We often tend to confuse and use the terms laziness and procrastination inter-changeably but the two stark a major difference. While procrastination on one hand means simply choosing to do something else than the task you should be doing, laziness, on the other hand, indicates inactivity, apathy, and an unwillingness to act.
What is laziness?
Laziness can be defined as a lack of energy, will, and motivation to undertake any activity requiring efforts. Laziness is generally conceptualized to be a personality trait which is relatively chronic and stable over time but can also be a temporary or momentary state of being categorized as acute laziness. Laziness can cause you to push your important tasks ahead and disturb your mental and physical health in the long run. A number of studies link laziness to several psychological conditions like low self-esteem, lack of motivation, feeling lethargic, losing a sense of purpose, anxiety, depression, mood disorders among others. Although laziness carries negative connotations to it yet many people brag about being lazy as it sometimes becomes a reason to suffice for their delays.
Causes of laziness:
1) A monotonous routine: Having to wake up each day and do the same thing literally every day can make you feel stuck and lose interest. You may find it difficult to look for a motivation to repeat the same tasks over and over again which could cause you to avoid doing anything at all.
2) Having too much on your plate: If you are someone who tries to undertake several activities at once due to your over-enthusiasm, having to struggle with multitasking at a later stage could be really stressful and overwhelming for you.
3) Disturbed sleep schedule: Not getting enough or uninterrupted sleep can tire your brain and you may feel dull throughout the day. It can add to your laziness if this becomes a habit. It can further drain you and also cause severe neurological problems in the future.
4) Psychological causes: Experiencing mood swings, tiredness, and lacking a sense of purpose and zeal to carry on activities can be a symptom of underlying mental health illnesses like anxiety disorders, depression, or even bipolar disorders.
5) Physical causes: Feeling lazy or tired all the time may also be an indication of an undiagnosed medical condition such as anemia, fatigue, diabetes, thyroid, or any other chronic illness. Thus, one should regularly get health check-ups done.
1) Set realistic goals: Setting realistic expectations makes you aware of your strengths and weaknesses and allows you to achieve goals much easier and in a phased manner. It saves you from burnout and keeps you motivated to work on yourself.
2) Avoid perfection: Learning to embrace imperfections is itself a half-won battle against all odds. Striving for perfection not just exhausts you physically but also puts excess mental pressure on you. It may make it difficult to move on from failures and shortcomings causing you to lose your sense of purpose in the end.
3) Work on your set targets: Chalking out a strategy for yourself allows you to manage your time better and saves your efforts from going in vain. Achieving small targets using short to-do lists can make you feel confident and more in control of your actions.
4) Remind yourself of the benefits: Thinking of the rewards for completing the task at hand can help you keep going and also stand strong in face of adversities.
5) Devote yourself to one thing: Instead of choosing to multitask and taxing your brain, one should focus on one thing at a time and devote their complete attention and focus on a single task.
6) Avoid procrastination: Delaying work can do no good but rather pile up tasks to do leading to heightened stress and anxiety at a later stage. It is thus better to avoid procrastinating and completing duties as and when they come to you.
