I think it’s about time to start a sleep category - more evidence is being produced that sleep wards off obesity in children.

Researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child’s chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.

The less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child’s weight was in third grade, said Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research.

Children in elementay school, the study found, needed about 10 hours of sleep to reap in the most benefits. It may be tough for adults, but encourage and work in naps throughout the day or after school. Rested children will be less grouchy and more creative in the long run.

…the fear of Mondays.

Those of you who are already working may have a hard time building the motivation to get your MBA. The two best options, an executive MBA (usually weekends only) or a part-time degree program, will save you tuition and living expense.

BusinessWeek has ranked the top choices.

At the University of California at Los Angeles’ Anderson School of Management—our top part-time MBA program nationally—we discovered a school that challenges students to apply everything they have learned in a final project that takes them well outside their comfort zones. At Harvard Business School, one of the top executive education programs in the open enrollment category, we found an already successful program in the midst of a game-changing overhaul, with a new array of programs targeting every level of the corporate hierarchy. And over at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, our longtime No. 1 executive MBA program, we found a program where the customer is king and teamwork is part of the school’s DNA.

A full-time program can set you back more than a year’s salary and taking too much time off or in between classes can invalidate your credits. Keep in mind that - in most cases - 2 years in an MBA program can almost double your salary for a lifetime.

Most (straight) men know that they want to get women, but don’t know how. Lazy men are in particular trouble in this department since most people are not good looking enough to have women flock to them.

Discover the secret of getting dates and approach women with help from the Modern Man. The site is focused on teaching the skills you have been too shy to learn out in the real world. Modern Man can help you get a girlfriend by giving you flirting tips, providing you with articles on where the best places to go are, and bolstering your confidence in general.

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The laziest way to keep a tight budget is not to give any out to freeloaders and drug addicts the less fortunate. Britney Spears has been flinging her money around without hesitation, but only donated $500 to charity last year court records show.

Although she’s often photographed eating fast food, Spears declares she spends about $4,758 per month dining out. Meanwhile, she spends zero on education, savings and investments and gives $500 a month in charitable contributions, the documents said.

Good thing, I forgot to tell everyone not to spend any money on education, savings, and investments either, even if your comeback was a disaster.

Cooking food is one more step between you and eating, but also one step away from explosive diarrhea and salmonella. All in all, that means you have to cook most foods - here is a list of the top 5 that don’t require much time, skill, or effort to do so.

• Eggs - The nice thing about eggs is there are countless ways to cook them and make them more than a Spartan meal if you’ve got accessories. Hard boiling, sunny side up, and scrambled are the most convenient. Add some salt, pepper, and tomatoes to fancy them up, if you can be bothered.
• Rice - Remember, boil 2 cups of water for every cup of rice and make sure to add salt as you do. Salt increases the boiling point of water; the hotter the water, the less time to cook. Add 1/4 stick of butter per cup of rice for quick flavor.
• Pasta - You can boil the hell out of this stuff and never go wrong. Add some melted mozzarella for about 5 minutes after yo’ve strained the water. Leave the burner on low and stir. Butter and red peppers and you’ve got a 15 minute meal.
• Vegetables - Steam, boil, or better yet microwave them. Microwaving veggies preserves the most vitamins than other forms of cooking (about 89%). Buy frozen so you can stay stocked up and add some olive oil and salt for zing.
• Chicken - Boil at high heat for around 30 minutes. It won’t taste that great, but next to some of the above dishes i’ll pass. Black pepper and sour cream make great additions.

Some of the key rules of thumb to remember are buy frozen, if you can boil it it’s easy, and salt and pepper go along way. I once read a famous chef describe the difference between gourmet and standard food. The key? It’s all about the spices, leverage them and you can whip up a quick treat in no time.

foXnoMad writes:

Scirocco Take A Break is a little program that sits in the Windows task bar and reminds you to get up at intervals you specify. Ok, so you might be on a roll when your 45 minute break comes around, you can hit the “remind” button (also configurable) and get another nudge in 10 minutes.

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…in the Czech Republic.

It seems to be sleep-week here on Be Lazier, but who doesn’t love sleep? Helen Emsellem, author of “Snooze…or Lose! Ten ‘No War’ Ways to Improve Your Teen’s Sleep Habits” lists some of the best ways to catch some quick Zzzzs.

Coffee and a Nap Turns out that a cup of joe won’t ruin your nap, it will enhance it. A 2003 Japanese study found that you can alleviate sleepiness by combining a short snooze with coffee. Sound counterintuitive? Here’s how it works: caffeine takes about 20 minutes to a half-hour to kick in, just enough time for you to nap. That way, if you’ve had a coffee-primed nap, the benefits are twofold: you’ve rested and you’re ready to go when you wake.

A good nap is anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes Emsellem writes, and the ideal hour to take one is about 3pm. I like her other big point - consistent napping. By beginning a napping schedule you can alter your body circadian rhythms to expect a little jolt during the afternoon slump. As research mounts that naps can boost productivity and morale, they may finally be taken seriously and allowed at the workplace.