Laziness doesn’t exist
The concept of laziness is pretty entrenched in our society. How often have we heard someone — or ourselves — say, “I meant to do X, but I was too lazy”?
Well, hear me out – I don’t think laziness exists.
Turns out, I’m not alone in this. There are some meaningful writings on racist, classist, and otherwise oppressive contexts for laziness; I encourage everyone to take stock of the systemic, environmental, interpersonal, and individual factors at play when we talk about laziness.
I’d like to invite us all to stop and deconstruct what we mean when we call someone “lazy.” You might see that when we do, we’re really seeing something else (or perhaps a combination of things) — and that calling ourselves or someone else “lazy” is not only inaccurate, but actually counterproductive to our mental health and pursuit of goals.
What we think laziness is:
A character flaw. Absolutely not. As soon as we’ve started to consider “lazy” as something we are, as opposed to something we’re feeling, we’ve invited in assumptions and judgments about our worth. There is no basis for laziness as a personality trait; nor do I believe it is helpful or useful to treat it as such. Laziness tends to be wielded as a judgment – as such, invoking the concept of laziness opens the door to self-criticism and subsequent guilt, shame, or other difficult emotions.
Lack of motivation. Yes and no. We often land on the concept of laziness when we “just don’t feel like doing something.” I’d encourage us to look a little more deeply at that feeling (or lack thereof) — is it lack of interest? Lack of energy? An active dislike of something? These are all examples of feelings that may come up when we are faced with a particular task or situation. It is important to remember that a) these feelings may not represent anything true or helpful about our values or sense of self and b) these feelings do not necessarily dictate what we do (or don’t do) in response. These feelings may also be part of challenges with physical or psychological well-being, which I’ll discuss in more depth below.
Lack of willingness. Yes and no. Similarly, we may reach for laziness as an explanation when we feel really unwilling to do something. The laziness hypothesis fails to consider that we may have valid reasons for not wanting to do something — again, this isn’t a character flaw or moral failing. We may want to give ourselves room to consider whether our willingness might increase if we first tend to other needs that might be showing up, or if it might be worth at least trying to do the thing even if we feel opposed to it in the moment.
What laziness actually is:
Fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most likely symptoms to be misattributed as laziness. There are many contributing factors to fatigue at the systemic, cultural/geopolitical, community, environmental, social, and individual levels. There are also different types of fatigue: we may experience physical, mental, or emotional fatigue depending on our current circumstances and bandwidth. Consider whether physical or mental health, disability, social conflicts, workplace challenges, big life changes, or stress associated with current events may be playing a role. Where there is fatigue, there is usually a need for rest — but we may need to think carefully about what activities might actually be most restful for us, especially depending on the type(s) of fatigue at play. In cases of disability, there may also be a need for environmental accommodations and/or political advocacy.
Depression. Depressed mood often brings low energy, lack of interest, anhedonia (inability to experience enjoyment or pleasure), and a sense of helplessness or hopelessness. Each of these factors not only makes it more difficult to feel motivated to do things, but can also make it more difficult to even see the point in trying. Similarly to fatigue, it is important to extend compassion to ourselves or a loved one who may be going through depression and to access support through community or social connection, psychotherapy, and/or medication to help gradually reintroduce enjoyable and meaningful experiences.
Anxiety, OCD, or trauma. Anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma history can all result in avoidance of specific people, places, activities, thoughts, or other internal or external cues that might increase anxiety, lead to a panic attack or other feared outcome, or remind us of a traumatic event. Procrastination is a very common way that anxiety-induced avoidance masquerades as laziness. While it might be easy for an outside observer to categorize this type of not doing things as laziness, there is usually either a desire to be able to do these things and/or significant distress at not being able to do them.
Executive functioning challenges. Executive functioning refers to cognitive processes or skills that are generally governed by the frontal areas of the brain: these can include task initiation & completion, concentration, focus, attention, planning, organizing, problem-solving, working memory, and impulse control. While attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often the go-to explanation for executive functioning challenges, other physical and psychological contributors include sleep difficulties, nutrition deficiencies, problematic substance use, Autism, and mood, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders. When addressing executive functioning challenges, it is important to consider the potential role of neurotype and explore avenues for treatment, accommodations, advocacy, or community support accordingly.
Demand avoidance. Demand avoidance is an emerging area that might also help explain difficulty with doing things. Potentially related to certain forms of neurodivergence (e.g., Autism, ADHD), demand avoidance can include feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, anger, or shame, meltdowns, behavioral paralysis, and avoidance in response to actual or perceived demands, “shoulds,” or threats to autonomy. While there are currently some recommendations for identifying and working with with demand avoidance, more research is needed to better understand demand avoidance and support individuals experiencing it.
Unrealistic expectations. Navigating unrealistically high expectations — whether facing demanding school or workplace standards, grappling with perfectionism, or feeling the pressure to succeed in a capitalistic society — can create high stress, lead to burnout or various mental health challenges, and can also open us up to self-critical thoughts — including accusations of laziness. In these instances, it is especially important to acknowledge the difficulty of our current circumstances, practice self-compassion, and really take stock of the situation: is it that I’m lazy, or is my boss asking a lot from me right now? Reach out for any resources that might help close the gap between what’s being asked vs. what you can reasonably provide, and consider advocating for your needs when possible.
Relaxation. See all points above underscoring the importance of breaks, rest, and relaxation! There is nothing wrong with wanting to savor the feeling of relaxation. Consider double-checking to ensure that avoidance is not a factor and/or that there will not be significant negative consequences to extending your relaxation time.
My hopes for us all, in abandoning the concept of laziness, are to acknowledge and dismantle harmful systems and stereotypes, to promote more kindness to ourselves and others, and to recognize rest and relaxation as the essential needs that they are.
