Many of us consider laziness to be an unconditional evil that interferes with life. After all, sometimes laziness literally does everything: get out of bed in the morning, go to work. You have to force yourself to engage in some useful activity. This is why we fight laziness so desperately, sometimes unsuccessfully.
But is laziness so harmful? Maybe laziness somehow helps us in life?
Laziness saves our energy
If nature has “built” something into the human body, it means it is needed for something. In fact, laziness is an instinctive energy conservation program that goes side by side with the instinct of self-preservation. Laziness helps us not to waste time, but to save strength and energy for really important mental and physical efforts. In addition, it helps to adapt to situations that require passive behavior.
Laziness makes us more creative
Inactivity has proven to be essential for brain health, just as cardio exercise is critical for heart health. When you allow yourself to do nothing and think about nothing, the area of your brain responsible for creativity is activated. After all, it is in such moments that various insights come to us.
A study from Stanford University (USA) showed that the inability to at least sometimes “turn off” the brain leads to a loss of attentiveness and an inability to filter out unnecessary information. Therefore, scientists recommend sometimes deliberately “putting” the brain on “autopilot” - for example, looking out the window or walking along the streets (without a phone!) and allowing yourself to go where your eyes look. The bonus awaits you: insights, problem solving and less stress.
Laziness is the engine of progress
Laziness often acts as a driver of progress, since it stimulates people who do not want to exert themselves physically to think creatively. This allows them to achieve maximum results with minimal energy expenditure. Almost all inventions were made in exactly this way: a person didn’t want to dig a hole - he came up with an excavator, he was too lazy to fetch water - he invented a water supply system, etc.
So, with some degree of irony, we can say that without laziness, humanity would not move forward, but would practically stagnate.
Laziness makes us grow
Laziness is an incentive for every person to develop. If, of course, you use your laziness correctly. After all, the desire to do nothing can lead a person to the couch, or it can push him to develop: search for new solutions in life and new work, to change himself, to personal growth and spiritual development.
Here we are talking about the desire to do something in a new way, so as not to follow an already trodden path - to find your own solution to a particular problem. Laziness should be perceived as an impetus for change. And what they will be like is up to you: either more productive work, or idleness, from which a person begins to degrade.
Laziness protects our body
Laziness helps us find easy ways to solve various problems in life, and therefore it protects our body - both physical and moral strength. And since laziness is one of our instincts, when we are lazy, we take care of ourselves, whether we consciously do it or not. For example, studies by American cardiologists have shown that people who take a nap every day have lower blood pressure.
Laziness makes us better off
Greek experts from the University of Macedonia have proven that parents needlessly consider teenagers’ inaction to be wasted time. They often interpret laziness as a signal that their son or daughter will become failures in the future. In fact, such children’s assessment of their health and resistance to stress, as shown by a survey and detailed examination of 300 schoolchildren, is higher than that of their peers in whose schedule there is no room for laziness. These are good resources to start with. But the most important thing is that it is teenagers who are considered lazy who have higher emotional intelligence (EQ) scores. Namely, it helps to achieve success in the future, as repeated studies have shown. Scientists explain high EQ scores by the fact that young “lazy people” more often communicate with friends “out of nothing to do,” without any business purpose. But it is precisely this kind of communication that teaches you to find a common language with others, topics for conversation, and develop a sense of humor.
Laziness- this is a lack of hard work, an absolute lack of readiness to do anything, to show even the slightest effort to action. From the position of science, laziness appears in the context of the volitional sphere of the individual, is perceived as its negative quality, lack of activity, motivation, reluctance to achieve goals, desire to relax and have time for rest. In contrast to the volitional characteristics of a person, there is lack of will, and the concept of laziness belongs to it.
Psychology interprets the concept of laziness not as a disease or unhealthy state, but as a symptom, a signal of a problem; it is a conflict between a person’s desire and his duty, the need to do.
Reasons for laziness
Psychology considers the causes of laziness in several directions: the living conditions in which a person finds himself; individual characteristics of the nervous system, upbringing and a person in society. Among the most common causes of laziness, several are described below.
