L.A.Z.Y. Mindset: Yawn

Well fellow procrastin8rs, we made it! This is the end. This is the final entry on our LAZY Mindset series. And like anything in life, you knew we’d get there eventually, slow n’ steady, one step at a time. This right here is the final step towards putting the PRO in procrastinator. It’s the last ingredient towards a delicious recipe for an easy, stress-free lifestyle.

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that in the preceding weeks, we’ve taken a deep dive into each module of L.A.Z.Y. By now, you are truly beginning to grasp what it means to be LAZY. You are embracing your inner sloth and seeing all the ways in which procrastinating leads to a purposeful life.

As you know, each module, represented by a letter, contains a lot of substance, yet is quite simple to memorize because of its design. The acronym LAZY makes it so you don’t have to think hard (or work hard) to recall the information. You just simply remember a little word and its little letters and your brain will put the load of  information into context naturally. 

You’ll put the pieces together without even trying. It’s really that simple. While you won’t remember all the information, you’ll at least understand the fundamentals, which is really all that matters -- and you’ll have access to it easily.

You won’t have to be like “Wait, hold on. I need a minute to think about that mindset Nate Zerambo talks about”, and pop a vein in your forehead trying to think of all the details. You’ll just remember to be LAZY and you’ll instantly recall the important  information I teach in an instant. No effort. No studying. Just….knowing.

Now I mentioned before in previous articles that the first two parts of the module lay down the foundation, the mental framework, the “bed frame”, if you will. Those parts (The L and A) develop the type of attitude you should approach your relationship, goals, and everyday situations with. They are about how you should think and why you should think that way.

Now the last two modules (Z and Y) are “practical application” of said mental framework. They are how to act, as opposed to just think. 

Of course, it goes without saying that when you think a certain way, you act a certain way. If you think Leisure and you think Aloof, you will naturally act by Zonking Out and Yawning, just as part of your persona.

In other words, you won’t have to consciously think about what you should do -- how you should act or behave, you’ll just know because the mental framework is already well established. Z and Y are really the mattress, they’re the fluff.

And like a mattress, you can certainly sleep on one without a bed frame, but without one, you won’t have the same level of support and comfort compared to sleeping with one. You need the frame for full comfort. Otherwise, you’ll be wakin’ up with sores.

That is to say, you need the mental frame to support the body (mattress) or you’ll end up kinda regrettin’ it. I mean maybe you can “fake it ‘til you make it” sort of thing. Ya know, like put on a whole performance but not really feel it on the inside.

Maybe you can pretend to be LAZY and not actually be LAZY until you actually sort of adopt the thoughts within your head.

 But I suggest you take the slower path. It’s a lot less hard work and a lot more rewarding, though it takes more time.  It minimizes effort and maximizes results. Become LAZY within and you’ll be able to demonstrate that on the outside.

Your actions (or inactions) are a reflection to what’s inside. Even if you do the things a lazy man does, the underlying non-lazy person will peak its head through the surface. 

Your stressful, hardworking, anxious, and insecure self will manifest itself into doing quite the opposite of what you intend, quite the opposite of LAZY. You can’t help it. It’s part of who you are. You’ll freak out. Lose control of your emotions. You’ll pressure yourself on deadlines instead of believing better late than never. You’ll work hard without a break and wear yourself thin.

You’ll slip back to your old ways of being that corporate little slave you’ve been trained to be, no matter what behaviors you’ve been trying to force out of yourself, no matter what lazy things you’ve been doing. Your mask will crack and you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that you haven’t changed, that underneath you’ve been lying to yourself.
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All that if you try this “fake it ‘til you make it” bullshit. You can’t fake it. You can only make it. The truth will always come to the surface. You can’t hide it. You can change though.Chang eon the inside You can change the man (or woman) underneath the mask -- get rid of the mask entirely in fact and just show who you are.

Underneath the Zonking Out and walking away and meaning it. Underneath Yawning and taking time to think with a cool-head (which we’re about to cover), should be a genuinely Aloof man who enjoys his Leisure, a genuinely LAZY man.

That’s where mindset comes in. It’s the core underneath the surface. In the end it doesn’t matter what you do, it matters who you are. So become LAZY, don’t just be lazy. All the lazy thing syou could do will come naturally if it’s part of your very being.

So focus first on your Leisure. Focus first on your Aloofness. Then, you’ll find that Zonking Out and Yawning are sort of just instinct, done without conscious thought or effort...and that my friend is laziness in its purest form: done without conscious thought or effort. You must attain that and you attain that by adjusting your mental frame. Once the mental frame is set up, everything else is just about going with the flow. Think the right thoughts and the right actions will come, with no effort at all.

That said, it’s good to have an end goal. It’s good to know how you should be acting in any given situation -- that way you know you’ve got a strong mentality. Ideally, if anything, once you’ve adapted the right frame of mind, put up the comfiest bed frame,it’ll just sort of confirm what you already think. I want you to be able to say “That’s how I WOULD handle that” , not that’s how I SHOULD.

