Are you a “Lazy girl”? And no, I don’t mean the occasional not wanting to tidy around the house, I’m talking about the current TikTok job trend. Gabrielle Judge, in 2023, coined the term “Lazy girl job” to describe more of a work-life balance.

The idea is to find a job that doesn’t require too much effort and gives you the freedom to do more in your personal life. Gabrielle believes that people should seek more stress-free jobs that don’t require as much work but still get paid well enough to live a comfortable life.

The term “lazy girl” doesn’t mean someone is lazy, but that they realise that there should be some sort of harmony between work-life and personal life. It’s about recognising that some jobs require you to work longer hours and that you’re basically only living on the weekend. The lazy girl’s job wants to put an end to that.

“Lazy Girl” in South Africa

Despite how popular the trend in America is, not much is known about the trend in South Africa. Do South Africans feel the same way?

Thandi (not her real name), 26, who works for a corporate company, shared, “I don’t know if in my spirit it feels right to do half the work while being fairly paid by your job. However, I know plenty of companies that overwork their employees for peanuts, so go on and be a lazy girl. A work and life balance is so important and should never be compromised, so if your job allows you to have both then that is actually amazing. If we can be such a capitalist society that prioritises hustle culture over mental health, then we definitely can also be a society that puts the same importance in support of ‘lazy girl’. I am for anything that puts the people first, we are so tired of the bs systems that only drains people but never uplifts them. Power to all the lazy girls, keep up the good work!”

Kendra (not her real name), 25, working in the tutoring space, explained her view. “I don’t know that it’s super realistic. I think that it’s not real because when you have a proper job and you put effort in, it requires your time.  I think that there’s always a give and take with work, and it’s mostly hard to make those compromises. So, to sum it up, I think that they put glitter on it to make it look like it’s a thing when it’s not.”

Why participating in this trend may not be wise

This trend can be quite dangerous, especially when referring to a job you’re currently working at. For instance, if you create a ‘lazy girl’ video of you at work and share it on TikTok, and your video goes viral, someone from your company may find the video, and you could get into trouble. In essence, don’t bite the hand that feeds you! If you’re unhappy at your workplace, speak to your superior and maybe things can be done to help. If not, nothing is stopping you from leaving, but do so in a graceful manner.

Final word

In truth, there is nothing wrong with having a work-life balance. it is the use of the word “lazy” to describe someone who is actually still doing their job, as per their requirements, that is problematic. The word “lazy”  implies that you aren’t doing much  at all –  and would your employer be blamed for finding this a problem?. We should have healthier work environments, but you shouldn’t feel like when your superior asks you to do something that it’s outrageous of them to ask. It’s up to you to make sure that you have that balance while still fulfilling your job requirements.

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Tell us: What are your thoughts on the lazy girl job trend?

Read more here about strong work ethic.