Firstly, physical fatigue, when a person is tired physically, emotionally, intellectually. If the balance between rest and work is disturbed, the individual’s internal strength is depleted and the desire to do anything disappears. The body and nervous system refuses to continue working in this mode and signals the need for rest, manifesting itself through laziness.
The second problem, a symptom of which is the lazy state, is the loss of interest or lack thereof in the work that a person does or should do. The goal is not inspiring, lack of . What we need to do does not correspond to the values and interests that are significant to us at this time, a feeling of futility of what we are doing. The discrepancy between “I want” and “should” is something that exhausts you from the inside. A person is obliged to do something that does not seem necessary to him. “Whose purpose is this?” “Who needs this?” If you force yourself to act, resistance will naturally arise, most likely unconscious. If you force yourself to do something for a long time that is not interesting, laziness will definitely overcome.
The next reason for laziness is... Fear that it will not be possible to do this, that as a result of wasted energy, money, or some kind of effort, the person will not receive what is needed. Thus, laziness performs a protective function against those actions that a person is afraid to do and which intersect with some discomfort for him. He may not be aware of this fear; he will simply be too lazy to do it. An individual may be afraid of something new for him, something in which he has never had experience, he may be afraid of looking ridiculous, of starting a task and not finishing it, of not acquiring the dividends on which he hoped. There may also be fear through past negative experiences, a personal traumatic situation with sad consequences.
Another reason for laziness is homeostasis. Our body strives to preserve the state that is familiar to it. The body is full, it is not in danger, it is comfortable, it does not need to make any efforts to do something new for itself. This is how a person survives.
Also, causes may be the presence of neurological or mental illnesses, alcohol abuse, drug use, disturbances in the stimulation and production of the hormone dopamine.
When studying hyperactivity in children and attention deficit disorder, the causes of laziness can also be identified as behavioral problems in childhood and emotional trauma. Separately, I would like to highlight the reason for the occurrence of constant, chronic laziness - this is childhood and growing up without worries, without the right to make independent choices, without solving problems, when the mother decided and did everything for the child, did not allow him to be independent.
Analyzing all of the above, based on the causes of laziness, psychology identifies this phenomenon from several angles:
- a signal that the goals are not environmentally friendly - do not correspond to our desires and personal capabilities;
- a sign of the inconsistency of the task, when our tasks require a lot of effort, but the result is not worth it;
- lack of motivation, no desire and importance in;
- physical, emotional, intellectual inactivity, passivity.
How to overcome laziness?
There is a mythical opinion among people about how to overcome laziness and apathy: this is a magical psychological method, one right solution, a magical exercise that will help solve the problem. But there is no such unique remedy. There is an internal responsibility for everyone, how a person will be able to live or serve his life, and make decisions independently. And how to get rid of laziness in each individual case, the choice is up to the lazy person and his responsibility.
How can a person get rid of laziness in today's society? If you have decided to stop being lazy and are ready to take responsibility for all the events and changes that will happen in life, then it is worth analyzing the algorithm of your actions and options for working with laziness. First of all, it makes sense to study the causes of this condition.
I remembered the joke: “A man lies on his bed for days, his wife chops wood, cooks food, washes, cleans. She was very tired, she approached the man and angrily: “Why are you lying there all day, if only you could help with the housework!” “He calmly answers her like this: “What if there’s a war, and I’m tired.”
A common reason for a lazy state may be fatigue. In this option, there is nothing more effective than rest. The only condition for such a rest: not to consciously occupy yourself with anything at all, especially what is more tiring - watching TV, thinking about how to get rid of laziness along the way, analyzing the past day, week, month, criticizing yourself for inactivity and passivity, but just relax and rest. There is also a reliable way to overcome fatigue - active rest, changing activities to activities with pleasure. Ask yourself: “When did you rest so well that you felt full?” Here there is a need to think about a clear daily routine, the appropriate use of time, alternating physical activities with intellectual ones, and spending more often in fresh, clean air.
If the reason for lack of interest is loss of inspiration for the activity itself or its result, then the appropriate question would be: “Why should I do this?” The answer will be an explanation of what the symptom of laziness signals, what is valuable for a person, where to look for interest, how you can motivate yourself, inspire you to move towards the result of your assigned goal. If you force yourself to do uninteresting things, there will be no results. There will be internal resistance. If there is no satisfying clear answer to the question asked, then it is worth figuring out whose goal the person is realizing and who needs it. Maybe a lazy state protects a person from inappropriate waste of energy, time, and personal resources. In this option, it is recommended to look for personal motivation; it is worth using praise, promises of encouragement, fulfillment of desires, which is closer to the individual. It is important to see the pleasant and joyful in little things, to learn to enjoy minor victories more.
How to get rid of laziness caused by fear? Laziness here plays a positive function, protecting us from discomfort, unpleasant sensations and consequences. Fear is often unconscious, so understanding the cause of laziness is extremely difficult. It is advisable to track what is painful in such activities, what we are afraid of, what we would like to distance ourselves from. Ask yourself: “What is my internal benefit, what is my gain if I refuse to do this?” Here the best way out is to admit your fear, find what exactly we are afraid of, what needs to be done to overcome internal fears. In modern society, being lazy is a more acceptable form of behavior than being afraid. But fighting laziness will be useless and tiresome when its cause is fear. It is important to understand why you don’t trust yourself? What needs to be changed, tightened up, understood in order to renew your own determination, your capabilities, and increase confidence.
How can a person overcome laziness and apathy if they are a symptom of depression, unwillingness to change anything, a habitual way of existence, a legacy of upbringing or illness? Then it is recommended to contact the necessary specialists in the field of medicine for examination or treatment, work with a practicing psychologist, psychotherapist. J. Hollins wrote that depression, like apathy, has a useful message, that something vitally significant lies in a state of depression, and it is very important not to run away from it, but to plunge into this stay, feel and understand more about it, so that later you have the strength to go further.
Any encounter with laziness requires effort. Where these efforts should be applied is determined by what is hidden behind the symptom. All the same, you will have to make an effort; this condition itself will not disappear. The absence of laziness does not mean doing many things, forbidding oneself to do nothing, it is about the absence in the current life of reluctance to act, decide, move.
Basically, there are three options not to be lazy:
- this is when inspiration is present, and if the matter does not inspire, then the person understands how to interest himself;
- when an individual has the opportunity to motivate himself to do this. Here it is important to maintain a balance in understanding what a person needs and what he really wants. After all, if you only force yourself, you can become very exhausted from such pressure, and subsequently you will not want to do anything at all;
- come to terms with the situation, stop criticizing yourself for your laziness. After all, laziness may protect you from empty, uninteresting work, the end of which will not bring the desired pleasure.
In general, the symptom of laziness indicates a lack of understanding and idea of what an individual actually wants in his life. A person who is aware of what he wants copes with laziness easily.
Date of creation: 09/25/2001
Update date: 05/15/2015
The most accurate definition of laziness is a lack of motivation. A variant of the unconscious resistance of the person himself, who in the depths of his soul suddenly begins to feel that he seems to be not quite going there and not quite doing it. In such cases, those around him begin to accuse him of laziness - in particular, those who need him to do work that he does not want to do...
Everyone seems to know what laziness is. There are generally a huge number of definitions of this word on the Internet, but there are even more tips on “how to overcome laziness.” And mostly someone else’s, but sometimes our own. Although it’s easier to defeat someone else’s laziness: pick up a whip... or that same dried-out carrot that, according to a well-known expression, we also use to beat people. Since laziness is a socially condemned concept and is even included in the list of major vices. Therefore, many people will not flinch if they need to spank or ostracize someone for laziness.
However, not everything is as simple as in most cases with “seemingly well-known concepts.”
Do animals get lazy? It seems that there is even a whole animal - the sloth, but people named it that way based on their own criteria, and not other animals at all. And in animals the situation is this: the higher the metabolic rate of an individual and the less caloric the food it eats, the more and faster it should run for food, the same shrew, for example.
If the animal’s food is high in calories, and the metabolism is not fast, then its daily routine is different: for example, a lion hunts/is awake only 4 hours a day, and the remaining 20 do not even sleep fully, but rather doze. Or, as an outside observer would say, he’s lazy.
It was approximately the same with our ancestors: primates, in principle, have a genetic program for constant activity, but it supports any activity, and not just purposefully applied “to socially useful work.” And with the transition to meat, and food processed by fire, our ancestors generally began to live like lions.
In general, the warmer the climate, the less active the activity: firstly, it’s hot (you can’t produce much), secondly, everything grows on its own, and thirdly, if you collect a lot, where and how to store it all later in the heat? The same thing happens in very, very northern places where nothing grows. And here we come to a milestone that is significant for humanity: the emergence of manual farming, and with it the unequal distribution of resources and the emergence of hierarchy.
The harvested harvest is now claimed not only by those who planted and harvested, but also by representatives of the authorities, and from those, their superiors are already demanding tribute, and so on. In other words, the appearance in the farmer’s work area of a “taking away man with a stick” forced the final link - the one who grew everything - to work without straightening his back, so that after satisfying the appetites of all the parasites, at least something was left for himself. And as a result, a rule was formed: you need to work more, more, as much as possible! How can you determine whether you have worked a lot or a little? And there is never enough, so no one dares to sit idly by every free minute. To survive, you need to do something, do something, do something! And not working is bad, it is despised, it is life-threatening.
This is how the evaluative, hierarchical term “laziness” arose. Formally, this is a term for those who need a certain subordinate to never stop the work process, otherwise he will be subjected to public condemnation. Please note: when someone says “you’re lazy,” he actually feels like he’s your boss. He decides whether you work or not. According to your criteria. It calculates how much or little you have worked, and how well. But when a person says “I’m lazy,” “I’m lazy,” this corresponds to his own feeling as a boss: “I’m too lazy to do my work, so run off, subordinate Sidorov, to do my business for me!”
Nowadays, we often encounter angry statements from the older generation: they say that modern teenagers have gone completely crazy, they dare to openly tell their parents: “I’m lazy!” And logically this aggression is understandable when it is known: in a hierarchical system with a binary distribution “you are the Boss - I am a Fool, I am the Boss - you are a Fool,” laziness is for Bosses. And a teenager in such a system is a Fool, he is not yet old enough for the Chief.
The higher an individual is on the hierarchical ladder, the more rights he has to sit in idleness/do nothing. And as a result, “in the lower strata” this is censored from childhood: “It’s bad to sit idly by.” And those mothers and grandmothers who tell their daughters “Why sit idly by, there is always work in the house” - according to their ideas, they often really wish the child well: because if the child himself, at the call of the internal controller, does not get used to constantly doing something - a hierarchical society will eat it and not choke. This is what the experience of mothers, grandmothers and other older members of the megafamily says. But what is curious is what this means by default: the elders see the child in the future only at the bottom of the hierarchy. Especially the girl.
By the way, this is also where mothers, grandmothers and aunties often reject household appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. They are trying to somehow rationalize this rejection with pseudo-arguments like “it doesn’t save water and powder, it ruins linen and dishes,” and so on. But most often the basis is the same fear: the machine will wash and wash, and what will I do at this time? Sitting with folded arms? And in order for me to feel like a lazy person, I have to pay such a huge amount of money?..
And if we remember that in a hierarchical system, in addition to the concepts of “Boss and Fool,” an additional basis is also binary – then in these criteria, everything that is not work is considered laziness. That is, not the kind of work that is visible to the appraiser and that he agrees to take into account. If a person sits, thinks, or even rests between two complex tasks, outwardly they may tell him that he is lazy and is throwing his hat around. And if a person first carries something there and then back, and with absolutely no benefit, he may be praised from the outside. That's right, he doesn't sit idly by, he works!
That is, again it turns out that even whether you work or not, you know best of all. And not some outside evaluator who came to comment on your pastime. But for those who, from childhood, were told by their elders to censor “don’t sit idly by,” as a result, they have a powerful controlling Parent inside them, who, in principle, does not allow them to rest. As soon as you sit down to read a book, watch a movie, or just sit, this internal control turns on: “Lazy person!”
Of course, the man is sitting and not working. And no one took into account the fact that there is such an important activity as recreation when the concept of “laziness” was born. At that time, families were large, so no one was taught to save on the health and productivity of individuals: he worked, he worked too hard, he died, the next one!..
And what is called laziness can also be a protective inhibition (and it can be useful to rest first and then work). Such “laziness” most often affects those who are commonly called “workaholics”: for one reason or another they work, as they say, 25 hours a day. And when the body defends itself from such activity, the workaholic says to himself: “Somehow I’m lazy today, this is not good.” And gradually he earns at least a feeling of guilt that he is “lazy.” And some particularly strong-willed individuals “struggle with themselves,” forcing themselves to get out of bed and work during such periods. At the same time, productivity and quality of work drop sharply (not surprisingly), dissatisfaction with oneself grows, which again leads to a drop in productivity, and so on.
The same thing happens when the body tries to recover at least partially: that is, the work process continues, but with reduced intensity. And the person again begins to reproach himself, works overtime to make up for his slow pace, does everything even slower out of fatigue, makes more mistakes, etc. It seems to work, but there are no results. It turns out to be just an “imitation of vigorous activity”, and frankly harmful to health.
Here are a few more reasons for laziness:
Laziness may be associated with inconsistencies between the nature of activity and personality structure. For example, if a demonstrative person is limited to working only around the house, and an introvert is forced to constantly work with different people, they will soon lose the desire to do such work. They will be distinctly uncomfortable working in conditions that do not suit their personality structure.
Laziness (more precisely, apathy) can be a sign of the so-called cycloidity (periodic changes in activity and depression), and specifically in the depressive phase. A cycloid in the active phase can do several things in a row, but in the depression phase it does not even do what it is obliged to do under contracts (which it acquired in the active phase).
Laziness (apathy) can often indicate the presence of depression itself, or more precisely, the feeling “no matter what I do to solve my problems, nothing will change.” Such apathy is often characteristic of various crises. After all, in order to get out of the crisis, according to the well-known parable, “to churn butter out of milk so as not to drown”, you must first of all know where exactly to “kick with your feet”: because you can waste the last remnant of your strength. Especially if your crisis situation is more complicated than a pot of milk. Therefore, to overcome such “laziness”, help in diagnosis is also needed - at least in answering the question “what to do and what to do to get the desired result.” Because you can almost always do something to change the situation, it is important to know what exactly to do and in what direction to move.
But in any case, laziness is the absence of noticeable meaningful activity as assessed by someone else. And even if you work your butt off creating some extremely important project for which you will receive a lot of money, and, say, your mother comes to you and says, “Here you are, chilling at the computer, and the dishes haven’t been washed,” try to convince her otherwise. its useless. Because A - she initially arrogated to herself the right to evaluate the usefulness of your activities, B - she will do this according to her unshakable criteria, and C - you will be a lazy person only because you dare not do what your mother told you to do. If you are told to wash the dishes, please obey and wash. First of all your stupid projects.
Thus, laziness is not only a thoroughly evaluative concept, but also extremely profitable and easy to manipulate. And it is advisable to keep this in mind whenever someone, outside or inside, calls you lazy or lazy.
It is often said that “laziness is the engine of progress.” This expression is used as if with irony - they say, an excuse for quitters. Yes, of course, a person who is too lazy to get up and switch the same channels on TV, one way or another became a “consumer and customer” of the same remote control. And for this “lazy customer” thousands of engineers studied (and are studying) the physics of infrared waves, electronics, cybernetics, crystal chemistry - in order to invent and constantly improve this remote control; tens of thousands of workers soldered and soldered these crystals and made the remote controls themselves, so that the “lazy customer” could switch TV channels while lying on the couch.
But seriously, capitalism in its primitive market variation is gradually coming to a contradiction with progress. Because progress is promoted by people who are smart and not lazy (first of all, not lazy intellectually): at the same time hoping to make money from “lazier” people, selling them the fruits of their labor to make their lives easier. But over time, the volume of goods reaches such values that the lazy are no longer able to compensate for the labor invested in these goods with money: they simply did not earn that amount of money. Therefore, progress is most actively developing in those countries where laziness is not accepted for the most part.
Of course, in terms of life and consumer motivations, people are all different: among consumers and producers there are those who are focused only on today’s needs (according to the principle “the day has passed - and thank God”), without doing anything “for tomorrow”; and there are those who want to live better tomorrow - and today they are ready to work hard for this, improving both their lives and the lives of others.
And if we talk about the engine of progress, then it would be more correct to call any constructive approach to solving a problem not laziness, but a desire to solve a specific problem in the optimal way, without unnecessary labor costs. In the same way, it makes no sense to call a person lazy who, having received some task (at work, at school, in the family), is in no hurry to complete it - but not because he is lazy; it’s just that at first he wants to choose the most reasonable, adequate and effective method of implementation, and then proceed to direct action.
I believe that the most accurate definition of laziness is a lack of motivation. A variant of the unconscious resistance of the person himself, who in the depths of his soul suddenly begins to feel that he seems to be not quite going there and not quite doing it. In such cases, those around him begin to accuse him of laziness - in particular, those who need him to do work that he does not want to do. Let's say parents complain about a lazy child who doesn't help them, doesn't want to study, etc.; the husband accuses his wife of neglecting the house; the wife scolds her husband, who lies on the sofa all day long and won’t help her in anything... And there’s nothing to say about the boss, who is angry with his subordinates for not being zealous enough in the workplace.
But in this case, you need to figure out: does the person himself need the work that he is forced to do? Will the child be told at least a simple thank you for his help? Does the teenager understand why he personally needs to study, or does he do it under pressure only for his parents? Does a wife want to clean up a house in which she is not the owner? Is it pleasant for a husband to be on errands for his wife?
As for laziness in the workplace, the boss’s orders often seem downright useless to subordinates, or the employees have no interest in the work being done (they say it will go to waste anyway, or they obviously won’t pay for it according to the work put in).
Strictly speaking, when talking about “lack of motivation,” one should distinguish between motive and incentive. These are different things.
The stimulus in its original meaning is a sharp stick with which the ancient Roman driver poked the oxen when they were not moving fast enough with their luggage along the ancient Roman streets. Now this term is used in a variety of meanings, but as a rule, “stimulation” actually means exactly this: when, excuse me, you are “poked with a sharp stick” in some soft place to force you to do something that you are not want to. And the basic principle of incentives is “If you don’t do this, you will be worse off.”
And the motive is a positive interest in the process and the result, it is the confidence that having completed some work, a person will be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor to his satisfaction. The basic principle of motivation is “If you do this, you will feel better.”
Hello everyone, Olga Ryshkova is with you. What is laziness? Is this a hereditary property or a condition that occurs as a result of some kind of disease? If so, is there a cure for laziness?
No one blames a cat lying for hours for laziness. For her, like for other animals, laziness is a way to save energy. This is especially true for animals that eat low-calorie plant foods.
Human laziness promotes our progress - cars carry us, washing machines wash for us, conveyors and forklifts work in factories. But here we are talking about talented inventors. And our desire for idleness, which attracts us to the sofa, where does it come from?
If a person has slept for 8-9 hours, wakes up exhausted, and after 2-3 hours he again becomes drowsy and apathetic, this should make him wary. Everyone experiences bouts of laziness, but few people think about its sources. There are several medical reasons that in everyday life are called the simple word “laziness”, but in fact have a scientific basis.
Reason 1. Thyroid hormones.
They affect the functions of the human body and, in particular, the speed of biochemical reactions and energy exchange between cells. What we regard as laziness may turn out to be a malfunction of the thyroid gland. If it synthesizes insufficient hormones, metabolism slows down. This is called hypothyroidism - reduced function of the thyroid gland. A blood test and ultrasound can help detect it.
Reason 2. Adrenal hormones.
So-called laziness, lack of interest in life and pleasure from things that previously pleased a person can be somatic signs of stressful conditions.
Catecholamines (adrenaline, norepinephrine) and cortisol are stress hormones that we need to adapt to any situation. They are produced by the adrenal glands.
During times of stress or intense work, their levels in the blood increase. The more frequent and severe the stress, the more adrenal hormones are in the blood. It is an internal defense mechanism against severe physiological stress.
But only if the hormonal system works correctly. If a person lives in a state of constant, chronic stress, when the adrenal glands are forced to pump stress hormones into the blood for months and years, these glands become depleted.
The adrenal glands can no longer respond when necessary by releasing hormones. Plus, tissue receptors adapt to them and stop responding to them. The person becomes lethargic, lethargic, and tired. Which one? That's right, lazy.
This is a situation that requires normalization of lifestyle or even professional help from a doctor in order to cope with stress illnesses and improve life.
Reason 3. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
If a person is tired psychologically (for example, in a stressful situation), his mental abilities deteriorate. CFS may outwardly look like simple fatigue, but it is accompanied by deterioration of immune defense and impaired oxygen delivery to tissues. Scientists believe that the cause of the development of CFS is the herpes virus (its forms are Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus), I wrote about this in detail in the article “ Herpes virus is the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome».
CFS is not the usual periodic short-term fatigue depending on the intensity of work. This state continues for a long period of time, six months or more, without any enlightenment with a constant feeling of fatigue, memory loss, and irritability. Chronic fatigue syndrome and its companion laziness can be contracted like the flu.
Reason 4. Defense mechanisms of the psyche.
Such mechanisms are activated when a person needs protection from mental and emotional stress and when the subconscious does not want to do what a person does consciously. This is a common situation when a person looks lazy and not hardworking enough, but this is not due to the fact that he does not want to do anything, but to the fact that what he is doing is not very interesting to him. This is normal resistance that should not be fought. It’s better to find out what this person is really interested in.
Laziness may simply be a lack of desire, a lack of motivation, goals, unclear prospects for the future, or it may be an avoidance of failure. Communication with a psychotherapist will help identify such problems.
Reason 5. Protective mechanisms of the nervous system.
Such mechanisms are triggered when work and rest patterns are disrupted, as well as during prolonged intense brain work. The body turns on the laziness mechanism to protect itself from nervous exhaustion.
Working late and at night often leads to disruption of circadian or circadian rhythms. The sleep-wake cycle must be respected and if a person continues to be awake at night, the body does not accept this, he must sleep at night.
If, due to the nature of work, nighttime activity becomes the norm for a long time, the body adapts to chronic stress and loses the ability to rest normally. Physical endurance is impaired.
The accumulated situation with sleep disturbance leads to depletion of compensatory capabilities and fatigue and weakness quickly increase. You can overcome lethargy and laziness if you change your lifestyle. It is recommended to reduce the load at least slightly, review the rest cycles and compulsorily introduce active types of recreation into life, including physical education.
Reason 6. Genes.
We agree that, in addition to the reasons listed, some people also have a common predisposition to idleness. Scientists have found that out of the 17 thousand genes we have, 36 are related to a character trait called laziness and these genes are inherited.
But if you haven’t found any lazy people in your family tree, and it haunts you, think about the fact that the body can signal laziness about its problems.
But if doctors don’t find any medical reasons for your laziness, then it’s time to take charge of yourself.
adminThat terrible word is laziness. It resembles an old thing, overgrown with moss and dust. The word has appeared since the beginning of the world. Children were frightened with it, adults were reproached with it. This is an inseparable part of the human essence. But is she so scary?
