How to Overcome Laziness – 12 Tips

Stop Being Lazy

Are you decisive, energetic and a doer, or do you tend to procrastinate and prefer passivity?

Do you sometimes ask yourself, how to stop being lazy?

Do you wonder how not to be lazy when you feel so?

What Is Laziness and How Can We Define It?

  • It is the desire to be idle, to do nothing, resist effort, procrastinate and postpone doing things.
  • It is a state of passivity and of letting things stay as they are.

Sometimes, we enjoy being a little lazy, such as after working hard for several hours, or when we stay in bed on a very cold day. However, if doing nothing occurs too often, something has to be done about it.

In order to carry out our tasks, work efficiently, live to the fullest, and achieve success, we must learn how to overcome laziness. We need to be able to resist it, combat it, and get over it.

Simple Tips for Overcoming Laziness:

Here are few tips on how not to be lazy, and instead, become a doer.

1. Break down a task into smaller tasks

We often avoid tasks because we find them too big, too overwhelming, too tiring, or taking too much of our time. Breaking a task into several smaller tasks can solve this problem. Then, each task will not seem so difficult or intimidating.

Instead of having one big task, we will have a series of small tasks, which do not require too much effort.

This approach can be applied not only to tasks, but also to goals and everything else we have or need to do. This will tend to melt much of the laziness and inner resistance we often experience.

2. Rest, sleep and exercise

In some cases, laziness is due to being tired and lacking energy. If this is true in your case, you need to give yourself the rest and sleep you need, and you also need to give your body enough exercise and fresh air.

Rest, sleep and exercise give your body the strength and refreshment it needs.

3. The importance of motivation

In some cases, the reason for laziness is due to lack of motivation.

You can strengthen your motivation through affirmations, visualization and thinking about the importance of performing your task or chore or achieving your goal.

4. Have a vision of what and who you want to be

Frequent reflection on the person we want to be, the goals we want to achieve, and the life we want to live, can motivate you to make plans and act to achieve them.

5. Think about benefits

Think about the benefits you will gain if you overcome your laziness and take action, instead of thinking about the difficulties or obstacles.

Focusing on the difficulties of carrying out a task, leads to discouragement, avoidance of taking action and to laziness. It is important that you focus your mind and attention on the benefits, not on the difficulties.

6. Thinking about the consequences

Think about what will happen, if you succumb to laziness and do not carry out your task or chore.

Thinking about the consequences of not acting, can motivate and push you to take action, so you that you avoid negative consequences.

How to Overcome Laziness – Additional Tips

7. Doing one thing at a time

Focus on doing one thing at a time. If you feel you have a lot to do, you will probably feel overwhelmed and let laziness overcome you, instead of you overcoming laziness.

Too many tasks might seem intimating, but if you take just one task at a time and focus only on this one, things become easier to handle.

8. Visualization

Your imagination has a great influence on your mind, habits and actions. Visualize yourself carrying out any task easily, energetically and enthusiastically. Do so before starting any a task, and also when you feel lazy. Do so also when your mind whispers to you to abandon what you are doing.

9. Repeat affirmations

Affirmation can be very useful for overcoming this habit.

Tell yourself often

“I can accomplish my goal.”
“I have the energy and motivation to act and do whatever I want or have to do.”
“Doing things makes me stronger.”
“I have the inner strength to do anything I want to do.”
“I can easily awaken motivation in me.”
“Doing things, makes things happen.”
“I do everything now, not later.”

10. Regard tasks as exercises that strengthen you

Consider each task as an exercise to make you stronger, more decisive and more assertive. It is an opportunity to exercise your inner strength, get out of your comfort zone, and learn to take action.

Take each task as an opportunity to reveal the inner you, the strong and fearless you. This will help you develop the ability to tackle everything in your life with courage and confidence.

11. Procrastination

Avoid procrastination, which is a form of laziness. If there is something you have to do, why not do it right now and get through with it? Why let it stay nagging at the back of your head?

12. Learn from successful people

Watch successful people and how they do not let laziness win. Learn from them, talk with them and associate with them.

Overcoming the habit of laziness is achieved through a series of daily actions and activities. You need to choose to act, instead of staying passive.

Do not be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Your comfort zone might be comfortable and cozy, but it can keep you in one place, preventing you from making progress.

Every time you overcome your laziness you get stronger. Every time you choose to act, you increase your ability to win, achieve goals and improve your life.

I hope you find these tips on how to stop being lazy to be useful.

Recommended book:
Build Up Strong Willpower and Self Discipline

Related Article:
How to Get Rid of laziness

Image source – DepositPhotos