Is there really a way you could stop being lazy and become a bit more productive? By surfing the internet, you will surely find tons of tips and pieces of advice on how you can avoid being lazy. However, such steps may not always be suitable for everybody. Thus, it is important that you find a formula that will work for you. Besides, life is about discovering new things about your surroundings, and yourself as well!
These tips on preventing laziness really worked for me, and I hope they will work for you too.
1. Beware of the time robbers.
It is all too easy to be distracted, and we all know it. If we hear some of our coworkers chatting about the latest movies, we easily get curious and end up joining their conversation. As a result, we lose twenty minutes. We also love checking our social media accounts and we’re not even aware we’re already spending half an hour doing so. There are many other things that can take your attention away from your work, and you have to be aware of all of them. By recognizing what makes us waste time, it becomes easier to avoid them and become more efficient at work.
2. Turn your ideas into reality.
Have you ever had ideas in your mind but never had the chance to actually execute them? Not being able to voice out your opinions can eventually make work really boring because you don’t feel challenged and appreciated. You’ve got to take the initiative to let others know about your ideas. You will never know how good or bad your ideas are unless you actually tell people about them.
3. Remember you don’t have to be in charge of everything.
Always be realistic in terms of what and how much you can do in a day. It is good that you want to impress your boss by volunteering to do other tasks, but make sure you won’t end up feeling overwhelmed by all the things you need to do. Oftentimes, it is the feeling of being overwhelmed that makes people lose interest in doing something. Know your capacity and just be good at what you do – that should be enough.
4. Make sure you accomplish something at the end of the day.
Don’t make any excuses and just make things happen. There is no point in making a to-do or priority list if you can’t complete even a single task. Also, don’t rely on the fact that you can do things tomorrow or next week or next month. By accomplishing something, you actually motivate yourself to do the same every single time. There is nothing more rewarding than to be able to finish tasks on time.
5. Be up early and start the morning right.
Getting out of bed requires a lot of effort and determination. And so, not letting sleepiness or laziness stop you from starting your day early is a really good way to have a productive day. But this doesn’t mean that you should wake up worrying about the things you have to do. What is it that you love doing in the mornings? What can set your mood? Whatever it is, allow yourself to do it so you’ll build positive energy to start your day.
Being lazy is a really bad habit that is too hard to overcome. But overcoming it is not impossible. If you feel like your laziness is stopping you from becoming effective at work, and is already affecting your job or your career, talk to a personal coach. He or she will help you and guide you as you begin your transformation from being lazy into a more responsible and reliable individual.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.