What is laziness? Its varieties
To understand what laziness is, it is enough to mention the heroes of famous folk tales. It seems to be a negative trait, but not entirely. If we mean “parasitism,” then the meaning is sharply negative. But there is laziness, which depends on circumstances. It happens that it refers to positive qualities. Why does this happen? Laziness is not uniform, it changes depending on what is behind it.
Laziness is varied. There is mental laziness when you don’t want to think about anything. This laziness leads a person to a dead end. There are 2 main types of mental laziness:
the person does not want to think about the result;
you think about what you want, but don't take effective action.
The most popular type of laziness is physical. To the body. The problem is drawing the line when the need for rest becomes inaction, dragging you into the swamp of laziness. This laziness is adjacent to mental laziness. For example, a desire appeared. But thoughts come to mind that I need to go somewhere and be active. Physical laziness must be distinguished from illness, when a person has to be lazy. There are 2 types:
constant;
temporary.
It varies according to the things that need to be done, as well as the place of appearance. It happens that you don’t want to work, but you still have the strength to go to the cinema. Any lazy person has things to do that will immediately get him off the couch. This occurs among those who are busy with something other than their own business and have no goal.
Emotional laziness is when the smell of tangerines remains the same as in childhood, but there is no New Year's mood. The fading of emotions negatively affects the personality. It will seem to you that you are not wasting your energy, but in reality you are stealing it from yourself. Close ones, manifestations of feelings. Such emotions motivate us to wake up in the morning. And if they are not there, then apathy arises.
The first type of laziness is creative. Many creators think about a problem for a long time and then find a clear answer.
Pathological laziness completely takes over a person and goes beyond all boundaries. You invent illnesses for yourself so as not to get out of bed. You invent reasons for laziness. Philosophical laziness manifests itself in the fact that, for religious reasons, people strive to do nothing. This is a consequence of a misunderstanding of religion, and not its essence.
How to fight laziness
Now let's deal with the laziness of ordinary people. Let's name the main reasons, and therefore the options:
low motivation. The person is not sure whether the matter is worth the effort. In this case, it is necessary to increase motivation, to understand why this is necessary;
weak willpower. You understand that you need to do something, but you are unable to find the strength. In such a situation, start simple and the work will get done;
a special style reminiscent of laziness. A person may think for a long time about the easiest way to complete and then quickly complete a task;
intuitive laziness. In the end it turns out that the work was not worth doing;
source of pleasure. You rejoice at work, but when you are lazy, you rejoice in laziness;
fear of responsibility. What if I do it wrong, what will happen? This approach is formed in childhood, when the child has not been taught responsibility. You must not be afraid to take responsibility, not everyone succeeds the first time, understand this;
. It is important to rest here, then laziness will pass;
from understanding the unimportance of the matter. In this case, laziness will be the engine of progress. Remote controls were invented by lazy people who didn't want to get up every time to change the channel. Find a solution to your problem.
Laziness often occurs when a difficult task needs to be done. And here a lot of “urgent” things immediately arise that need to be completed. Divide a complex task into several simple steps, complete them gradually.
Laziness doesn't happen suddenly; it requires a loophole. Eliminate them with a strict action plan. Step over “I don’t want.” This is a contagious condition, so try not to communicate with “lazy people.” And remember, if you do only what you want, then retribution will definitely come. If you do something interesting, laziness goes away. Choose a job you like, with motivation.
And a couple more tips:
Before starting a difficult task, listen to upbeat music. Create the right environment around;
imagine how much good will happen after finishing the work;
come up with a gift after completing the task as an incentive;
change the type of work every 15-20 minutes, but if inspiration comes, do not be distracted under any circumstances.
If laziness comes suddenly and your conscience can’t cope, then don’t do the work. Deadlines will come and you will have to complete everything. When you show laziness, think about the reason for it. Perhaps this is a desire to relax, or a protest against work. If the latter, then change the conditions.
February 5, 2014