 The behaviors I suggest in the Z and Y modules will seem rather obvious with a firm L and A in tact, but I want to give you a guideline on where you should aim to be at. Again, don’t start Zonking Out and Yawning until you’ve full embraced your Leisure and become Aloof.

Now with that out of the way, let’s take a look at our final module of the LAZY Mindset: Yawn...




Yawning is something we all do, procrastin8r or not. When we’re tired, we yawn. When we’re bored, we yawn. When someone else yawns, we yawn. It’s contagious, as we’ll get to.

Yawning is something we often do, especially in the mornings, whether we’re consciously aware of it or not. But it’s a lot more fascinating than other human bodily functions like a burp, cough, or sneeze because the

All these functions serve a purpose for a healthy body.

Burping and farting relieves gas pressure in your digestive system. Coughing clears your respiratory system. Sneezing clears out your sinuses.

But why do we yawn? What function does that serve? Does it serve any purpose at all or is it just...pointless.

One might assume that Yawning stems directly from tiredness. Great, so if I yawn I know I’m tired. But dammit, I don’t need to yawn for that. I can feel it anyway!

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​Yawning does serve a purpose though. Not just to warn us of our own exhaustion.  In fact, it probably does more to your mental health than any sort of physical benefits it might have. Yawning is a necessity.

But unlike the typical corporate wage slave who uses the yawn to express “ Shit, we should get paid more for overtime” as he groggily looks at his coworker, the procrastin8r uses the yawn to say “Ah, life is good.”

See, yawning relieves tension. It creates a sense of...calm.  Yawning is the physical cue  to tell yourself to “just relax, man and take it easy.” That’s not just philosophy form the library of Lazy Island. That’s real science!

Let's dive into it!

Yawning puts you in a relaxed state of mind. It cools your head. Literally.

Scientists have found that Yawning decreases brain temperature, meaning the more you yawn, the more likely you are to act Aloof to emotions and not get so hot headed. You remain cool and laid back no matter how heavy shit hits the fan. Nothing fires you up easily.

Worse day ever? Whatever. Life gets you down? Meh. Not today. Yawn and stay aloof to the consequences of bad choices or unpredictable events. Of course you’re aware of the negative shit, but you don’t let it “heat you up” and consume you. You cool yourself off with a deep breath and a long, satisfying yawn.

You realize whatever solution there is, worrying about it isn’t it.

Let out all that stress, all that tension in one single breath. Breathe. It’s okay. You’ve got this. No matter how terrible things are, give a good yawn and move on.

When you yawn, you think and act slower.
So maybe you yawn if you’re tired, but so what? Being tired has its benefits, ya know?

Like, for one thing, you move a lot slower. And as you probably already heard, slow n’ steady wins the race.

Slow doesn’t mean dense nor does it mean stupid. It means what it means and just that: slow.

Taking your your time, not being in a hurry. Letting troubles come and go without trying to live too fast.

Look, there’s no rush. Period. Ever. 

Deadlines, due dates, obligations -- those are all arbitrary. Slow it down. All will be fine...eventually.

Yawn and remind yourself to take time in Leisure and actually enjoy yourself. Slow it down and live in the present. Stop worrying about (and trying to rush towards) the future. Take your time, man.


 Slower means more focused. Everything you do is deliberate, precise. You take aim and shoot for a goal and don’t just run in trigger happy guns ablazin. You’re smart. Strategic. Slow.
You don’t get all sporadic or “worked up”. You simmer down, take your time, and make decisions based on the best course of action, not immediate gratification of your emotions. You Yawn to take a second to cool off and breathe, procrastinate, then act on logical decisions, not emotional reaction.

You take the time (slowly) to understand your emotions but don’t let them let you jump to make a decision.

All actions you take are Slow, Smooth, and Deliberate (SSD), like a real sloth. Let the sloth be your spirit guide. Embrace its aura in your own nature. Be the sloth! Be slow and go with the flow.



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Yawning gives you an energy boost, like caffeine

Scientists have also found that yawning not only cools your brain temperature but also increases blood flow to your brain, making you more alert.

It gives you a bit of boost in energy; similar chemicals release in the brain as  drinking a good cuppa Joe.

Olympic athletes often yawn before races, not because they’re tired. They’re plenty rested. I mean they ain’t gonna show up as a hardcore athlete to participate  the biggest sporting event in the world while exhausted. No.

They do it because it puts them in an alert state of mind. Calm yet alert, able to act with decisiveness. Yawning eliminates grogginess and makes you aware of your surroundings.

Yawning is not your body falling asleep. It’s your body waking itself up. Yawn when you need to put yourself back in the present and wake yourself up to the current surroundings. Whether it’s a big interview, fancy date, whatever. Just yawn to relieve any sort of uptight nervousness you might be feeling and give you that boost of confidence you need to tackle whatever it is that’s holding you back.

The cure to nervousness is a nice relaxed yawn.


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Take a moment to Yawn before you speak
It’s better to talk little and say a lot than it is to talk a lot and say little. Just like your actions, SSD (Slow, Smooth, and Deliberate) so too are you words. You don’t swiftly blurt out words just to say shit. You choose your words very carefully.

