How Not To Be Lazy - Brainlog #10

A person who lives on the couch looks sad and pitiful, does not he? Except when it's you. Laziness is very common in modern society, because most people will not die of hunger, cold or predation if they work less and do less.

According to Wikipedia, laziness is the absence or lack of diligence, the preference for a free time of work. For laziness, there are reasons, but we will not consider them, because it does not really matter. All problems, as always, begin in thinking. It is with him that we will work today.

Eight voices of laziness

Laziness is a very tricky thing, closely related to cognitive dissonance . When we do not want to work and feel guilty, we begin to explain this behavior to ourselves. Strategies for this in laziness are eight:

  • Confusion: "I do not know what to do."
  • Neurotic fear: "I just can not."
  • Fixed thinking: "I'm afraid that I will fail and look foolish."
  • Lethargy: "I'm too tired. I do not have energy. "
  • Apathy: "I do not care."
  • Regret: "It's too late to get down to work."
  • Identity: "I am a lazy person".
  • Shame: "I should not be so lazy."

Let's consider each voice separately.

Confusion: "I do not know what to do"

This voice can speak the truth. It happens that it is difficult to get down to work, because it requires tremendous mental energy to just step up to the task.

In any case, you either take and do everything, or show laziness and perform the task later, which will be even more difficult.

Neurotic fear: "I just can not"

The usual fear triggers the "Beat or run" reaction, while the neurotic causes the person to stop. We feel immobilized and lazy.

In order to overcome neurotic fear, one must first recognize it, allow oneself to feel it, and then take action. It means doing what you fear.

Fixed thinking: "I'm afraid that I will fail and look foolish"

Fixed thinking is a popular term from psychologist Carol Dweck's book Mindset. People with such thinking believe that their talents, abilities and intellect are established at birth and do not change in the process of life.

They are afraid to learn new things and develop, but they want to look smart and talented, even if they lack experience.

Lethargy: "I'm too tired. I do not have energy "

This may seem incredible, but we invest a lot of energy, suppressing our laziness. The more we escape from work, the stronger it takes root in our unconscious and drains forces. When you feel lethargy, instead of stimulating yourself with caffeine, take your fatigue. It is not necessary to use stimulants, it is better to rest a little or sleep.

Apathy: "I do not care"

Apathy is a quiet voice of depression. We all fall into depression with varying degrees of intensity. In this article, you will find some tips on how to overcome apathy.

Regret: "It's too late to get down to work"

Regrets are part of adulthood. In fact, they are justifications for not starting right now.

You reproach yourself for missing opportunities, but continue to be lazy. So the whole life can pass.

Identity: "I am a lazy person"

When we hear this voice, it is a sure sign of the victim's syndrome. This is an excuse that leads you to believe in it. It means to behave this way even when full of strength, energy and enthusiasm.

Remember that everyone can be lazy, but this does not mean that we are all lazy. And in general, exclude the word "laziness" from your dictionary.

Shame: "I should not be so lazy"

Do not think that if you are a conscientious person, you will automatically work more. Sometimes it happens even on the contrary: wine helps to take your laziness. Say, "I feel guilty, then punished and do not work."

As you can see, to get rid of laziness, you need to fix many problems, because it does not appear from scratch. There are a number of reasons that can be eliminated with the help of the following strategies.

1) Overcome inertia

Inertia is the tendency to do nothing or remain in an unchanged position. In the context of the article, this is a state of laziness or disinterest, when we simply do not want to make efforts to move forward.

When we are trapped in an inertia, we lack energy, inspiration and motivation . This is a state of mind in which a person has reached a point where instant pleasure supplants any future rewards.

Indulgence of inertia for short periods is normal. We all spend so much time. It becomes problematic when such periods are too long. This activity becomes a habit, which is very difficult to break.

To overcome inertia, short and long-term methods can be used.

Short-term methods

Short-term methods of overcoming inertness are intended for immediate activation of one's body, some shaking and switching off of lethargy. They will suit those who want to find a quick way, a magic pill that works here and now. This is similar to pressing the Reset button on the computer. In our case, this will help reboot the brain and body, which will return you to the path of activity.

Here are a few ways to reboot your body and brain in the short term:

  • wash with cold water;
  • perform several breathing exercises;
  • do a few squats or push-ups;
  • move vigorously;
  • for a few minutes listen to optimistic and inspirational music;
  • read the inspirational quote or page from the book.

Each of these methods is designed to push your nervous system to action and, therefore, save you from inertia. You can use only one method or combine several of them to perform a "reset" of your biological system.

Another short-term method that also works very well is to voice your future actions or come up with several affirmations. In other words, when you start working on an assignment, read it like this:

  • I get up off the couch and get to work.
  • I'm a bit lazy, but I still go and sit at my desk.
  • I can do it.
  • I believe in myself and in the fact that I can go through this.
  • I have enough energy.
  • If I now get down to business, it will help me gain momentum.
  • I will stick to my plan until the task is completed.
  • The more I get involved in the process, the more interesting I will be.
  • I'll just work for 15 minutes and do everything in my power.

When you "give a vote" to your actions, you convince the body and the brain that inertia is not an option at this time. As a result, you are more likely to adhere to the new state and continue to work on your goals and objectives.

Long-term methods

The queue is not an instant motivational tool. They are designed to gradually switch and change their thinking. Here are a few such long-term methods:

  • Write down your goals on paper every day.
  • Create a "vision board" on which your goals will be displayed. Replenish it as often as possible.
  • Every day, do visualization of who you want to become and what to achieve. This will not let you wither.
  • Read motivational and inspirational books, as well as biographies of strong people who are admired.

Writing goals for the day works because it reminds you of what is most important and increases focus.

The "vision board" will give motivation and inspiration for a very long time. It will be a reminder of what you are working on and for what. And its update will help keep the brain fresh.

Visualization is a great way to prepare the psyche for changes in the future. But for this it is not enough just to dream. You need to gradually learn new skills, create habits, create a new set of beliefs and redefine your values.

Finally, reading inspirational books and biographies will tell you what is needed to achieve success and greater goals. Use real life stories of people in order to be filled with remarkable enthusiasm.

2) Avoid the hidden traps of laziness

Laziness is very insidious. She will deceive you, resist with all her might and take various forms.

Analyze your usual day. Remember when your energy levels go off scale, and when you feel sluggish and tired. We all experience different energy cycles, this is normal. However, often they are a direct result of that:

  • what, how much and when you eat;
  • how active you are during working hours;
  • Whether you took a nap during the day and if so, how long did it take;
  • when you take mental breaks and how long they last;
  • how often you experience stress;
  • do you feel that you are in control of a particular situation.

Your energy level is likely to fall:

  • when you have lunch, especially if the food is high-calorie;
  • if you sit for a long time;
  • If daytime sleep lasts more than an hour;
  • if you do not make mental breaks (lack of meditation or "minutes of silence").

It is a cycle of the human body that can not be changed. You will feel then energetic, then listless. As already mentioned, the problem occurs when you are inert for a long period of time.

In order not to be lazy and not to be inert during working hours, follow these rules:

  • Do not eat heavy food for lunch.
  • Stay active by taking regular breaks. Just get up, take a minute or go for a walk.
  • If you decide to take a nap, then the length of sleep should be about 15-20 minutes.
  • Listen to music, meditate, read books.
  • Learn all about stress and how to cope with it .

Remember that every time the energy is at zero, you will feel inert. This in any case should not be allowed. Do not breed gossip, do not waste time on mindless surfing on the Internet, do not look at negative programs. Let your life be divided into only two regimes: a productive state and rest.

3) Use the Japanese technique "1 minute"

In Japanese culture, there is a kaizen practice that includes the "1 minute principle" for self-improvement. At the heart of this method is the idea that a person should be engaged in a case for one minute, every day at the same time.

This technique is so simple that it is why it works. Even the most lazy person can easily take himself in hand and work for one minute.

You can find a bunch of excuses not to work for an hour, but if you put a goal to engage in the task just sixty seconds, it is unlikely to deny myself in this. Having made one small step at a time, you'll be on the path of self-improvement and achieve greater results.

Why does a person often fall into the trap of laziness? There are three main reasons:

  • Lack of discipline . If you woke up this morning without a clear plan of action, it would be incredibly difficult to force yourself to engage in useful things.
  • Unrealistic expectations . You can have a very tight schedule and a thousand cases, which is simply staggering. And this feeling often leads to laziness.
  • Lack of motivation . If you do not have an understanding of how your life should look, then the level of motivation will be at zero.

The technique of "1 minute" very harmoniously bypasses all these three problems. You do not need discipline to do anything for one minute. There are no unrealistic expectations either: everything looks easy and simple. A lack of motivation can easily compensate for the thought: "It's only sixty seconds."

Of course, this technique is just a trick that can deceive the brain in order to work more. But if you really want to limit yourself to one minute - no problem. Nevertheless, most likely, you want to move on a new, working, inertia.

4) List the pros and cons of updating motivation

Asking questions is one of the best methods of self-improvement. Not an exception and getting rid of laziness.

Ask yourself:

  • How will my life look after five years, if I continue to behave like, as now?
  • How will life get worse for me and my family?

This is not a mental beating yourself, but rather a sober analysis of how your life looks. Questions can be inconvenient, but try to see the negative consequences as clearly as you can. Thicken paint, imagine everything in black or gray tones.

Then ask yourself:

  • How will my life look in a year, if I overcome my laziness, become productive and achieve my goals?
  • How will life improve not only for me, but for my loved ones?

It's true: not only a whip, but a carrot.

5) Practice evening reviews

Progress is achieved through successive actions. However, incorrect actions can lead to loss of time and errors, which in most cases, of course, are inevitable.

We are people and make mistakes. But we also made tremendous progress, because we learned to draw their right conclusions.

With this in mind, start practicing evening reviews. Think about how you spent your time, what was distracted and how much you lazy.

Remember also whether your actions were aligned with goals and whether they brought you closer to achieving them. Ask yourself:

  • What was my productivity today?
  • I fell into the trap of laziness?
  • Where, how and why did I get into it?
  • What did I learn?
  • What changes can I make in my psyche, thinking and surroundings so that I will not fall into this trap again?

The key to progress is daily improvement. Therefore, if you have done stupid things and mistakes yesterday, study them and make corrections for today.

6) Set the period during which you will be lazy

Sometimes the desire to be lazy can capture so much that it is impossible to resist. You begin to get nervous, and anxiety covers the whole body.

Then conclude an oral contract with yourself: make a five-minute break for laziness, during which you will not do anything. But do not forget to put the timer - this is very important.

Tell yourself:

  • I'll be lazy 5 minutes from now.
  • After these five minutes, I will return to work.

7) Take the trash out of your life.

If your life is too littered, there may be a false belief that you already do not need anything. If this happens, think about where in personal and professional life you need to get out. Here are two questions you can ask yourself:

  • What in my professional life prevents me from going to work? Where should we clean up?
  • What in my apartment causes chaos? What is it worth to get rid of first?

Do this cleaning constantly, otherwise trash will pick up your energy, which will lead to laziness.

We wish you good luck!

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