Laziness is a state of mind that we have all experienced at some point. Whether when we are faced with an unmotivating activity or when we are overcome by fatigue, it is common to fall into a state of inaction that paralyzes us. Although it is an adaptive state, letting ourselves get carried away by laziness decreases our performance and effectiveness in the face of the challenges of daily life.
While it’s true that some people are lazier than others, it’s no secret that even generally productive people can experience a dip in motivation and productivity. Discover in this Psychology-Online article how to overcome laziness so that you can rediscover your strength and inspiration.
Set realistic goals and objectives
The first recommendation to overcome laziness is to set realistic and manageable goals. In fact, it is counterproductive to take on too many tasks at the same time, as they can lead to physical and mental exhaustion.
Therefore, you should avoid emotional or personal anxiety, since this leads to fatigue, lack of interest and even the desire to want to escape from your duties when you feel overwhelmed by the path you are taking.
Don’t expect perfection
Every day people seek to be more perfect in everything they do and that entails a psychological effect of permanent frustration. It is not about surrendering to mediocrity, but about weighing peace of mind over perfectionwhich will probably never come.
Due to this same constant search for perfectionism, it is common to see great competitiveness in various areas of daily life, which can cause severe problems. When this happens, people enter a state of “avoidant coping” as a way to deal with those factors that cause stress.
Surround yourself with energetic people
“Tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell you who you are” This old popular saying has a lot to do with this next strategy to combat laziness, since if you are constantly surrounded by lazy people, chances are that they will end up infecting you with their lazy attitude. carelessness and laziness.
Analyze if the cause of your laziness is internal or if it is linked to some influence from your family, friends or even your partner. Yes that’s how it is, set clear goals to meet your objectives without depending on anyone else.
Get organized and maintain order
Another of the most effective strategies to overcome laziness is personal and environmental organization. On many occasions, when we are surrounded by disorder, the mind is activated in a state of inaction in response to the chaos. For this reason, try to organize your workspace, your home and your agenda.
Order and cleanliness create a defined pattern that allows you to remain calm in the different situations that arise, since you know that you are in control. When you have everything in order and planned, your mind will be more focused on what you need to do.
More action and less words
Do you want another tip to overcome laziness? When you think over and over the same issue that you have to face, you end up postponing it because you think it is too complicated. The solution to this is to act without stopping to think about it so much, and even less so if it is an activity that you like.
You can start with the simplest tasks and little by little you complete one after another. When you least think about it, you will have everything ready and complete.
Plan pending tasks
To-do lists are always effective as a task map. It is a simple but effective strategy, because allows you to visualize in an organized way what deserves your immediate attention and what can wait a little.
Take some time and write in a notebook, whiteboard, digital application or wherever is most comfortable for you, the pending activities and move forward at your own pace.
Use positive self-talk
Internal dialogue has the power to build and destroy. Therefore, use it to your advantage to direct your energies towards the completion of your goals. Eliminate limiting thoughts such as “I’m very lazy”, “I’d better leave it for later” or “there’s no way I’m going to finish this” and replace them with more positive sentences like “I’ll give my all to make that happen”.
Avoid distractions
To be honest, at some point we all fall prey to distractions and what we like to do most, such as browsing social networks, playing with pets or chatting with friends. Whatever distraction limits you, block it and downplay it.
There is always a way. For example, find a quieter place to work, turn off your cell phone and concentrate on what you are doing, this way you will finish your responsibilities faster.
Make boring fun
Pending activities don’t have to be tedious. try give to tasks a fun touch to get away from laziness. For example, if you have to clean, turn on the player and play your favorite music. A few simple changes to your routine can make a big difference and boost your motivation to finish what you need to do.
Consider the consequences of laziness and action
When you want to combat laziness, think about the possible rewards of your actions and what you will miss by letting that state dominate you. You can fight laziness projecting in your mind what you will achieve when you finish with the activity. These types of projections increase motivation and give you a clearer vision of what you can achieve.
Exercise and eat healthy
Eating healthy and moving constantly not only overcomes laziness, but also strengthens your immune system and boosts your health. By practicing an exercise routine and a healthy diet, your body will feel more energy and you will be easily activated by the activities you must face.
Also, we recommend practicing mindfulness techniques such as yoga, meditation or yoga.
Recognize your most productive hours
Each organism is different, for this reason there are those who are more productive early in the morning and others perform better in the afternoon or even at night. Learn to recognize the hours of the day in which your mind and body are more active and focused on tasks.
Likewise, another strategy to combat laziness is do the most difficult and complex tasks first so that you get rid of them quickly and don’t waste time worrying because you have to do them later.
When you have finished what you had to do, give yourself a reward such as a moment of rest, a good cup of coffee or whatever you like best. On the other hand, don’t forget that you are a human being and ask for help if you need it or if you feel overwhelmed by a particular situation.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Lafargue, P. (1977). The right to laziness (Vol. 116). Fundamentals Editorial.
- Lavín, M. (2006). Laziness/diligence. The shadow strip. Feminist Debate, 33.