How To Stop Being Lazy
Ok, that was partial clickbait, but STAY because this is exactly what you need to hear right now.
Laziness isn’t a hard-wired personality trait.
It’s not the end-all “just because.”
How many times have you dismissed something you wanted to do and blamed it on being “too lazy?”
Blamed it on not having the willpower or motivation…
It might feel like a quick way to excuse a set of behaviors, but it does a terrible job at explaining the cause, and, without the cause, we don’t know where to start to get out of our “lazy” state of mind. It’s easy to brush things off and blame it on “being lazy,” but what do you lose by doing so?
Time
Progress
Knowledge
Etc.
When’s the last time you didn’t do something repeatedly because you were “lazy?”
How far would you be now, how much of any of the above would you have gained, if you had taken that step?
If instead of leaving it at “I’m lazy,” you actually took a moment to figure out what was holding you back?
Got curious, instead of judgmental and complacent:
What situational factors are holding you back?
What needs are currently not being met?
What are the barriers to action that you can’t see?
Let’s get back to some of those behaviors I mentioned above that are often summarized by the word lazy:
Procrastination
Avoidance
Abdication of Responsibility
Etc.
See, now, those are behaviors that are bit more specific and give us insight into what is actually going on.
Oftentimes, the cause of those behaviors (the barriers to action) can be one of many:
Fear of the Unknown
Fear of Rejection / Criticism
Fear of Change
Fear of Failure
Fear of Success
Feeling of Hopelessness
Feeling of Not Being Good Enough
Low Motivation
Low Energy / Physical Fatigue
Etc.
F E A R - “Laziness” becomes a nice comfortable bed that we can just lie in when we get scared to face our reality, or what could be our reality. Any type of fear, whether it’s of the unknown, rejection/criticism, change, failure, even success, causes a state of overwhelm and stress that leads us to push the things that we need/want to do for another day, and another, and another… The problem is that “other day” never comes, because we get used to choosing to live in that fear, instead of exploring it. How many times have you waiting to start something, only to look back and realize how far you could be if you started? The answer to how to cope and get through this isn’t quite as simple as the others, it’s certainly not impossible though, it just takes a bit more internal work. Therapy helped me, and a lot of time sitting, thinking, and being real with myself and determining why this is so important to me. Also recognizing that some of the beliefs we have, our simply not true, and it takes work to believe - but it’s worth the work, trust me.
F E E L I N G O F H O P E L E S S N E S S - When tasks seem really daunting because they’re either big or complicated, it’s hard to sometimes think of where to begin. This is where organization helps a lot. If you have a large task/project you have to do that can be cut up into simple steps (aka doesn’t take 30 seconds to do), that’s a good place to start. Just keep asking yourself, “What do I have to do before this action step” over and over and over again until you get to the very beginning. For example, the first step in writing this post was figuring out the topic I wanted to write about, and then the second was researching, super simple, actionable, small tasks that I could check off fairly quickly. Check off enough of these little actionable steps and you’ll have finished your project in no time!
F E E L I N G O F N O T B E I N G G O O D E N O U G H - This is another more difficult one, because for me it took some therapy and a lot of internal work, again, not impossible though and totally worth it (for so many different reasons). Believing in yourself and knowing you’re worth success and happiness and self care all these things is a foundational key to getting s*** done. If I were you (and I once was / still am sometimes), I’d get out a piece of paper and write down all the reasons you DESERVE to do ___. Almost like a gratitude journal, but different. That’s a great start if therapy isn’t in your foreseeable future.
L O W M O T I V A T I O N - A lot of people believe motivation is something that just arrives one day on a silver platter. One day you’ll find it or it’ll find you and you’ll start. The biggest Iesson I’ve learned about motivation is that motivation is often the result of action, not the cause of it. A lot of people think it’s Motivation = Action, but it’s actually, more often than not, Action = Motivation. Sometimes, we fail to take action because of one of the beliefs above, but regardless, the easiest and best thing for you to do right now, is to just start, and start small. Create a ritual, a habit, that you know you can stick to (Personal Antidote: For the longest time I couldn’t find time in my day to workout. I used to workout in the morning (5:30am), but that’s not an option for me at the moment given my schedule. I would just try and fit it in wherever I could, but most days I’d get stuck working or get too tired to want to. So what did I do? I started off slow and created a new ritual that felt doable: I’d workout right after my last morning client - right before I start my computer work Mon/Wed/Fri. I’d start with simple 20-30 min workouts that just got me moving. Soon enough, it became so habitual that I started adding Tue/Thur and my workouts got longer and sometimes more difficult. I took action, and how it made me feel to accomplish what I started and the way exercise made me feel the rest of the day motivated me to continue. I just needed to start, and start slow.)
L O W E N E R G Y / P H Y S I C A L F A T I G U E - This one is often really overlooked (in my opinion) and sometimes requires more medical attention. Constantly feeling like you’re low on energy and physical fatigue could mean something bigger is going on and you might want to look into getting a check up and consulting your physician. It could also be a sign of depression, so make sure you surround yourself with care! On the lighter side, it could also just mean that you’re deficient in some vitamins, sunlight, and/or food. You could also be overworked at work and dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety (either personal or business). Although totally valid, I wouldn’t be quick to use this as an excuse. If it’s getting in the way of you reaching your goals and doing what you want with you life, talk to someone that can help you! Nutrition Specific: I find that most people don’t realize (out of fear of gaining weight) that they’re actually under eating and not fueling their body well enough (i.e. with enough calories or nutritious whole foods) to handle even day to day tasks, let alone find energy to do anything other than work. Make sure you’re eating enough and eating colorfully :)
Most people do not choose to be “lazy.” I don’t think anyone really wants to feel incapable or ineffective. If you look at your actions or inactions and choose to only see laziness, I think you’re truly missing some important details. There is always an explanation for feeling a certain way and there will almost always be obstacles (physical or mental). Just because you can’t recognize them at first, doesn’t mean they’re not there. Give yourself a little bit of grace and curiosity to explore what's truly holding you back and get through it so you can achieve the things that you truly want and not get in your own way.
If you’re looking for a safe space where you can learn how to let go of dieting for good, enjoy food without guilt, and turn exercise into something you love to do rather than something you “have” to do, submit a client application to get in contact with me! I work with clients virtually all over the world helping those who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food and themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
