Interesting topic for today’s WordPress Daily Post:

Are you too lazy, or too busy?

There’s a frequent theme on The Herd with Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio) about how people’s lives are busier than ever, which I don’t know that I buy entirely.  Are we busier here in 2011 than people were 100 years ago, when they didn’t have the modern conveniences we have today, especially computers and the Internet?

My supposition is that we’re no busier today than people were in the past, but we can get more accomplished in shorter periods of time than ever before.  Because the level of accomplishment has gone up exponentially, we have a perception that we’re busier.  However, getting more done does not equate to being busier.

Here’s an example:  10 years ago, when it came to paying my bills, I had to write out checks, update the checkbook ledger, stuff envelopes, lick stamps, write out my return address, and drop the envelopes in the mailbox.  Today, I can pay my bills online and even set up automatic bill pay so that I don’t even need to log in to my bank’s website.  I can finish paying my bills much faster than I could in the past due to advances in web application technology, leaving me more time to tackle additional tasks.

But there’s the rub… I actually have MORE time available to me, and it’s up to me how I want to fill up that extra time.  If I were a classic Type A personality, I’d always be searching for ways to maximize that extra time, and that would give me the perception that I’m busy busy busy.  Instead, I’m more of a Type B personality, and I’d rather use that extra time as downtime, relaxing on the couch as I’m doing now, surfing the Internet, watching TV, reading a book, etc.  Does that make me lazy?