Laziness is a common problem in our society, and it’s no wonder why. We are constantly bombarded with messages that depict laziness as being something to be desired.
Laziness is all around us: on social media, TV, movies – you name it!
But the truth of the matter is that laziness can have some pretty serious consequences for your health and well-being.
That’s why today I’m going to go over some of the main causes of laziness so that we can start opening up a dialogue about how to combat this issue together.
Apparently, it’s so common these days that a lot of people have come to see laziness as a desired trait. It seems like being lazy has become something desirable and being hardworking is seen as being old-fashioned, out of style, and even as a bad thing.
If this sounds like you – I urge you to reconsider this way of thinking because in the end, being lazy is much more costly than you think.
Before we talk about laziness let’s define it.
What is Laziness?
One definition of laziness is when someone does not care enough to do something or decides not to do something that needs to be done.
Laziness often stems from a lack of motivation which is why it’s not always easy to spot.
Sometimes, people who are lazy aren’t actually aware of how much they really do or don’t do on a regular basis.
It might be helpful if you ask yourself the following questions –
Are you frequently late to work? Do you show up but your mind isn’t fully there? Do you always find reasons why you can’t do something that needs to be done?
If any of these are true for you – then it might be time to take a deeper look.
Laziness isn’t just about being bored or having nothing to do, because there are ways to combat this issue without resorting to becoming lazy.
Laziness is costing us more than we think.
What Are Some Of The Main Causes Of Laziness?
When we like to slack off and use it as an excuse, we actually cause ourselves harm in a variety of different ways:
- Laziness leads to poor health; you might start gaining weight or get sick more often because you’re not taking care of yourself.
- Laziness breeds bad habits; it’s easier to continue being lazy when you’ve already established that habit than to work on changing it.
- Laziness leads to feeling down and depressed; when you don’t take action, what else do you have but feelings of regret and depression?
- Laziness leads to low self-esteem; the longer you stay in this cycle, the more you will start feeling like something is wrong with you.
- Laziness becomes expensive; when you make excuses for why can’t do something it usually means that you need money to help pay for something or someone else.
- Laziness leads to a lack of trust; when you start thinking that everything around you is conspiring against you, it’s time to take a closer look.
- And finally, laziness can be deadly; death by starvation sounds crazy but if you’ve ever gone an extended period without eating or sleeping because of laziness then you know what I’m talking about.
- Laziness is not to be taken lightly – it’s something that can turn your life upside down if you let it control you.
How Can We Combat Laziness?
The first step in combating laziness is to understand how it forms and functions, that way we can then create strategies on how to avoid it and take action.
To start, we need to understand the psychology behind why we’re so lazy and what keeps us from taking action.
The next step is to create a plan of attack – you can’t just go around hoping that laziness won’t creep up on you or else you’ll never be able to wake up to take action.
Start With Your Health
Laziness starts with your mindset but it also becomes a physical thing.
If you’re too tired or sick to do anything, of course, you’ll be tempted to stay in bed all day instead of taking action – this is how laziness sets in and takes control.
When your health isn’t great – everything else about your life starts spiraling downwards as well.
So you might want to start with that because your health is something that might be out of your control; there are things that you can do to help yourself but there could also be underlying causes (genetic, environmental) that make it impossible to improve.
Start Exercising More Or Eating Healthier
Exercise doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or running 10 miles – it can be as simple as walking your dog.
Exercise is great not only for your physical health but also for your mental health; if you’re feeling down and out, getting yourself active with daily exercise might be what you need to help get back on track.
Eating healthier is also a great way to start combating laziness; it’s counter-intuitive because we think that being healthy means depriving ourselves of food and eating bland, tasteless meals – but the truth is, a lot of unhealthy foods are really tasty and can addict us so much so that we have a hard time giving them up.
Start By Eating More Fruit
Start your morning with a healthy fruit smoothie – you’ll be surprised at how much energy it can give you.
And if you’re suffering from laziness for extended periods of time, make sure to have some fruit-infused water around so that you don’t get dehydrated which will just make things worse.
For dinner, have a nice salad with some meat and dairy on the side – this is a great way to get some nutritional value into your body.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, try making a fruit pie by baking apples with some cinnamon and sugar – it’s so delicious that even those who aren’t fans of fruit will love it!
Start Exercising More (But Don’t Overdo It)
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore; you can make it fun and part of your daily routine.
If you’ve been sitting around for most of the day, make it a goal to get up after half an hour and walk around – not only will this help your leg muscles but it’ll also help your body to develop a rhythm and make it easier for you to focus on other things.
Once you’re feeling well enough, try taking up a form of exercise which you’ve never tried before; maybe tennis is something that interests you? Or how about martial arts? You don’t have to become an expert or even good at it – but the key is to take the first step towards expanding your horizons.
Start Taking Action On All Aspects Of Your Life
Remember, laziness isn’t just about what you do or don’t do – it’s also about how you think and approach things, too.
So to defeat laziness once and for all, take the time to see your life from a different perspective and start taking action on all aspects of yourself.
Start With Your Job Or Schooling
If you’re feeling unmotivated in school or at work, it might be a good idea to try something new – if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, maybe trying something different will help you break out of that slump.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a singer but never had the courage to do anything about it – if this is something you want to do, make it your goal in life and take steps towards making it happen; find an open mic session near you and go sing for fun! Or how about starting a blog about your life to help motivate yourself?
You might feel overwhelmed figuring out what you want to do but that’s okay – you can take baby steps towards it! Start by joining a choir or taking up painting lessons before stepping into the big leagues.
Start Being More Productive Around The House
Being lazy at home often means spending a lot of time in one place – whether that’s on your couch or in front of the TV.
But there are a multitude of ways in which you can be lazy around the house and still get things done; for example, if you’re too tired from work to clean your apartment, make it a goal to do so when you get home instead.
And if you’re not a fan of cleaning, start working on another project that needs completion – maybe your kitchen cabinets could use a good scrubbing or even your living room.
These are all simple ways to be productive without feeling too overwhelmed and keeping up with them will keep you from slipping back into laziness because, after a while, you won’t want to fall back into bad habits.
Start Getting More Restful Sleep
Laziness can often be attributed to a lack of sleep and rest; if this is the case, make it a goal to get more sleep during your nighttime hours.
Maybe watch some TV or read for half an hour before going to sleep or drink a soothing cup of herbal tea to help you unwind and relax.
But if all else fails, take a nap; even 15 minutes will give your body the break it needs to recharge and take on the rest of the day!