10 Signs Of A Genuinely Lazy Person, According To Psychology
Being lazy can have a major impact on your mental and physical well-being.
Look Studio | Shutterstock Laziness is more easily defined by what it is not than by what it is. It involves a lack of motivation and determination to take action, even though someone is capable of completing a task.
While some psychologists believe laziness isn’t a true personality trait, being lazy can have a major impact on people’s mental and physical health and overall well-being.
A genuinely lazy person struggles to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently. They tend to be unambitious, which means they don’t have a strong work ethic or make plans to pursue their dreams. They put in the least amount of effort possible and are content to just skate by without reaching their full potential.
Here are 10 signs of a genuinely lazy person, according to psychology:
1. Lazy people constantly procrastinate.
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While putting off tasks occasionally isn’t particularly problematic, chronic procrastination can negatively affect a person’s quality of life and their ability to achieve academic or professional success. Even when a genuinely lazy person has a full schedule or a long to-do list of essential tasks, they struggle to sit down and get to work.
As a psychology professor, Fuschia Sirois defined procrastination as “An unnecessary form of delay… It’s a delay that’s voluntary.” Emotions are at the core of procrastination, as most people aren’t avoiding a particular task but rather the negative emotions that the task inspires. Procrastinating does provide people with relief in the short term, yet eventually, they have to confront whatever they’re avoiding.
Sirios explained that judging yourself won’t solve the tendency to procrastinate. Instead, it drags you lower down into the cycle of avoidance.
“The more that you get more critical about yourself about procrastinating, that can actually increase the chances that you'll continue to procrastinate,” she said.
2. They don't consistently take initiative.
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A genuinely lazy person avoids taking initiative in their personal and professional lives. They’d rather be a passive participant than jump into a leadership role. Their lack of ambition means they’re perfectly happy to let other people steer the ship as long as they don’t have to work too hard.
An article in the Journal of Vocational Behavior defined having ambition as “the persistent and generalized striving for success, attainment, and accomplishment.”
While ambition is generally framed in a professional context, people can also show ambition in other areas of their lives. They can be ambitious about making friends, starting a family, or participating in hobbies. Everyone defines success for themselves. Yet, a genuinely lazy person doesn't particularly care about being successful because they don’t want to put in the effort it would take to get there.
3. Lazy people tend to give up easily.
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Lazy people don’t see the value of challenging themselves or pushing through hardships. Because they lack follow-through, they tend to abandon projects at the first indication of difficulty or inconvenience.
While giving up is usually viewed negatively, psychoanalyst Adam Phillips explained that sometimes, giving up can be beneficial to someone’s emotional well-being.
“It could be good to give up on relationships or interests when you realize they are no longer alive for you,” he said. “But people find that extremely difficult because we’re not supposed to give up.”
“You have to experiment,” he said. “The risk will probably always be giving up too early, too quickly— but the other risk is taking too long to give up.”
Phillips shared examples of how giving up can actually improve someone’s life, like letting go of harmful habits. Giving up on a relationship that isn’t fulfilling is usually the right choice, even though the process is complex.
4. They don’t set achievable goals.
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While it’s unnecessary for someone to map out their whole life and plan every move they make, setting both short-term and long-term goals can give people a sense of purpose. By not setting goals, genuinely lazy people reveal how apathetic they are.
Setting goals for the future can be challenging for people who struggle with their mental health. Experiencing anxiety and depression can make life seem meaningless. Feeling emotionally imbalanced zaps people of their energy and their passion. In that situation, staying present and taking things day-by-day is usually the best way forward.
5. People who are lazy don't tend to stick to a routine.
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A genuinely lazy person has trouble sticking to a consistent routine. Their inability to follow even a loosely set schedule often means they miss important deadlines or don’t show up when they said they would. They also have a hard time establishing habits that will help them in the long run.
It takes time and commitment to get into a routine. In one UK-based study, researchers reported that it took participants an average of 66 days to make habits automatic. A key part of turning habits into a routine requires people to repeat certain actions until they become subconscious.
Following a routine is beneficial, yet starting a routine takes concerted effort, which is something a genuinely lazy person tends not to have.
6. They do the bare minimum.
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Another sign of a genuinely lazy person is that they only do the bare minimum required of them, nothing more and nothing less. They are not the kind of employees who volunteer to take on special projects. They don’t stay at work late since they don’t see any need to go above and beyond what their job title entails.
They might not exceed expectations, but they will meet the expectations laid out for them. They tend to coast along at the company they work for, neither climbing up the corporate ladder nor climbing back down it. They’re content staying right where they are, meaning they don’t push themselves beyond their limits or aim for a promotion. They get through their day doing just enough, which is more than enough for them.
7. Lazy people aren't curious.
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While a genuinely lazy person might have a naturally high level of intelligence, they don’t seek out intellectual challenges or display any interest in learning new things. Instead, a genuinely lazy person is content with the status quo because it’s easier to accept life as is than to try to change it.
A research study titled “The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity” described curiosity as “A special form of information-seeking distinguished by the fact that it is internally motivated.”
Being curious comes from within. An interested person’s hunger for knowledge exists outside societal expectations or academic pressure. As the study explained, “Curiosity enhances learning, [which is] consistent with the theory that the primary function of curiosity is to facilitate learning.”
A genuinely lazy person has no interest in self-improvement or inner growth. They don’t care about seeing the world from a different perspective or pushing up against their existing abilities. Instead, they accept themselves exactly as they are.
8. They’re resistant to change.
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Changing how you approach your life takes drive, determination, and effort, traits that a genuinely lazy person doesn't have. A genuinely lazy person sees no problem staying firmly in their comfort zone. They know what they like and don’t like and are content to live peacefully between those two poles.
Transitions are complex, even for people who aren’t genuinely lazy. Adapting to a new environment can test people’s resilience and ability to regulate emotions. Flexibility and an open mind are essential to creating lasting relationships with people. Yet, ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with staying in a place you understand, in a life that suits your needs.
9. Lazy people don't go out of their way to help others.
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Their unhelpful attitude isn’t rooted in cruelty or indifference but rather in a reluctance to extend any extra effort or time needed to help someone else. A genuinely lazy person won’t donate their free time on weekends to volunteering, but they will give money to causes they believe in.
A genuinely lazy person will show up and be present for their kids and family members, but they aren't likely to go out of their way to help take on another coworker's work if they're behind. They might drag their feet when asked to work harder than they want to or pitch in on a team project, as they only want to do what’s necessary and nothing more.
10. They tend to have poor time management skills.
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This means that they struggle to prioritize important tasks ahead of time. They tend to get easily distracted and often focus on tasks that aren’t essential to the project. Their inability to manage their time well sometimes means their final product isn’t as polished as it could be.
At its most destructive, having poor time management means they work inefficiently. They rush to the finish line and might even miss deadlines entirely. While everyone has days without getting much done, a genuinely lazy person is constantly disorganized. Yet they can take steps to improve their time management and productivity.
Professional organizer Diana Quintana shared techniques for time management that help people stay on track. She recommended considering the time of day when you do your best work and then dividing the day into sections.
“Take advantage of your personal strengths and better organize your day so that you do your hardest, most challenging work when you know you are at your best,” she advised. Quintana also emphasized the importance of finding time to recharge and let your mind rest, to reach maximum productivity.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis, and the entertainment industry.