Laziness Does Not Exist with Dr. Devon Price

 📄 Dr. Devon Price Dr. Devon Price is a social psychologist, writer, activist, and professor at Loyola University of Chicago’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Price’s work has appeared in numerous publications such as Vox, Slate, The Rumpus, NPR, and HuffPost and has been featured on the front page of Medium innumerable times. Their first book, LAZINESS DOES NOT EXIST, was published in January 2021 to critical acclaim.

→IN THIS EPISODE… In this episode, Joe discusses with Dr. Devon Price the laziness paradox and if laziness, in fact, exists. Dr. Devon gives Joe actionable tips on how to feel balanced in your day with pockets of time for yourself and your mental health, so when you are meant to be focused, you are able to do so without fear of burnout.

🔍 Breakdown with Dr. Devon Price:

Chapter 1 (0:00​) Joe Introduces Dr. Devon Price

Mike Vardy is a productivity specialist and is going to share tips and ideas during the interview.

Chapter 2 (2:11) Common misconceptions about laziness

People often identify themselves as lazy and do not give themselves enough credit for what they are doing. It’s not about willpower; it about prioritizing.

Chapter 3 (​4:22) The fine line between too lazy and not lazy enough

We define a lot of situations as lazy, but as a culture, we overuse that word. 

Chapter 4 (5:58) Working harder versus working smarter

Dr. Devon recognizes some work culture norms are not what works for someone’s accomplishments. Being the last one to leave the office is not essential; making positive outcomes for your organization is.

Chapter 5 (9:18) Notification and alerts on your smart devices

One particular workspace app, slack, has been positive and damaging to the workplace atmosphere. Dr. Devon advises on how to set boundaries within that space.

Chapter 6 (16:29) Working can affect your health

How Dr. Devon became interested in the topic of laziness and work expectations, is when they themselves suffered adverse health effects from the amount of stress and pressure they expected out of themselves.

Chapter 7 (22:23) Living to someone else’s expectations

Dr. Devon discusses “upward social comparison.” They explain how not to let others be your benchmark to your detriment.

Chapter 8 (​27:46) Learning something new

When you can give yourself a new focus, it can help alleviate stress. You take away expectations, as this is something new you are trying, so you can remove the idea of being perfect.

Chapter 9 (36:20) Creating a filter against social media

Dr. Devon gives examples of their boundaries they set in order to push against the pressure of online content. They also explain tips that will help buffer the stress that comes from a constant stream of notifications.

Chapter 10 (40:37) Tips for feeling overwhelmed by the news

Don’t mistake information for power. Too much information can flood our nervous system, so find ways to slow down. Dr. Devon also explains the power of blocking.

Chapter 11 (49:02) The positive outcomes from a “push” from a device

Is a Fitbit or Apple watch a positive tool or negative? The benefits and the negative aspects of having a reminder at all times.

Chapter 12 (52:22) Creating routines as a parent

As a parent, there is guilt around “screen time” or allowing them to have a day without an agenda. There is a wonderful aspect of showing your children realistic expectations and allow to have 

Chapter 13 (59:24) The overall lesson boiled down

 Dr. Devon provides some actionable items on how to take control of your day and your overall happiness and well-being.

Chapter 14 (1:01:12) Helpful resources

In Laziness Does Not Exist, there are many resources from books to tools online that help you in your day-to-day. Dr. Devon shares some of their top recommendations.

Chapter 15 (1:03:37) Where you can connect with Dr. Devon and wrap-up

Dr. Devon shares how you can connect with them and Joe wraps up the episode.

Material Referenced in this interview:

→Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price

→Sadblock, filter extension on Google Chrome

→Values Clarification Exercise by therapistaid.com

→Reflective writing exercises - Google for resources

📞 Connect with Dr. Devon Price

→https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdevonprice/

→https://www.facebook.com/drdevonprice/

→https://www.instagram.com/drdevonprice/

→https://devonprice.medium.com/

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link 

→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/​

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