6 ways, backed by research, to be lazy and get more done

6 ways, backed by research, to be lazy and get mora done6 ways, backed by research, to be lazy and get more doneIve written about how people at the top of their field arerelentlessly productive.But you cant sprint for miles.Theres plenty of research showing that being a touch lazy might be beneficial at times.Here are six research-backed ways to get more done in less time by taking it easy.1. Work lessWorking too hard for too long makes you less productive.Yes, pulling 60-hour weeks is impressive.But pull them for more than 2 months andyou accomplishlessthan if you had only been working 40-hour weeks.ViaScarcity Why Having Too Little Means So MuchOne study, on construction projects, found that where a work schedule of 60 or more hours per week is continued longer than about two months, the cumulative effect of decreased productivity will cause a delay in the completion date beyond that which could have been realized with the same crew size on a 40-hour week.(The best system for time management ishere.)2. Go homeIf youre doing creative work, research says youll be more productive at homethan in the officeOn the uncreative tasks, people were 6% to 10% less productive outside the labOn the creative tasks, by contrast, people were 11% to 20% more productive outside the lab.(More on what boosts creativityhere.)3. Take a napNaps rejuvenate you and increase learning.Some of the most successful people of all time were dedicated nappers.Via Daniel CoylesThe Little Book of Talent 52 Tips for Improving Your SkillsNapping is common in talent hotbeds, and features both anecdotal and scientific justification.The anecdotal Albert Einstein was good at physics, and he was really good at his daily post-lunch twenty-minute snooze. Other famous nappers includeLeonardo da Vinci, Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and John D. Rockefeller.Spend time with any professional athletic team, and youll find that theyre also professional nap pers.The science Napping is good for the learning brain, because it helps strengthen the connections formed during practice and prepare the brain for the next session.Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that napping for ninety minutes improved memory scores by 10 percent, while skipping a nap made them decline by 10 percent.You need sleep before learning, to prepare your brain, like a dry sponge, to absorb new information, said the studys lead investigator, Dr. Matthew Walker.What you can learn about good sleep from astronauts ishere.4. ProcrastinateYes, thats right,procrastination can be agoodthing.Dr. John Perry, author ofThe Art of Procrastination, explains a good method for leveraging your lazinessThe key to productivity, he argues in The Art of Procrastination, is to makemorecommitments - but to be methodical about it.At the top of your to-do list, put a couple of daunting, if not impossible, tasks that are vaguely important-sounding (but really arent) and seem to have deadlines (but really dont). Then, farther down the list, include some doable tasks that really matter.Doing these tasks becomes a way of not doing the things higher up on the list,Dr. Perry writes.A similar tip is described by Piers Steel, author ofThe Procrastination EquationMy best trick is to play my projects off against each other, procrastinating on one by working on another.Dr. Steel says its based on sound principles of behavioral psychologyWe are willing to pursue any vile task as long as it allows us to avoid something worse.(Heres more on positive procrastination.)5. Go on vacationFor up to a month after a vacation youremore productive at workOne hundred and thirty-one teachers completed questionnaires one time before and three times after vacationing. Results indicated that teacherswork engagement significantly increased and teachers lassitudo significantly decreased after vacation. However, these beneficial effects faded out within one month.(Heres how toimprove your vacations.)6. Hang out with friendsEasily distracted?Having friends around can make you more productive, even if theyre not helping you.ViaFriendfluence The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We AreJust having friends nearby can push you toward productivity.Theres a concept in ADHD treatment called the body double, says David Nowell, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist from Worcester, Massachusetts. Distractable people get more done when there is someone else there, even if he isnt coaching or assisting them. If youre facing a task that is dull or difficult, such as cleaning out your closets or pulling together your receipts for tax time, get a friend to be your body double.Join 320,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhereThis column first appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree