I’m So Lazy!
We all feel lazy at one point in our lives or another.
We may feel listless and have a total lack of energy. Staying in bed or stretched out on the sofa feels like a much better idea.
We ignore the phone calls and especially the to-do list we wrote out three days ago. Everything seems like such a monumental task — it’s just impossible to do.
No one likes to be called lazy.
It’s largely considered a negative trait, so why do we fall into lapses of laziness?
What are the reasons why we find ourselves with zero motivation and unable to move ourselves to do anything?
Let’s look at three common reasons why we are lazy. And see how we can correct the situation.
1. You Have No Desire To Do The Task In Front Of You
You feel totally uninspired by the task and have no motivation to do anything about completing it. This is very common for all lazy people.
The reason you don’t want to do it is that you have no interest in the task at all.
If you are inspired by the task, then you are interested in doing it. You are filled with the desire to finish it.
Inspiration leads to motivation, which provides you with the energy you need to do the task.
2. You Are Overwhelmed By The Task
You take one cold look at the task in front of you and it appears as a huge, grey mountain.
Bleak and impossible to climb.
This is how many people see everyday tasks they have to do. The easy thing then is to just give up and not do it at all.
But all you need to do is break the task down into manageable, smaller tasks.
You don’t climb a mountain with one step — you take many small steps.
And those small steps add up quickly.
Do all the smaller steps and the big task suddenly looks a lot easier to accomplish.
3. You Have A Fear Of Failure
You convince yourself that you will not succeed and then believe that you will fail.
You don’t want to go through another humiliating round of defeat again, so you decide not to do anything at all.
At least that way you will not be disappointed!
But this is your mind playing tricks on you…
Your mind is very powerful and can easily convince you not to do something. You believe what your mind is telling you and then it’s yet another day of being lazy.
These are the main reasons why people fall victim to being lazy.
Are you doing any of these things?
If you are, you need to take action against it and ensure that you don’t let your eyes off the main goal.
Ensure that you have the right motivation to do the task in front of you.
Plan your tasks accordingly — and break them down into smaller tasks.
And don’t let your mind control what you want to do for the day.
Are you taking care of these things?
Reading Comprehension Questions
According to the article, does everyone feel lazy on occasion?
According to the article, what are the two feelings that people have when they feel lazy?
And what does the article say that people like to do when they feel lazy?
What two things do people ignore when they feel lazy?
Does the article say that is laziness a positive trait?
What is the first reason for laziness?
For this reason, do people have any motivation to do things?
Why/why not?
According to the text, what thing leads to motivation?
What is the second reason for laziness?
How does the task appear if you feel lazy?
What does the article advise you to do with a big task?
How do people climb a mountain?
What is the third reason?
How do people succumb to this reason?
What thing is playing tricks on you?
Is the mind weak?
Can the mind convince us to do things?
Essential Vocabulary
at one point or another | listless | lack |
stretched out | ignore | to-do list |
monumental | a negative trait | lapses |
zero | motivation | to correct |
desire | task | uninspired |
overwhelmed | one cold look | bleak |
manageable | accomplish | convince |
humiliating | defeat | disappointed |
playing tricks | powerful | ensure |
accordingly |
Exercise
Write down all the words and phrases in your vocabulary notebook. Look in your dictionary and find the meaning of each word. Write the definition next to each word.
Then make up your own sentences using each word or phrase.
For example:
Notebook—a small book with pages of blank paper that students use to make notes when studying.
“I left my notebook at home so I was unable to make any notes in my English class.”
Discussion Questions
Are you a lazy person? Tell the class about your experiences.
Do any three of the conditions above apply to you? What do you think you can do about it?
Is there a difference between being lazy and having no motivation? What are the differences?
Is there a difference between being lazy and procrastination? What are the differences?
Who is lazier? Men or women? Give examples.
Do you have a to-do list? Does it work for you? Tell the class about it.
When is it acceptable to be lazy?
Do you think a fear of failure is a real thing? If so, what can we do about it?
What animals are lazy do you think? Why are they lazy? What animals are not lazy? Why are they not lazy? What is the difference between these animals?
If there is someone in the class who is really lazy, what advice can you give this person to change? Think of a plan to help them become more active in their life.
You can download the full lesson plan by clicking the link below!
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This is a common problem but I liked your explanations for it. The one I related to was being overwhelmed, which is often connected to learning curves. These are just preparations to completing a task and often a ‘three minute’ lesson takes hours! That makes me feel lazy.
Fear of failure goes much deeper than laziness and should be addressed with counseling.
Thanks for reading, Leona! I am glad you found this useful. Laziness is a real issue for me, I am sorry to say… I hope that students and teachers can also use this lesson plan in class.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. Your class planning was exactly what I was looking for. I made a Powerpoint presentation based on it. If you want, I can e-mail you.
Yes please! I would love to see it. I am glad the lesson was useful for you and your class. Thank you Ana!