When we think of “fads,” the first thing that comes to mind is some type of clothing or fashion accessory that everyone seems to be wearing in a certain place and time, but that does not last. In the 1990s and early 2000s, many people wore Italian charm bracelets, thin bracelets made up of individual links featuring logos, pictures, and individual words or short phrases meant to make a statement about the wearer. Today, they are almost never seen. Appearance and beauty details, collectibles, and home decor are other areas where fads are commonly adopted. But words and phrases can also be fads, and today this is especially common when it comes to work and money-related terms. “Quiet quitting,” means “doing the bare minimum to keep your job.” “Hustle culture” refers to the belief that one must be doing something to make money nearly all the time. A “ghost job” is an advertisement for a job opening that is not truly available.
And now, for 2023, we have “lazy girl job.” This term was first coined this year by Gabrielle Judge. Also known as “Anti-work girl boss” on the internet, Judge is a content creator on Instagram and TikTok. Although the term sounds as though it is gender and age specific, a “lazy girl job” can be held by a person of any age, sex or gender identity. The term simply refers to a remote job that requires much less effort than a typical remote job or a traditional in-person job, but pays enough money to meet all of the worker’s needs comfortably.
Although this may sound like a new term for what is commonly called a “cushy” job or an “easy” job, the new term does not necessarily mean the work truly requires no effort or skills. It just means that the job is one that can be done and over with each day, allowing the worker to log off and do something else. This is in contrast to “hustle culture” which demands a constant focus on work and earning money.
The use of the word “lazy” should also not be taken literally. A “lazy girl job” is not one that encourages, celebrates, or allows the worker to truly be lazy, neglecting tasks they could reasonably be expected to complete, doing a poor job due to a lack of attention and effort, or finding other ways to spend time relaxing all day while getting paid for it. Many “lazy girl jobs” require a great deal of skill, effort, time, and attention. The term is used more to serve as a counterargument to the value of hustling or immersing oneself in hustle culture than to celebrate sloth. Those who promote “hustle culture” often accuse anyone not willing to devote their entire day to making money of being “lazy,” so “lazy girl job” is a way to reclaim and redefine the word.
Rather than truly being for lazy people, the defining characteristics of a “lazy girl job” are a focus on “work-life balance,” and relatively low stress. This makes the workplace and company culture a strong part of determining whether or not something is referred to as a “lazy girl job.”
Imagine that someone has a job as a virtual receptionist. The company they work for expects them to clock in at eight a.m., clock out for lunch between noon and one p.m., then return to work until five p.m. Once five p.m. arrives, the receptionist is free to log out one final time and forget about the job until the next morning. Their supervisors or coworkers do not feel entitled to text, call, or message them before or after work hours. The receptionist is not expected to perform additional tasks while off the clock in preparation for their next shift.
During work hours, the receptionist has a set of duties they must perform. They may be required to field phone calls for the employer, staff a customer service chat line, type and prepare documents, or do other secretarial work. But the person is not asked to do things outside of their job description, lectured, or reprimanded unreasonably. This person could be described as having a “lazy girl job.” Contrast that with a receptionist who must spend long hours at an office, field calls, texts, and emails from supervisors and clients at all hours, and often takes on tasks that are not part of their job description in order to keep peace in the workplace. The first person could certainly describe their job as a “lazy girl job,” while the second would not.
Although the term “lazy girl job” is really just a newly coined, fad term for a job that does not cause undue stress or take over one’s life, workers, job seekers, and freelancers communicating with clients may want to exercise caution when using the term. Make sure the person you are communicating with will not react unfavorably to the word “girl,” or misunderstand and take the word “lazy” literally before sprinkling it into professional conversation.
