“Laziness was born before me.
Since childhood, it has been very difficult for me to force myself to do something, especially something I don’t like. I often put things off until later, thinking that I will definitely do everything when I have more time and energy. After all, nothing terrible will happen, there is still time. Often I plan a bunch of things for the day, but end up doing nothing. But then I feel remorse for wasting time, not doing an important task, and spending the day uselessly. How do I fight laziness? I try different remedies, but so far she wins. I put off writing my final work until the very last moment, and I felt afraid that I wouldn’t be able to submit it on time, but for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to sit down and do it. I was distracted by interesting videos, films, TV series, minor household chores - just to avoid doing work. I found a bunch of reasons and excuses: bad mood, lack of inspiration, other things to do, important meetings, poor health. I knew I was being irresponsible. I felt ashamed that I was letting everyone down, including myself. But I don't like being pressured. I need a special mood, inspiration, so that I get down to business. I don’t know how else to deal with my laziness and disorganization.”— Alena, 24 years old
The story of our heroine is familiar to, perhaps, every person. We are all sometimes overcome by laziness: we put off important things, spend the whole day without doing anything useful. And this is normal - until this bad habit begins to spoil our life, as long as we are able to overcome it.
Sometimes such sabotaging of affairs can be very useful, because initially laziness is embedded in us as a psychological defense mechanism against overwork. And if in general you do not consider yourself a lazy person, you should listen to this important signal from the body and rest on time: this will protect you from serious illnesses that arise due to exhaustion - depression, heart disease, nervous disorders. But if you feel that your laziness has developed into a habit, perhaps this is not just the body’s reaction to fatigue, but a stable pattern of behavior. [1] In this article we will understand the psychology of laziness and tell you how to overcome laziness, which prevents you from living a full life.
Test: do you have problems with laziness?
To find out if your laziness has become a habit, take this little test. Check the statements with which you agree:
- I put off completing a task until the last minute, even if a lot depends on it.
- I am often late for work, this is already part of the system.
- I make big plans for the weekend, but every time I decide to stay at home and watch TV series.
- Every night I promise myself to change.
- I prefer to overpay and order food at home rather than cook it myself.
- I can’t deny myself the pleasure of lying in bed in the morning, even if I’m late.
- I can go weeks without cleaning my apartment, simply because I’m lazy.
- I constantly plan to start working out, but I don’t know how to overcome laziness and start exercising.
- I refuse any offers to go somewhere or do something interesting - at home it’s much better.
- I rarely meet with friends and family because I don’t want to leave the house to meet.
An easy victory over laziness!
BUY A SERVICE WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT THE SERVICE
If you agreed with most of the points, most likely, your laziness has moved to the stage where it is already interfering with your life and work. The consequences of such laziness can be very serious: health problems, dismissal from work, inability to build close relationships with people. This habit can really ruin your life. To prevent this from happening, you should pay attention to the problem and find out how to overcome laziness.
Pathological laziness: reasons
In addition to fatigue, laziness can have many other reasons, which are based on internal conflicts or lack of motivation. After all, what is laziness from a psychological point of view? This is a reaction to the discrepancy between “need” and “want”, an imbalance between a person’s needs and his living conditions. Knowing the true causes of laziness, you can better understand how to overcome it.
- Lack of interest in work
Unfortunately, not each of us is lucky enough to do what we love, for which we want to get up in the morning. It is not surprising that a person quickly loses interest in a job he doesn’t like; he simply loses the motivation to perform his tasks efficiently. After all, if you force yourself to do something that you don’t need for a long time, natural resistance arises - the brain simply doesn’t understand why waste so much energy on a useless activity. It is especially difficult when work contradicts a person’s values: this can develop into a serious internal conflict, and in especially severe cases it can even lead to mental disorders. Methods of dealing with laziness in this case are not simple: you need to either change your job or try to find meaning in your current one. [2]
Lack of goals in life
This reason is related to the previous one. Essentially, a lack of goals—both short-term and long-term—equals a lack of motivation. It is very important for a person to strive for something. Aimless actions naturally cause reluctance to perform them, even if they themselves arouse interest. In addition, if the necessary things are not consistent with our true goals, the reluctance to spend time on them is also completely natural. Therefore, when wondering how to “cure” laziness, you need to first ask yourself: why do I need to complete this or that task that I am currently sabotaging?
