Does Not Exist by @drdevonprice I refer to it often: https://t.co/dBEUU0UW10 #Homeless #homelessness #houseless #houselessness
" Using examples from social psychology research, interviews, and their own life, Price argues that there's real value in quiet time, and that working less can actually make you more creative, effective, and content."--SHAPE
"Price takes a cleareyed look at the science and psychology behind the concepts of laziness and productivity...With tips on setting boundaries and integrating beneficial techniques like expressive writing into your daily routine, Price's book will give you a fresh perspective on the meaning of success--and the confidence to schedule more "me-time" this year."--Bookpage
"With a clarion call tailor-made for new work-at-homers who can no longer leave work at work, the author gives readers plenty of reason to kick back and put their feet up sometimes, showing that doing so can actually enhance productivity. Not just for the overachiever, this book should sit on the desk next to every home printer and cubicle keyboard. Find "Laziness Does No Exist," stretch, take a comfortable seat and you're in a good position to enjoy."--Nashville Ledger
"While the exploration in the book is nuanced and thorough...Price's book does not argue that hard work isn't good or that we are without flaw. Instead, it asks us to go deeper to understand what a world oriented around helping people thrive, rather than dismissing them as lazy, may look like."--Chicago Tribune
"In their conversational and engaging first book... Social psychologist Devon Price makes the thoughtful and science-backed case for why laziness is not only acceptable but necessary."--SHELF AWARENESS