How to Solve Your Laziness and Productivity Problem* - Part 3

Laziness is a very powerful self-preservation tool.

Next time you think you are being lazy or that you should be doing more, check in with your body.

What is your body telling you?

What does your body need?

Is your body trying to tell you to rest?

That you are close to, at, or past your limit?

If you still find that you are struggling not to do all the things or struggling to let yourself rest, even when your body is sending you messages, try these questions:

-What emotion am I trying to avoid by telling myself to be more productive?

-What will I be forced to feel if I have some downtime?

-What will I be forced to feel if I don’t do anything more than exactly what I’ve done [today/this week/this month/this year]?

Part of being human is trying to avoid negative emotions.

We often try to stay busy and refuse to rest to avoid the shame or guilt that comes when we tell ourselves we are lazy or unproductive.

But if you want to learn to rest…

If you want to learn how to leave work at work…

If you want to learn how to do things just for you and no one else…

You have to let it feel terrible. You have to move towards guilt and shame. 

If it feels terrible, you’re doing it right.

It almost always feels terrible when you are learning how to do something new.

And for many of us, resting is new.

And uncomfortable.

Leaving work at work is new.

And uncomfortable.

Doing what we want instead of what we think we should do is new.

And uncomfortable.

Saying no is new.

And uncomfortable.

Prioritizing ourselves, our wants, our pleasure, and our joy is new.

And uncomfortable.

That’s okay.

Let the negative emotion - the guilt, the anxiety, the shame, the overwhelm - be there but don’t let it drive.

*It’s only a problem in the sense that you are telling yourself it is - i.e., you are telling yourself that you are lazy or unproductive and making that a referendum on your worth as a human being. By solving it, I mean how to stop trying to motivate yourself with shame and guilt.

Check out my profile to see prior posts in this series. 

P.S. On a related note because of this laziness indoctrination we get, we tend to lead really busy lives. Overly busy. If that’s you, check out my 10 Ways to Be and Feel Less Busy: https://mailchi.mp/jenndealcoaching/10ways