We usually imagine an intelligent person as well organized, quick to react, always under control, polite and communicative at the same time. Additionally, she responds promptly to emails and thrives under pressure. As persuasive and popular as such a mental image is, it is also unrealistic and inaccurate, says an American psychologist Mark Travers. The human mind, in fact, does not function like a machine that works indefinitely at full power. In reality, people who are truly intelligent understand that their mental, physical, and emotional resources are limited and, if they want to function well in the long term, they know that they must carefully protect these resources. From the outside it may look a little strange, sometimes even like laziness, but it is definitely useful. These are three “lazy” habits of intelligent people whose benefits have been recognized in intelligence research.
They avoid hard work
This sounds almost contradictory. So how could an intelligent person avoid hard work? Isn’t that their way of functioning? But when you take a closer look, it becomes clear that this is not about work ethic, but about avoiding unnecessary effort. Taking shortcuts, automating some tasks or taking the path of least resistance is often presented as circumventing obstacles, but in reality it can reflect efficiency. In a comprehensive examination the study from 2009 investigated the so-called the neural efficiency hypothesis of intelligence. This theory suggests that people with higher intelligence show less brain activation when performing cognitive tasks. While some might misinterpret this as a sign of disengagement, it’s actually because their brains are working more efficiently than other people’s brains, says Travers.
Intelligent people and those who are less intelligent but are hard workers can come up with the same solutions, but the former use fewer resources to do so. For example, imagine two people solving the same problem at work. One painstakingly goes through every possible step, checking everything twice. The second one immediately notices the pattern, skips unnecessary steps, takes experience into account and comes to a solution in half the time.
One might say that such a person has not really tried, but in reality she has recognized the most effective path. That is why the so-called lazy people are those who often come up with better work systems, automate repetitive tasks, question inefficient work flows, look for advantages and shortcuts. Therefore, what is called laziness is often just a type of thinking that prioritizes results over effort, for its own sake.
They sleep or nap a lot
Sleeping or napping during the day is loosely associated with laziness, but neuroscience tells a very different story. IN studies from 2015, researchers examined the relationship between fluid intelligence and sleep patterns, specifically, they examined “sleep spindles” during afternoon naps. This is the name given to bursts of brain activity that occur during certain stages of sleep, which are believed to contribute to memory consolidation and learning. Researchers have found a positive association between fluid intelligence and sleep spindle duration. In simpler terms, this means that people with higher intelligence showed sleep patterns associated with more efficient cognitive processing, even while napping.
– This calls into question the long-standing cultural image of the “tireless genius” who works late into the night, sacrificing sleep in search of productivity. In reality, high performers often do the opposite—they fiercely protect their sleep, and for good reason. They know that sleep is not a passive time of rest – says Travers.
Sleep is an important and active process that supports several instrumental components of our daily functioning: memory consolidation, emotional regulation, creative problem solving, and complex reasoning. That’s why, when we lack sleep, the brain literally cannot function at full capacity. Attention decreases, decision-making deteriorates, and emotional reactions become more difficult to regulate. Therefore, if someone goes to bed early, wakes up late, or takes regular naps, don’t immediately assume that they are just indulging in pleasure. For intelligent people, these habits are a deliberate investment in cognitive performance, out of respect for their biological limitations.
They let things flow
We tend to admire people who are constantly engaged: those who speak in public, have something witty to say in response to every insult or embarrassment. In contrast, someone who ignores things, avoids conflict, or occasionally says “I don’t care” can appear apathetic and without passion. However, this overlooks that in many cases the decision not to react is a sign of emotional intelligence, not indifference.
New research, including the study from 2025 published in Frontiers in Public Health, suggest that people with higher emotional intelligence are better at managing stress and regulating emotions. The authors note that one of the key mechanisms for this is something called psychological detachment: the ability to mentally switch off from what causes us stress, especially outside of work. This ability is strongly associated with better mental health and general well-being.
Travers gives the example of two colleagues who were mildly criticized by their boss. One of them spends the rest of the day thinking. He replays the interaction over and over in his head, feeling frustrated, perhaps even coming up with a defensive response. The other admits it to himself, selects useful feedback, ignores what is not useful to him and moves on.
To an outside observer, the other person may seem disinterested or too passive. But in reality, she made a calculated decision: she withdrew from something that wasn’t worth her time or emotional energy. This is the essence of choosing our battles – not every frustration deserves a response, not every insult requires correction, and not every problem needs to be solved immediately. Letting things go, in this context, means knowing your own priorities. And for intelligent people, it is a necessary way of conserving mental resources for what is really important.
