I just had an epiphany. It happened when I was turning in a project I’ve been working on for 3 days, and I finished with a half hour to spare- which is too short of a time to start anything new but too much time to leave work without anyone looking at me suspiciously (Every time I want to tip toe out a few minutes early, I’m always afraid someone’s going to stand up and shout, HEY, SHE’S LEAVING EARLY! GET HERRRR!! And so I don’t). I suddenly wished that it was socially acceptable for me to be able to lay my head down and rest my eyes until the clock displays a more proper time for me to leave the office. It then occurred to me that the only way I was ever properly motivated in my school days was through one reward and one reward alone: sleep.
I remember in grammar school how the teacher used to reward the bright kids who finished their spelling tests early by letting them color or do some quiet activity, but the one I favored most was sleep. This carried on in high school when by luck of the draw I was stuck in an easier class occasionally and could easily sleep through the period by taking my school sweater, balling it up to a pillow, and falling into a deep slumber (Note: the sweater was also handy for mopping up any puddles of drool on the desk before anyone noticed. Don’t be grossed out- you know you did it too.) Lastly, in college when I had to pull an all-nighter cram session, my reward to myself was a half hour nap, if I could just make it through the 15 chapters of accounting I should have read throughout the semester (Why study 15 weeks when you can fit it into one?)
Regardless of my extreme laziness, there’s something to be said about motivation, in whatever form. Yes, its ironical that my motivation in life to do well was to get to rest my head and doze off, but if it weren’t for my love of laziness I wouldn’t be where I am today (which is a job that lets me leave in approximately 1 minute……..).
Connie O'Reyes 