Is the lazy girl job trend really worth the hype?

Do you want a remote job that gives you time to relax? Maybe it’s time you hop onto the lazy girl job trend.

‘Work hard, play hard (er)’ is the new corporate motto driving the younger workforce, and rightly so! The ‘girl boss’ era is gone for good as people make way for the ‘lazy girl job’ – a trend that has caught the attention of Generation Z TikTok users for its stress-free approach to work. This new workplace term has been popularised by influencer Gabrielle Judge, who stressed that buying into the corporate hustle culture will not get you anywhere. The trending hashtag celebrates undemanding and easy-to-go job roles wherein you clock fewer hours, work from home and make decent salaries. You shouldn’t postpone your joys because of being perennially stuck in the pandemonium of every day. Right?

‘Lazy girl job’ has struck a chord with several women! Many are now echoing their desire to ditch their rigid schedules for a remote job that earns them some financial freedom. But will this mindset lead to better long-term career trajectories? Or take you down with the rosy promise of a ‘chill life’? Let’s break down the basics of the ‘lazy girl job’ for you!

(Hero and feature image credit: Jenny Ueberberg/ Unsplash)

The ‘lazy girl job’ trend: Is it really worth the hype?

People on the internet stand heavily divided on the concept. Folks preaching this school of thought make a case for the horrors of overwork impacting their mental health. Meanwhile, those against the ‘lazy girl job’ mentality stress that it’s a wrong approach to building a meaningful career.

In her viral clip, Gabrielle mentions, “A lazy girl job is something you can quiet quit.” She said, “Women are here to collect those paychecks and move on from the workday. We have so much more fun stuff happening in our 5-9 that’s way more important than a boss you hate.”

Staunch supporters of this idea argue that there’s nothing really ‘lazy’ about it. They believe the concept asks people to re-evaluate how much equity work holds in the larger spectrum of life. Then, ask themselves if it’s worth it.

Judge exclaimed that she deliberately chose the word ‘lazy’ to describe the anti-hustle ethos from the perspective of a toxic workplace. “Everything that I’m talking about here is considered lazy if you compare it to the toxic corporate workplace expectations,” she added.

Eventually, many women joined in to describe their lazy girl jobs. One creator said that all she does is “copy and paste the same emails, take 3-4 calls a day, take my extra-long break, take more breaks AND get a nice salary”. Another mentioned, “I get paid a bomb salary to talk to no one, take breaks whenever I want, and be the office baddie.”

According to BBC, Colorado-based Judge concocted the term after her hustling experience. She spoke about clocking 50-to-60-hour weeks as a consultant back in the day, deprived of a regular or sustainable routine. The arduous working hours impacted her physical as well as mental well-being.

So, what are these so-called ‘lazy girl jobs’?

According to Judge, some jobs can include “non-technical roles at tech companies that pay between $60,000 and $80,000 a year”. These jobs may offer workers equity in a firm, apart from working in remote settings with flexible hours. Such jobs cover the basic costs of living and balance work with household/ childcare tasks. Marketing associate, account manager, or customer success manager roles fit the bill for ‘lazy girl jobs,’ according to Judge.

The latest trend comes as a follow-up to the popular ‘quiet quitting’ approach. The workplace phenomenon happens when employees stop taking the initiative or clinching opportunities in favour of doing the bare minimum. It’s a silent attempt to express that they’re maxed out.

Echoing the same sentiment, Judge stressed that in a world of remote working where flexibility and autonomy have taken precedence, one shouldn’t suffer burnout and sickness. She says the term promotes an alternative way of working rather than securing a job that screams leisure.

“We spend so much time at our jobs,” she added. Judge believes the idea is about taking control of one’s work life, showing employers “what is and isn’t working.”

Verdict

Sure, you may not want to toil hard if you’re filthy rich! However, in a society operating on a work-centric capitalist system, there’s no escape either. Whether it’s ‘quiet quitting’, ‘bare minimum Mondays’, or now ‘lazy girl job’ – the anti-work sentiment has propagated on social media in many ways. In reality, most people can’t simply quit their jobs to engage in more leisure-seeking roles. There’s no way to navigate the cost-of-living crisis plaguing the world.

Secondly, these undemanding jobs won’t really stimulate or excite you after a point. Are you really okay with a job leaving no scope for creativity? Would you be happy with a job that disables interpersonal touch and hinders growth? However, if you’re happy with a roof over your head or want to trot the globe without having too much on your plate, a ‘lazy girl job’ shouldn’t be a bad bet. If you have the luxury of living a decent life with little work, go ahead!

Ultimately, ambition means different things to different people. No one can define anybody depending on how large their dreams and aspirations are. Isn’t it?

At the end of the day, you do you, girl!