The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-09
LAZINESS As
Y HABIT

= HABIT
Editor The star. Here are two
brothers.
Both go to bed about II o'clock al
night. Both are In good health.
The workaday activities OF both
ere closely similar.
But one brother rises At the stroke
Of six every morning. He shayes
and dresses brlskly. He takes a short
walk outdoors. And he has ample
time to look thru the morning paper
before breakfasttug al 100.
The other brother. likewise waking
1t six. turns over In bed. and falls
asleep again. II IN after seven before
before he crawis grumblingiy out OF
bed. and usually II Is nearly eight
when he puts In his appearances at
the breakfast table.
A dotlng mother excuses him on
The ground that James really needs
more sleep than John doeA- Per.
haps she IN right
But the likelihood IL that the off.
ference between the energy OF John
and the laziness OF James Is chiefly a
matter OF habit
John rises at SIX. not so much be
cause his constitution impeis him 10
10 20. as because he has consciously
a. unconsciouly trained himself TO
ret out OF bed AZ soon as he wakes.
Habit determines likewise the
briskness with which he shayes and
dresses. Habit sends him outdoors
20 benefit from the fresh morning
cir.
II James could only b. persuaded
70 follow his example for a while. II
every morning he would force him
self to arise at six and adopt Johns
before breakfast routine. II IL safe
70 predict that soon he would not
have to force himself to DO so.
Whereas. on the opposite. II John
were to resolve to stay abed until
Sven for few mornings he would
presently find himself developing a
habit OF late rising singularly akin
- that now so deplorably evident
in James.
50 with ENERGY and laziness in
other human activities. Again and
again habit Is the determining factor
Men may work eight. ten or twelve
hours a day because they are 30 In
terested In their work that they want
TO work eight. ten or twelve hours
But often n Is habit rather than dc
sire that keeps them hard at work
And. even IL desire 10 work be
present as a result Of intense interest
IN the work. 1t IL entirely possible
TO undermine this by establishing a
habit OF stopping work early.
IL needs only few days OF shorter
working activity to make Il more
natural TO stop work at three or
four than TO continue working until
i've or six as formerly.
Whereas, on the contrary, the mar
accustomed to stop work at three OF
four, may find II just as natural
to work longer. II for a period h.
force himself to work longer.
Little by little his voluntary IN
creased devotion 70 work will, thru
habit. become involuntary. Then hs
win automatically persist In tn,
longer working day, without effort
without giving the matter a second
thought
just as the energetic John rises al
six because 1T Is his habit to rise
~ six. so will the whilom work
dodger acquire work habit thai
makes continuance at work easy fol
him.
/ commend these facts TO the con
sideration of all who have 10 con
tess themselves lazy. They can un
failingly cure their laziness-uniess
perchance. IL Is rooted In ill-health-
n only they will for time fore,
themselves to the effort necessary
% establish the salutary habit o
greater activity. II. A.