People With Zero Tolerance For Laziness Refuse To Deal With 10 Behaviors From Anyone In Their Lives
Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock We're all a little lazy sometimes. In fact, a little laziness is healthy and good for all of us sometimes! But there are people whose laziness is so obvious, hard-working people cannot stand to work or live alongside them.
Is it kind to judge these people for their laziness? Not always, but it's also not kind to tolerate someone who is working way less than the rest of us while still enjoying all the fruit of hard-working people's labor. Here are a few things these people do that make hard-working people judge them as lazy.
Behaviors that people with zero tolerance for laziness refuse to deal with from anyone in their lives:
1. Pretty much any excuses aside from 'I am in the hospital'
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Those who consider themselves to be the hardest-working people in a room pretty much never make excuses. It doesn't matter what time they have to wake up or how many hours they have to work. Folks who work to this level see themselves as someone who will always find a way to make things happen.
It isn't in their nature to avoid accountability. While they could sit there and explain away their behavior, they'd rather do what they promised instead.
By pushing themselves, hard workers improve their overall well-being and they want this from other people, too. After all, if they're going to be this high-achieving, they need other people to step up at least a little.
2. Waiting to be told what to do
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Hard-working people think it's absolutely ridiculous for someone to do nothing while waiting to be told what to do. After all, there's usually something you can find to keep you busy, even if it's tidying up or planning for a future task.
When someone is new to a job or not used to helping out in a certain way, it's normal for them to need guidance. But constantly needing another adult to tell them what to do? That is often a pattern of weaponized incompetence, where someone acts clueless or like they're bad at a task in order to no longer be asked to do it.
According to author Priya Nalkur, Ed. D, "In families and partnerships, weaponized incompetence creates invisible labor divides that leave one person over-functioning and the other under-functioning, a dynamic that can drain relationships of empathy and trust."
This is why hard workers won't put up with their nonsense. They can be graceful, but remember that their kindness only goes so far.
3. Procrastination
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Hard workers aren't about to save it for later and they don't expect anyone else to try it, either. Once they're told to do something, they do it. Even if they need to wake up early in the morning, folks who work hard show up on time and get it done at the first chance.
Because they're always managing their time wisely, they can't stand people who procrastinate on everything. Even if you're their favorite person in the world, they aren't letting your lazy behavior slide. They have rigorous standards, which means if you don't meet them, you gotta go.
Call them heartless, but this isn't a behavior they're willing to budge on. Unlike everyone else, folks who work hard understand the consequences of 'saving it for later.'
4. Doing the bare minimum
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The best thing about hard workers is their dedication. No matter the situation in their careers and in their relationships, hard workers always give it their all. This is why they can't stand people who only do the bare minimum. It honestly offends these folks who have high standards.
Putting in extra effort is rare and important, especially these days. Even in relationships, it isn't enough to get someone flowers every blue moon. Putting in effort consistently is viewed as romantically desirable.
Meanwhile, lazy people do the minimum and hope the other person picks up their slack. This (justifiably) drives hard-workers absolutely nuts.
5. Using others as a safety net
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Human beings aren't a backup plan. Just because you've depended on them this far doesn't mean they'll continue to tolerate your laziness. Just because your wife will get the gifts you forgot for your extended family at the last minute before your big holiday dinner doesn't mean this is the right way to behave.
As bills pile up and people grow busy, you've got to learn to stand on your own two feet and highly motivated people won't settle for someone who's always looking for an easy way out.
No matter how scary it may be, using others as a safety net is a behavior hard workers never tolerate. They create their own safety nets by being on top of things, keeping schedules and making lists. The way they see it, you could do the same but you're just too lazy.
6. Complaining without taking action
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There's nothing wrong with a little complaining. Sometimes you just have to let off steam! While it's viewed as whiny behavior if you go too far, if it's done correctly, complaining can be the glue that helps folks feel connected.
But there's a difference between being productive in your complaints and being unproductive or bogging yourself down. Hard workers might complain, but they always take action.
Rather than remaining passive, these folks actively take steps to ensure they don't remain stuck. Meanwhile, lazy people would rather complain that get their stuff done and that is always going to tick their productive friends off.
7. Breaking promises repeatedly
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Does it suck to be in a position where you have to break a promise? Absolutely. Even if it wasn't your intention, hurting someone because you're unable to meet their demands is heartbreaking, no matter how much you couldn't help it
And while hard workers are willing to give grace, they refuse to tolerate repeated offenders. They may love you, but they don't tolerate laziness, especially when it feels like disrespect. This is why you need to get your act together immediately. Hard workers can only put up with nonsense for so long.
8. Wasting time on trivial things
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There's nothing wrong with being a little unproductive. Sorry, hard workers, but we can't all work 24/7. At the end of the day, we're human beings and, as such, need time to unwind.
This isn't just me saying it! According to associate professor Charlotte Fritz, PhD, "Taking regular breaks helps us to be more resilient when stressors arise, and they function as an intervention to help us deal with the daily grind."
But while taking breaks is necessary, it shouldn't be used as an excuse to be chronically lazy. Especially if you're with a hard worker, they won't put up with you wasting time on trivial things. So, manage your time wisely. Don't spend the whole week doom-scrolling or obsessing over your ex on social media.
9. Making plans they never follow through on
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Hard workers can't stand people who disrespect their time. Unless it's an emergency, they aren't forgiving of poor time management. In their eyes, folks should be responsible enough to follow through with their plans. This is why they're quick to cut you off if you can't.
Sorry, but you aren't getting sympathy out of them. Even if they adore you, they don't tolerate this kind of behavior. With only so many hours in the day, they'd rather be at home relaxing than out in public wondering if you'll stand them up again or flake at the last minute.
10. Being chronically late
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Even if you follow through with your plans, hard workers aren't giving you a pass for being late. In the same way you're wasting their time by canceling last minute, you're also wasting their time by being chronically late. This is why they're quick to distance themselves from people who can't respect their time. Not only is it rude, it also reads as lazy to them.
Hard workers aren't trying to be cruel; they're protecting their peace. Why waste time on a relationship that isn't mutual? Call them sensitive, but it's inconsiderate. As the Center for Respectful Leadership put it, "We need to accept that lateness is perceived as disrespectful, regardless of intent. And it generates disrespect in return."
So, if you're never on time, you might want to work on it. Others might tolerate it, but hard workers aren't your average person.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
