4 Cheat Codes That Will Give You Unfair Momentum In Life, According To Psychology
Turn laziness into productivity.
RDNE Stock project | Pexels Laziness isn’t a personality trait. It’s a label we apply to an act that appears to fall short of a particular activity level. Many of us call ourselves lazy. But this holds you back.
A 2024 article about procrastination explained that laziness should not be confounded with procrastination or idleness. