Before you start thinking of someone else who needs to read this article, please stop for a moment and reflect on whether laziness has played a big or small role in your work life lately. There may be a few reasons for that, and that is why this piece will help you personally unpack the root cause.
Laziness is dangerous because it’s a habit that doesn’t need much mastering, and it has a 0% failure rate, so if you enroll into the course of LAZINESS, you are guaranteed to pass with flying colours.
So, why are you lazy? I have identified just three possible reasons, but please note that it is not limited to just these alone:
1. The tasks are big, and your ability is small
It could be self-sabotage getting in the way, but generally speaking, big tasks often cripple us before we even get started. This stems from the thought that a task is way too big to be handled by “little old me”. Sometimes you may feel ill-equipped to handle a task, or you may not have received the necessary resources to tackle it. The lie that we often minister to ourselves is that we still have to prove why we deserve to be in that role. I have always stated that the only time you have ever needed to prove why you deserve the role, is in your job interview. Once you secure the job, you don’t need to be proving that. This does not mean that you should not work hard. What it means is that you have the skills and expertise to handle the tasks. So, stop second-guessing yourself.
If you find that you are struggling to move forward in a task, break your task down into mini tasks. If the deadline is a week away from the date it was given, set mini tasks to help you tackle the full thing. Here is an example: If you need to prepare a board report and you need to collect information from the past quarter, split your tasks like this:
- Day 1 – collect data from the past quarter (find the notable information needed to include in the report)
- Day 2 – collect supporting imagery from the past quarter
- Day 3 – create copy for the board report – work on half the quarter’s content
- Day 4 – create copy for the board report – work on the other half of the quarter's content
- Day 5 – review content and edit accordingly. Submit by COB.
Remember, your manager and your team are not your opponents. Reach out to them if you feel overwhelmed or are battling with the magnitude of the task. Ask if you are unsure. A manager is there to guide you, not to give you nightmares. I understand that not everyone has the best relationship with their managers, but seek help from your colleagues. They may provide a fresh perspective and help you see the task in a different light. If you are struggling to approach your manager, then a bigger conversation needs to happen. This would not be a task-orientated conversation but rather a working relationship one. If it is a matter of being overwhelmed and it is above your capabilities or pay-grade, make that known so that you can be provided with extra resources.
2. Lack of self confidence
This one lines up with the one above. When you lack self-confidence it is very difficult to get any task off the ground. Open up to your manager about this, or to your mentor. I advised you above to break your task down into digestible chunks, and this not only helps to deal with the magnitude of the task, but also helps address your lack of self-confidence. Have regular check-ins with your manager when you have completed something small that is related to the task. That way, you can receive guidance to ensure that you are on the right path, instead of having to redo the entire task at the very end.
There are times when we go through emotional dips, and these have nothing to do with our ability to complete a task. However, these emotional dips filter into all areas of our lives including work. It is important to get the necessary help you need. There is no shame in realising that your self-esteem or self-confidence is low. There is no human being who has their self-confidence intact 24/7. So, stop trying to be a hero, and work on yourself. Find someone you trust, whether it be your pastor, a counsellor, therapist or family member; and take the time you need to work through your fears, triggers and traumas.
3. It’s in your blood stream
You are just LAZY. You have no substantial reason for being this way. You are just comfortable with being lazy and it shows in your work, your lack of commitment and your inability to complete a task. You need SERIOUS help. Laziness is not attractive, whether it be in the workplace, in relationships, in extra-curricular activities or in the home. Granted, there are days where you can be a complete vegetable and laze around after a super busy work week. BUT, what you have is chronic laziness – the type that pushes people away and the type that has you having to find new friends every quarter because you can’t even commit to the work required to stay in a healthy friendship.
I do have good news, though. You can get out of this rut. However, that needs a bold decision from you. If you fail to even make that decision, then I don’t know, hey – its late for you. If you are struggling with laziness, please seek help. In true lazy style, I am going to end the article here – you know the help you need, you’re just lazy to get it, and I don’t even know if you are going to finish reading this article, so the only advice I have for you is GET HELP (if you want to).
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