Started by Gabrielle Judge on TikTok, the concept is all about achieving real work-life balance while avoiding burnout. Unlike the traditional 9-to-5 office grind, the Lazy Girl Job trend promotes hyper-flexible (often work-from-home) positions which allow individuals to maintain a steady income without being perpetually exhausted. If you have ever experienced burn out yourself then chances are, you’ll be in favour of this movement, too.

Gabrielle’s viral explanatory video quickly racked up over 339,000 likes, clearly striking a chord with a huge number of viewers. She emphasised the importance of escaping the pay check-to-pay check lifestyle, recommending people find themselves careers that provide appropriate remuneration and don’t come with an expectation that employees should be breaking their backs for their employers. Now, so many others have joined the movement online, sharing the benefits of their flexible employment set ups that enable them not just to survive but thrive, often without much ‘hard work’ at all.

This empowering trend has now garnered an impressive 47 million views on the platform and clearly demonstrates that there is an interesting perspective shift taking place when it comes to our preconceived notions of laziness in today's society. The traditional definition of lazy as being "unwilling to work" does not apply here. Instead, Lazy Girl Jobs are about reframing the way we approach work. It's about avoiding the relentless pursuit of career success at the expense of our well-being. These jobs prioritise a manageable pace of life and encourage a healthy work-life integration.

The allure of Lazy Girl Jobs is understandable, especially for younger generations who seek alternatives to the old-school and downright exhausting 40+ hour work week norm. They’ve seen that there’s a huge proportion of baby boomers and Gen Xers who have struggled to achieve financial security with inflexible jobs, leaving them unprepared for retirement and burnt out in the meantime, despite giving their all to their work. Lazy Girls are setting a different path. They want to work fewer hours a week, leaving room for other aspects of life, prioritising their health and nurturing their mental well-being.

It's time to applaud these individuals for being brave, stating what they want and not settling for less. Let’s be honest, lazy work isn’t a new thing. We all know of absentee bosses and mysterious managers, usually on massive salaries, who seem to do very little but would never admit it. Lazy Girls, on the other hand, openly advocate for work arrangements that provide stability without sacrificing freedom and autonomy.

This trend focuses on women specifically as they have long been undervalued in the world of work (the gender pay gap is worsening). It aims to empower those who have been systematically underpaid and taken advantage of. It’s all about giving people the permission to say "no" to the expectations of endless productivity. I’ll never forget the first female boss I had emailing me after I’d said “no” to a request from the owners of the company. I thought I was in trouble but actually, she was telling me how proud of me she was.

Lazy Girl Jobs challenge the notion that women must "do it all and then some" to succeed. Instead, they encourage a balanced approach to work, where a focus on meaningful contributions is made, without compromising on well-being.

Ultimately, embracing Lazy Girl Jobs means paving the way for a healthier and more fulfilling future. By promoting a lifestyle that values rest, autonomy and a reasonable workload, we can build a society where individuals can give their best when they are working, rather than being constantly drained. Let's embrace this movement and encourage everyone to find their own path towards a stable and rewarding career. After all, working smart, not just hard, is a timeless principle for good reason.