In an era where work-life balance and mental health have become increasingly prioritised, a new trend is sweeping across social media. With Google searches up by 300% in the past day, “lazy girl jobs” is a popular phrase coined on TikTok that highlights a growing desire for positions offering substantial pay with minimal stress and effort.
Guy Thornton, Founder of Practice Aptitude Tests, has provided insight into the trend, and the surrounding conversations about workplace expectations and job satisfaction in contemporary society, as well as what a lazy girl job really is.
“With now over 40 million views on TikTok under the tag, the rise in popularity of the ‘lazy girl job’ aligns with a shift in how people value work now. Increasingly, individuals value job satisfaction, mental health, and personal fulfilment over more traditional metrics of success, like high salaries and titles.
“Many things have influenced people to be more passionate about a positive work-life balance, one of them being the advancements in technology, which has made remote work more accessible and efficient. This has expanded the range of jobs that can be performed with minimal physical presence, aligning well with the lazy girl job ethos.
“Another major influence on a change of attitude was the COVID-19 lockdown. It accelerated the change from on-site work, to more roles normalising remote work. Highlighting the feasibility of maintaining productivity outside conventional office settings fuelled more people to seek job arrangements that could cater to a healthier work-life balance.
“There doesn’t have to be specific roles in the world of work that you could classify as a ‘lazy girl job’. There are various characteristics that can classify the jobs, some of which include:
Minimal Stress
These jobs are typically low-pressure and have manageable workloads, reducing the likelihood of burnout and stress. A big part of lazy girl jobs is promoting a healthy work-life balance; the roles associated with this trend, such as administrative assistant or content writer, are minimal stress.
Flexible hours
Many of the lazy girl jobs showcased on Tiktok are described as offering flexible working hours, with some even introducing a four-day working week. The positive of this is that it allows individuals the opportunity to maintain a healthy work-life balance while accommodating any personal commitments.
Remote work
A significant number of these positions can be done remotely. With more people working outside of the conventional office settings, it has allowed individuals the freedom to work from anywhere and save time on commuting. This has sparked people sharing videos online of their ‘5-9’ before their ‘9-‘5’—individuals showcase their morning routine before their shift has even begun.
Remote work allows people to be more productive with their days, spending the time it would take to commute doing other fulfilling things.
A good salary
Despite the reduced effort required, lazy girl jobs often come with decent salaries that can support a comfortable lifestyle. Whilst they may not be the highest-paying jobs, they still provide individuals with enough money to spend on non-essentials.
Autonomy over schedule
“Lazy girl jobs also often involve autonomous work with minimal oversight, allowing employees to work at their own pace. Working in a more traditional corporate environment can come with micromanagement and work being dictated and overseen by a more authoritative employee, which some find counterproductive.
“Lazy girl jobs often come with the freedom to choose your work schedule day-to-day. This in turn can motivate people to work harder, as they are more trusted to get on with their work without intervention.”