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Editor’s Note: Gabrielle Judge, Also referred to as Anti Work Girlboss, writes exclusively for Entrepreneur+, but offers this text for free to our readers. Sign up today to access her upcoming and latest articles that may show you how to make more cash by working less.
You’ve probably heard of the “lazy girl job” trend that is been going around. I created it.
I got mixed reactions from the media, some saying it was a bad thing. But the reason I got the job as a lazy girl was so I could possibly be an entrepreneur. Let me explain.
“Lazy Girl Jobs” is not a secret list of jobs that promise minimum wage work for high pay. In fact, there are almost no rules that dictate what is and isn’t a “lazy girl job.” The only definition I really have is a job that permits you to have the autonomy you wish.
For some, which may mean running a small business, being an office assistant, or working in the gig economy. It’s about taking control of your work-life balance. Workplace culture has modified so much since the pandemic. Everyone has had a taste of what distant work you’re feeling like you’ll be able to set your schedule the way you wish and not have the pressure to commute or be physically present. Working remotely has been a huge gift that has shown us how autonomous our lives could be.
So, as funny because it sounds, I got a job that allowed me to be lazy, so I could turn out to be an entrepreneur.
This is how I began
My first job out of faculty was in the tech industry. At the time, I thought I had landed my dream job—good pay, nice office, etc. My job title was technology consultant, and the responsibilities were vague.
It was a hotbed of projects that were outside my job description, an arbitrary profession ladder to climb, and an employer-backed private equity firm that modified direction every quarter. They loved how much I enjoyed working, and they never told me “no” when I took on more responsibilities without a raise or promotion. I was certain I could be a huge success. That all got here to an abrupt end when I suffered a concussion and could not use my brain in the same way that helped me work greater than 40 hours.
During my concussion recovery process, I did something truly terrifying: I decided to quit my job to find a “lazy girl job” — in what’s referred to as the “Great Resignation Era” of 2021 and 2022.
Another way to look at it was that I was becoming underemployable—working in a job that I was overqualified for. I didn’t have a funny, cute nickname for it yet. It wasn’t funny at all, and at the time it seemed pretty scary. I felt like I was taking a step back and not “moving forward” like I expected myself to do with every profession decision for the remainder of my life.
I took on my first “lazy girl job” because content creation was calling me. TikTok was gaining popularity at the time, and I built a community by posting about my profession on the app. I had a lot of extracurriculars and part-time jobs in my teens and early twenties, and I was able to share my experiences with my followers.
So I spent two hours a day in my “lazy girl” self. I was working at Wix, and my job seemed completely pointless in terms of my business goals. I loved it because it allowed me to focus my energy on becoming a content creator and educator.
I never got fired. I liked my bosses and the work environment. I really had no complaints. I just knew it wasn’t my 40-year plan and for some reason the longer I stuck to my business goals while maintaining a good fame at work, the more I trusted myself.
Fast forward a 12 months and a half. I had more followers than my employer. My content was becoming a distraction at work. I was struggling to meet my two-hour each day quota, so I began leaving my job. It was hard to put in those two weeks. Every little bit of what I knew about work and financial security was being put to the test. In my first month on my very own, I made 10x greater than I normally would. I felt like I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and know that I had made the right decision.
My advice to those that are considering changing their job to a “lazy girl job”
When I got here up with the term “lazy girl job,” my goal was to help young people have more confidence in themselves. The biggest thing that held me back from jumping straight into full-time entrepreneurship was that for some reason I just didn’t consider in myself. I want young people to feel more confident about taking on “easier jobs” and working environments that allow them to have a work-life balance. Ultimately, you’ll have the space and clarity to find your true zone of genius.
My “lazy girl job” was a stable safety net that didn’t drain my sanity or waste my time. If you wish to be an entrepreneur, I recommend finding a job that also allows you to have a regular income but gives you more autonomy to work on belongings you’re passionate about.
But there are more reasons to take the “lazy girl job” than simply becoming an entrepreneur. It’s okay to take your foot off the gas pedal in your profession at any time and for any reason. We’re all just trying to get ahead and worrying about what rung is ahead of us on the never-ending corporate ladder to climb.
I talk a lot about “anti-work” on my platform. That doesn’t mean I don’t like working—I do. It means pushing back on the corporate definition of labor.
Successful employment doesn’t have to involve mindlessly saying yes to every learning opportunity that lands on your desk in the name of upskilling yourself. Maybe the project you’re saying yes to is simply a bunch of back-and-forth work created to justify the role. Maybe the project doesn’t add any intrinsic value to the organization or your profession, and you’re wasting your time trying to complete it.
Nothing is stopping you from taking a break and slowing down today, and then speeding up tomorrow. Or speeding up in a few years, or never. “Lazy Girls Work” was a huge social experiment for me. Intentionally polarizing and meant to make a statement about the lack of productivity I see in the workplace today. I also forgot to mention — it’s not only about women!
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