You know these days.
You can’t get up. Your day starts late and you rush to finish everything at the last minute. You are lazy and wish you could sleep the whole day.
Btw. Did you know sloths sleep 20 hours a day? What a life!
Oh well. Work is calling. Another day in paradise.
What to do with days you know you ‘should’ but ‘do not feel’ like it?
Repetitive routine
It might surprise you, but leaders are lazy too.
You have worked with the same people for a long time. You deal with the same problems again and again. You like your routine. Everything works like clockwork. But you might be tired, bored, or maybe even feel stuck.
Then you realize you are demotivated. So what now?
Repeated routines are safe but exhausting. Others try to help and bounce a few ideas. Try a new sport or activity, or take on a new project. But when you feel tired and lazy, you might not feel like learning anything or meeting anyone.
The ideal situation would be if your colleagues and friends cut you slack and let you be. You need time to recharge.
We all need to be lazy sometimes. Especially when the workload is high, the stress is long-term, and conversations don’t go anywhere. Switch off.
Motivation waves
Think of your motivation as a surfing session. Sometimes you catch it and go far. Sometimes, it’s finished after a few meters.
Not even the best leaders are motivated all the time. It’s impossible. It comes and leaves for them too.
Push when you feel motivated and catch that pretty wave. But also don’t feel guilty about floating for a while on a top and relax. You can’t surf well when you are drained.
Likewise, you can’t work productively without mental or physical energy. For fans of charts, here is Fogg’s behavior Model:
Source: lifehack
Manage your mindset and energy
Laziness does not have a specific reason. Blame age, habits, working culture, energy, willpower, etc.
Two usual suspects are mindset and energy. Let’s combine them.
Positive/growth mindset + loads of energy = motivation
Positive/growth mindset + lack of energy = take it easy
Not motivated mindset + loads of energy = procrastination
Not motivated mindset + lack of energy = laziness
How are you today? :-)
One thing is clear: you need physical and mental energy. If one is missing, you may procrastinate or not finish all you wanted and then feel guilty about it.
I sympathize with you all. You juggle so much! Work, your teams, clients, partners, parents, children, friends, illness, mistakes in service contracts, hangovers, and so much more.
Where to take the energy to do it all?
Sleeping, eating, hydrating, moving, and relaxing.
Make sure you fill your energy tanks regularly. Do what energizes you. Be with people who inspire you.
Good food gives you satisfaction, but what to do with too many priorities, annoying management, unfriendly colleagues, disappointment with your salary, or a feeling like a failure?
Thoughts are mental energy; they're the currency that you have to attract what you desire. Learn to stop spending that currency on thoughts you don't want. - Wayne Dyer
You can choose to be frustrated and procrastinate in your misery. Or spit it out and turn the page.
If you think you are not too busy, you are not. If you accept that some people are annoying, you will be less annoyed by them. If you have too many priorities, cut them in batches and start working on your list one by one.
You can work it out. Be lazy but also make positive things happen.
Want more?
Watch now:
How to stop screwing yourself over | Mel Robbins
How to motivate yourself to change your behavior | Tali Sharot
Explore your mindset and don’t feel stuck at work anymore:
Leadership Summer Camp is starting in a month.
See you next week, Ivona