How to Make Your Laziness Productive: 6 Helpful Tips for Lazy People

When we hear the word “Laziness,” what often comes to mind is "bad habit". Unfortunately, this word has been misused by many because not everyone has a clear understanding of the subject. In most African rural communities, one can be referred to as a lazy person just because he/she is doing only a white collar job without engaging in farming. For such locals, being hardworking means doing strenuous jobs like farming.

Laziness is not all about doing nothing much or doing easy job, there are people who do less but achieving more. There are also others who keep appearing busy when they do not get the work done. Should we say the former is lazy or the later? Any way, it does not matter what you think about this subject, it is time you learn about how to turn laziness into positivity and productivity. Let’s agree that we've all had those days where the bed or couch feels more inviting than the to-do list. Instead of feeling bad about those moments, why not make them work for you?

The truth is that many "lazy" individuals are some of the most efficient people you'll meet when they decide to work. This is because they often seek shortcuts and strategies to get things done without overexertion. One of the most successful businessmen on earth, Bill Gates once said, 

"I will always choose a lazy person to do a hard job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it" (1996).

This insight isn't just humorous; it's profoundly practical in everyday life. Most people think it is all about stressing oneself to show hard work, but it is actually about working smart and effective.

In this article, I'll share tips to help you turn your so-called laziness into a productivity powerhouse. Yes, you can do it irrespective of how lazy you feel. Whether you're a perpetual procrastinator who thrives under pressure or someone who just values efficiency, these methods can help you achieve more with less effort. Even if you are already hardworking, you can still gain a lot from this article.

1. Master the Art of Prioritization

Instead of scattering your energy trying to do everything in your to-do-list, focus on those things that truly matter at the moment. Getting choked by too many tasks can even be the reason you feel lazy. 

Prioritizing tasks gives you psychological calmness that you need to concentrate and perform productively. You can use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks into what’s urgent, important, or neither. For instance, if a report isn’t due until next week, skip the panic and address today’s deadlines first. With this, it will be easy for you to meet-up with everything that is before you. It wouldn’t matter whether you are lazy or not, it is getting the work done.

Understanding goalsetting is the easiest way to know how to prioritize tasks.

2. Automate Mundane Tasks

Thank God for modern-day tools. You can automate almost anything nowadays through digital tools and platforms. Yes, technology is the best friend of lazy people because they make work easy. I can decide to automate this blog post, and my audience may not even know. Just set reminders, schedule recurring tasks. You can use apps like Zapier, Zoho, Hubspot, Calendly and other workflow automation tools to automate repetitive tasks. You can automate financial transactions, emails, social media posts or what have you. This will bring a great relief and make your laziness productive.

3. Adopt the Two-Minute Rule

If there is anything that can be done in less than two minutes, tackle it immediately. This practice will help you beat procrastination and laziness. The Two-Minute-Rule, championed by productivity expert David Allen in his book, Getting Things Done, is a game-changer for lazy people.

You may think that the task is a simple one that you can do any time you wish. However, failing to do it now can lead to piling up to result in mountain of tiny tasks. Assuming you have to send a quick email, which is very simple to do, not doing it quickly gives room for more tasks to add-up to the existing ones.

4. Batch Similar Tasks

You can always group similar tasks to make it easy for you to complete them by switching to the next batch. For instance, if you were to reply to a WhatsApp message, use that time to respond to all messages before you.

Read also: How to manage your time in a professional way.

Grouping similar tasks minimizes the mental effort of switching gears. This also includes dedicating specific times to reply to emails, instead of checking your inbox every 10 minutes. By doing so, you reduce decision fatigue and free up time for more enjoyable activities. This will also give you time to focus on other things instead of allowing simple tasks to consume your time and energy. Most professionals, for instance, check their emails in the morning, say 10 am, and before they close from work.

5. Redefine Rest as Recovery

So many people equate laziness with idleness, but that is not true. Taking breaks, napping, or indulging in hobbies aren’t signs of sloth. These breaks help one to stay healthy which is good for your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Even Albert Einstein credited his eureka moments to downtime.

It helps more than working until you break down. Breaking down will make you lazier an uninterested in completing the tasks. When you rest with intention, you recharge for focused productivity later. Rest or quality sleep, exercise, good food and drinking enough water are very important for your health.

6. Go after less stressful tasks

You can feel lazy because you naturally have no strength to stand strenuous activities. If this is the reason you feel lazy, then change your pattern. Go after job roles and responsibilities that are less stressful. There are so many roles that require easy tasks where you will not need to stress yourself too much. Learn digital skills like UI/UX, web development, SEO, content writing, data analysis or other skills that can enable get remote job. These skills don't require physical energy. Platforms like Well Found make remote jobs very easy to find and most of their offers are from the United States.

Conclusion

Laziness is not good but most people we think are lazy are obviously not. They are people who just need to adjust their approach to work to boost their productivity. Working smarter, not harder, can help you achieve your goals while staying true to your nature. As you try these strategies, you will find yourself doing far better than you can ever imagine.

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