Fear
Sometimes laziness comes from fear of a voluminous project or an overly complex task. A person may be afraid that he will not cope, that the efforts expended will not be worth it, that he will be criticized. Moreover, the fear may not even be recognized - there will simply be a reluctance to start work. Fear can especially constrain eternal perfectionists, for whom it is important that everything is done perfectly, as well as people who lack self-confidence. In ordinary life they can be hardworking people, but increased responsibility scares them. How can an adult deal with laziness in this case? Realize that an imperfect result also has a right to exist.
Weakness
Laziness can be not only a protest against uninteresting or difficult work, but also a weakness of character. A person with weak will simply cannot bring himself to do something, even if he knows that it is important. Such a person strives exclusively for quick pleasures. He cannot overcome himself, get everything done and enjoy a well-deserved rest. It’s easier for him to have fun right now, postponing things for later.
We talked about how to cure weakness of will, and therefore overcome laziness and fatigue, in this article.
5. The habit of being lazy
Finally, the reason may simply be a habit of laziness that has been ingrained since childhood. Perhaps as a child you did not have any household responsibilities, your parents made decisions for you, and they simply turned a blind eye to your reluctance to study. In this case, you may have developed a certain pattern of behavior, and it was not easy to overcome it as an adult.
Learned helplessness
Another option is if you were regularly assigned overwhelming responsibilities. In this case, you have learned that you still won’t be able to complete the task, which means you shouldn’t even try. Under such conditions, learned helplessness develops, which manifests itself in chronic laziness. [3]
7. Mental disorders or physical illnesses
Let’s take a separate look at this reason for reluctance to do something. Chronic laziness that occurs suddenly can be a symptom of depression, as well as serious somatic diseases: from diseases of the cardiovascular system to cancer. If you understand that none of the above reasons are for you, perhaps you should pay attention to your mental and physical state. Knowing how to deal with laziness will not help here: to overcome it, you need to treat not the symptom, but the disease itself. Therefore, be sure to consult a doctor to determine the cause of pathological laziness and begin treatment.
Diagnostics
Lethargy is a symptom of many diseases, so the primary examination is carried out by a general practitioner. The diagnostic plan involves a combination of laboratory and instrumental studies designed to find or exclude a possible cause of lethargy. The most informative ones are:
- Blood test
. In the general analysis, nonspecific signs of inflammation are revealed; sharp changes in the number of platelets indicate disturbances in the hemostatic system. Biochemical analysis is carried out to determine the level of protein and individual protein fractions, acute phase indicators. The immunogram is designed to exclude allergic reactions. - Hormonal profile
. In women, the levels of progesterone and estrogen must be examined, and, if necessary, the amount of FSH and LH, prolactin. To exclude thyroid diseases, the levels of free thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone are assessed. Additionally, the insulin concentration is determined. - Bacteriological analysis
. Often lethargy is a sign of infectious diseases, so culture of blood and sputum on selective nutrient media is required. For express diagnostics, microscopy of the smear is performed after staining with aniline dyes. Serological tests are used to confirm the diagnosis, especially for viral infections. - X-ray imaging
. To assess the condition of the kidneys, plain radiography and excretory urography are performed. To exclude damage to brain tissue, it is prescribed, which makes it possible to identify focal formations or diffuse inflammatory changes. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to detail the affected area. - Additional methods
. In order to exclude bronchial asthma, spirography and a bronchodilation test with salbutamol are necessary. If neurological causes of illness are suspected, the reactions of the autonomic nervous system are examined, deep and superficial reflexes are studied. Women are advised to undergo a comprehensive gynecological examination.
How to deal with laziness: advice from psychologists
How to overcome laziness and force yourself to work and do other things? In some cases, you can successfully deal with the problem on your own if you really want to. Here are some tips on how you can overcome laziness at work and at home, gradually weaning yourself off laziness every day:
- The “by contradiction” method: do nothing. You need to stand in the center of the room and literally immerse yourself in doing nothing. You cannot move, listen to music or watch TV, talk, and ideally even think. After a few minutes, you will definitely want to do at least something - the body cannot remain in a passive state for a long time. This remedy is considered very effective.
- Work for a few minutes. If the hardest part of your job is getting started, try this method. Convince yourself to work for just five minutes. If this is too difficult, you can start with two. Set a timer and work for the set time. Most likely, you won’t want to stop - your brain has already started working, and switching requires a lot of resources. This recommendation will help if you have a complex or very large task that scares you.
- Find motivation. To the question of how to deal with laziness as an adult, psychology first of all gives this answer. And it is best to do this in writing. Take a piece of paper and write down a few reasons to do the work. For example, you will earn money and be able to spend it on something pleasant, improve your reputation, feel proud of yourself, be able to relax without thinking about work, improve your professional level... Or maybe some global goal motivates you. The reasons can be any, the main thing is that they force you to complete the task. You can hang this list in your workplace and re-read it every day. This simple action will help in the fight against reluctance to work.
