How to overcome laziness?

The only time a lazy man ever succeeds is when he tries to do nothing.
-Evan Esar

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Do you guys also have those lazy days when you don’t feel like doing anything at all?
Especially in recent times, since Covid-19 we all have been locked inside our home. Staying inside the home, away from the world has made us sluggish and lethargic. We are working from home but our productivity has reduced linearly with time at the same time staying inside is necessary for our own good. So how do you guys manage to wake up every day and do the work that needs to be done? I guess you do it because you don’t have any other option, isn’t it? I mean we can’t take eternal leaves from our work. And the more you delay it, the more it piles up.

Honestly, I don’t like this feeling at all. Yeah, I do wish to take a day off and literally do nothing but at least on those days my mood is good and I end up spending the day relaxing by reading a book or watch a movie. The next day I feel refreshed. But when I feel mentally down and don’t want to move from one spot, it makes me more irritated. On those days I don’t even feel like getting out of bed. Now, this can happen because of multiple reasons. At times people have a medical condition which usually keeps them in a lethargic state.

But soon enough we realize that we do need to finish our work, whether it is related to our job or household chores. Can we overcome this state of mind and productively do our work? Yes, we can!

Follow the 2-minute rule–
The 2-minute rule says that if a task or work can be completed in just 2-minutes then do it immediately. There is no meaning in delaying a task that can be finished in such a short time.

Do the 5-1 countdown–
Anytime you get distracted or want to leave the work in the mid-process, count slowly from 5-1. It usually calms you down and makes you patient.

Try doing the easiest task of the day in the morning-
Usually, when we are not having the urge to work, it is better to do the task which takes the least effort on our side. Doing this will give you a sense of accomplishment and will change your mood a bit.

Mix the boring task with a bit of entertainment-
Suppose you are doing some household chores, you can play some music while doing the work. You can groove along with the music and finish the task in no time.

Keep distractions on the bay-
On the other hand, while doing the task that needs your complete attention, it is better to keep all distraction away like your mobile phone or TV. The Netflix series you want to finish will still be there when you will finish your task.

Ask for help-
It is okay to ask for help from the people around you, doesn’t matter whether you are at home or office. It is said that when you ask for help from your colleagues it increases your productivity because you get to learn from each other share those skills and special tricks you found out.

Reward yourself once in a while-
If you got out of your bed and got the job done even though you didn’t want to, then pat your own back and do something that makes you happy. Rewards motivate you to move ahead.

Focus on using your strengths-
Everyone knows their own strengths and weakness. We know what we are good at, so use that skill and target to finish the related tasks and get it out of your To-Do list. This will amplify your energy level and push you to finish the rest of the work as well.

Make action plans and To-Do lists-
Plan your day ahead. If you create a list of tasks that needs to be done and make an action plan on how to do it at least a day before, the next day you don’t have to stress much on how to do and what to do part of the work.

Stop going for perfection-
Trying to be perfect is not going to make you productive, it is only going to demoralize you more. Rather try approaching on doing a quality job.

Set realistic goals-
Break your bigger goals into smaller ones. And try keeping your daily goals simpler and doable so that you don’t feel overwhelmed about them daily.

Try giving positive enforcement to yourself-
When we are feeling down or lazy, we start negatively talking to ourselves. Like for example, “I am never going to finish this task on time.” Rather say to yourself that, “I will try my best to finish as much as I can.”

Take small breaks in between work-
When you take small breaks in between your work, you reset your brain and feel energized again.

Maintain a high-protein diet-
If you are feeling lazy for a longer period, it is better to keep a check on your diet. Eating high carbs diet can make you lethargic whereas having a high protein diet keeps you active for a longer time. Also, try avoiding processed food for some days.

Exercise 2-3 times a week-
Even if you are a person who doesn’t like to exercise or doesn’t have the time, try to exercise at least 2-3 times a week for 20 mins. This keeps your health in check.

Consult a doctor-
If after following all the above steps, you feel down and lazy then try consulting a doctor. It might be a medical condition that is making you feel so. In such a case, it is better to get the proper medication and treatment.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Idleness is the dead sea that swallows all virtues.
– Benjamin Franklin

I hope this post helps you in some way. Please like and follow my page to get future updates from my website and please write your suggestions below in the comment section to help me improve my posts. Also if you guys want me to write on a particular kind of topic then please leave your suggestion in the comment section.

Thank You!
Have a great day ahead.

Sayonara!

Pratha Nayak

Advertisement