You speak with confidence and authority. You don’t stutter. You say what you mean and mean what you say. 

You don’t rush to fill in awkward silences either. You procrastinate, deliberately choose to let the social tension build...in silence. Silence is only awkward if you’re not Aloof. Silence is only awkward if you don’t Yawn to put your mind at ease and not feel pressured to say something. Silence builds anticipation. Use it to your advantage. Don’t see it as troublesome.

Yawning is Contagious
If you reached this point of the article and you haven’t yawned yet, even once. Well, you’re either lying or not really paying attention. Studies have shown that there’s a bit of a contagion factor when it comes to our yawns. One person yawns and another subconsciously soon plays copy cat. It’s quite bizarre!

There are different theories to explain this phenomenon. Some scientists say it’s some sort of pre-wired survival instinct that our tribal ancestors used to tell each other to “stay alert” of predators. Others say it’s an ancient form of empathy.

Whatever the case may be, while the physical act of yawning can be quite catchy, so too can the persona of a LAZY procrastin8r. The relaxed body language, the smooth suave voice, the deliberate decisiveness, the laid-back nature -- all of this makes you one hell of a charming guy (or gal). You have a “contagious” personality and people are drawn to you.

You’re so easy going, people just naturally feel comfortable around you.

 People not only like you, they want to be like you. Yawn to remind yourself of that.

 Yawn in Empathy
Maybe yawning legitimately was used to express empathy in the caveman days, maybe not, but nonetheless empathy is important today/

Aim to understand, not to be understood. You don’t have to agree. You don’t have to like them, but do understand where they're coming from.

Ask questions more often than you give answers. Admit you’re an idiot and be willing to learn a thing or two from someone else’s story, someone else’s experience, someone’ else’s knowledge or point of view.

Yawn. Let them know you care. Let them know that you are one of the few people in the world, who will pass judgment and actually take the time to listen. Let them be heard, rather than trying to be heard yourself.

Now that doesn’t mean you go about people pleasing and waiting hand over foot for somebody. Empathy is NOT about making other people happy. It’s about understanding why they aren’t.

Yawn and listen
Yawning literally relieves ear pressure, so you’ll be better able to listen, better able to use that empathy. No but seriously, almost every relationship or friendship that ends, ends due to some form of a lack of communication.

But communication is a two-way street! You can tell a person all you want, but it doesn’t matter if they aren’t LISTENING….and vice versa.

I don’t mean listen and follow directions. I don’t mean submit. I mean UNDERSTAND what they are actually fucking saying. Don’t assume. Don’t make judgment. Just listen.

Yes, you can disagree. But again, back to empathy, you’re just trying to see where they’re coming from, and you can’t do that unless you Yawn, open your ears, and listen.

Yawn because you are relaxed, not bored.
Boredom is often associated with the act of yawning, but when the procrastin8r yawns, it’s not because he’s bored. He lives anything but a dull life. He finds fun in even the simplest of things because the truth is, he’s just havin’ a good time. He appreciates the little things and that’s what keeps him from boredom.

You must embrace this sort of appreciation, for even the miniscule things in life -- the feeling of warm towels form a  dryer, the smell of bacon sizzling in the frying pan for an evening breakfast, the taste of hot pizza from your local place.

How can you be bored when there’s so many awesome things in life? C’mon now.

Yawn for an “Ahh” feeling. Like Ahh that’s good. Not a bored feeling.

Find the humor in life. Be able to laugh and laugh every day.

In a sense you are bored (or “Aloof”) to certain things like drama and emotions getting out of hand, but in general, you’re enjoyin it all man.

Wrapping Up:
While Yawning is something physical you can do, it’s more of a crutch, a tool, to use to get you in the right state of mind. Yawn to remind yourself of the way you should think and act. Yawn to embrace your inner-sloth. 

Just like a smoker might snap themselves with a rubber band every time they crave a cigarette to help quit smoking, you are going to yawn to help quit your hard working mindset, to remind yourself to lay back and take it easy in times of strife.

Yawn, not because you’re sleepy. Yawn because you’re relaxed. Yawn because you’re LAZY.

Yawning is a physical cue for yourself to be LAZY, It just has the bonus benefit of literally cooling your brain to  get you to calm down and increasing blood flow to your brain to get you to focus.

Be relaxed. That’s the key to confidence, the key to getting what you want and getting away with it. Yawn your way to confidence. Yawn your way to success.

Every conflict that arises, just yawn and you’ll be able to approach it with poise and grace as well as focus. Every opportunity, yawn, and you won’t get nervous or worry about it. You’ll remain Aloof to any sort of negative feeling, able to stay laid back and cool-headed (literally).

In your free time, Yawn, and fully embrace your Leisure. Really put aside any sort of goal and just enjoy the thing you’re doing

Yawn before you Zonk Out too, so you’re steady and firm in walking away and don’t angrily just storm off instead.

Yawn all your worries away. Be a true procrastin8r. You're laziness will be contagious.
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