What To Do If You Are Lazy: 8 Ways To Improve Energy

Being lazy can really have far reaching consequences on people’s lives. It can range from not at all noticeable to mildly inconveniencing, all the way to completely obstructive. Overall quality of life and the ability enjoy it to its fullest can all be compromised by laziness.

Now, the problem with laziness is it can have many causes, and while some are fully in your control, others are less so. If you suffer from constant laziness then try these strategies.

Ways To Deal With Laziness

Here are some ways to stop being lazy.

1. Check your physical health

While laziness can be caused by just plain, well, laziness, it can also be caused by a medical condition. Many medical conditions can cause fatigue and low energy which manifest themselves as laziness. This is why if you feel like you have low energy levels or that you are “lazy” then you should consult a physician about it. Your doctor may do several tests to rule out any ailments that may be causing low energy. Some may not be diagnosable with tests but can still be identified other ways.

Typically, by resolving the physical health issue that could be causing the laziness, the lack of energy itself will be resolved. Sometimes treatment may focus more on making symptoms easier to live with rather than curing, but regardless it is important to start with a physician when experiencing laziness.

2. Take care of your mental health

Physical conditions are not the only category of health concerns that can cause fatigue or laziness. If you suffer from a mental health condition it is possible that you could be experiencing laziness as well. This can be anything; depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. But it can also be something as seemingly miniscule as long-term or severe stress.

One of the main reasons mental health issues can cause laziness or fatigue is because of the mental energy they drain out of people. Using all that energy towards being depressed, stressed, anxious, etc. can be quite draining.

The best course of action is to get on track to resolve these conditions which will likely also resolve the laziness they cause. Research them and consider getting counseling from a mental health professional. Take a few minutes of your time every day in order to do some mental reflections and come to terms with things you may be struggling with. Do not self-medicate with any drugs or alcohol.

3. Eat right

Your diet can have a tremendous effect on your energy levels. If you are eating a diet high in processed sugars and saturated and trans fats then you are likely to experience laziness. Your diet should contain a fair amount of water, unsaturated fats, proteins, complex carbohydrates and fruits and vegetables. These are diet choices that can help actively raise energy levels.

4. Sleep

If you sleep 6 hours a day or less and feel lazy then there is no surprise here. Aim to sleep at least 8 to 8.5 hours or even more. Sleep is a key determiner of energy and deprivation from it will take energy away. Make a point to be in bed at a reasonable time, avoid screens before sleeping, and make your sleeping area as comfortable as possible.

5. Train yourself to be more high energy

You need to take care of your physical and mental health, your diet and your sleep first. Once you do that, train yourself to be more energetic by gradually taking on more tasks and pushing yourself (not too hard) to do things you may struggle with. Don’t go too far right away by getting into energy intensive activities, but do some moderate energy-using tasks at first and work up. For example, you may decide to wash the dishes one day. The next day you may decide to focus on a project at work for 10 minutes and the day after that you might do 15 minutes. Work slowly on something and build your energy levels up gradually.

6. Rest yourself

Not only should you not overwork, but you should also actively take time to rest. Rest here does not specifically have to mean sleeping (although it can). Instead, it is more about sitting down, relaxing, avoiding work, or doing something you enjoy that doesn’t use too much energy.

Rest allows for recuperation time and helps prevent us from using too much energy. Schedule rest time and avoid compromising it whenever you can. How you rest is up to you but what matters is that you do it.

7. Take care of your eyes

Screens, books, driving and a long list of other things have the potential to strain and tire the eyes. Using visual focus uses brain energy and can cause headaches if the eyes are overused and strained.

Take time to close your eyes (not while driving, of course) whenever you can safely and appropriately do so. If you look at a screen all day, consider closing your eyes a few seconds every few minutes. Consider also using dark mode when you can. Remember to blink!

Resting the eyes can help make you feel more energized.

8. Exercise

Yes, it’s almost the complete opposite of rest but it is also helpful for getting energy levels up and combating laziness. Exercise gets blood flowing and is also a way to “work-out” your energy muscles (i.e. train yourself to be more energetic). If your physical health allows, try to do something that gets the heart pumping a little. Consider doing moderate exercise as this is usually ideal for making people less lazy. A brisk walk should be fine but you are also free to do anything you are comfortable doing. Do try to keep the exercise moderate, however.