- Plan your day. It's best in the evening. Sometimes it can be scary just the thought that there is so much to do and it is completely impossible to get it done. In this case, psychology considers planning to be one of the best ways to combat laziness. It will help you cope with anxiety and show that not everything is so scary. Plan only one most important thing for the day and several minor ones. Don't start doing the minor things until you've completed the main ones. Large tasks can be broken down into several simple steps - this will make it easier to get started. Give each stage a clear time frame and follow it using a timer.
- Find your work schedule. The previous tip will help you understand what times of the day you are more motivated. For example, if you are a night owl, you are unlikely to be productive at the beginning of the day. Find a time when you have the highest energy levels and schedule your most challenging work for that period.
- Praise yourself. Only you know how much work each step in the fight against laziness costs you. Therefore, do not wait for the approval of others, praise yourself. After each completed task, give yourself small pleasant breaks, at the end of the day reward yourself with your favorite delicacy or a trip to the cinema, and tell yourself encouraging words more often. [4]
- Remember the time. Finally, remember that you spend much more energy on resistance to work and remorse from your own laziness than on the work itself. So isn’t it easier to finally stop thinking about how to overcome laziness and start working, and just sit down and complete the task, and then calmly enjoy your vacation?
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
Lethargy and weakness caused by ordinary fatigue are not an indication for specific therapy. It is enough for a person to sleep 8-9 hours, and the feeling of loss of strength disappears. It is important to normalize your daily routine, try to go to bed no later than 11 pm. For dinner, it is better to choose light protein dishes and limit the consumption of strong tea and coffee in the evening. For women with premenstrual syndrome, soothing herbal teas are recommended, and for severe pain, analgesics. If lethargy is a constant concern, consultation with a specialist is necessary to clarify the cause of the ailment.
Normalizing your lifestyle will help you feel more energetic
Conservative therapy
Considering the variety of etiological factors of lethargy and malaise, medical tactics are determined only after a complete examination and verification of the cause of the disorder. As a rule, etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment is carried out, supplemented by symptomatic and restorative medications. For the treatment of diseases manifested by constant fatigue and weakness, the following drugs are usually used:
- Thyroid hormones
. To correct hypothyroidism, a synthetic analogue, levothyroxine, is prescribed; for goiter, the treatment regimen is supplemented with potassium iodide. The substance must be taken for a long time, the dosage is selected taking into account the level of T3 and T4 in the blood. - Estrogen drugs
. In menopausal women, replacement therapy with sex hormones - estrogens - is recommended to relieve symptoms. For greater effectiveness, they are combined with progesterone derivatives. - Nootropics
. With the help of nootropic drugs, they eliminate residual symptoms of severe neurological diseases, activate blood flow in the brain and improve cognitive abilities. The drugs are also effective for dyscirculatory encephalopathy. - Antidepressants
. Lethargy and apathy caused by depression are successfully treated with specific serotonin receptor agonists. For severe anxiety, tranquilizers and herbal sedatives are additionally indicated. - Vitamins
. To improve the functioning of the nervous system, thiamine and other B vitamins and the antioxidant tocopherol are used. During the period of convalescence, metabolic drugs (riboxin, etc.) have a good effect.
How to defeat laziness once and for all: 7Spsy technology
If these methods of dealing with laziness do not help you, and you do not feel at all strong enough to cope with it, perhaps this habit has become pathological. It will be extremely difficult to get rid of it on your own. In this case, you need to completely change your habitual behavior pattern. This is what 7Spsy's patented behavior modification technology aims to achieve. The 7Spsy course will help you get rid of laziness and teach you how to stop procrastinating.
An easy victory over laziness!
BUY A SERVICE WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT THE SERVICE
This method will help you identify and eliminate attitudes that encourage you to be lazy, form new positive attitudes and learn how to put them into practice. Technology work is carried out remotely with constant support from a psychologist - you will need some personal time and Internet access. In just 2-6 weeks you will be able to overcome your laziness and start taking action. Now in your life there will be room for career success, sports, meetings with friends and favorite activities that you previously put off due to laziness.
Sources:
- Dmitry Zhukov, “What is laziness” https://postnauka.ru/faq/22795
- Sergey Zanin, “How to overcome laziness, or How to learn to do what needs to be done?”
- E. P. Ilyin, “Work and personality. Workaholism, perfectionism, laziness"
- "How to deal with laziness"
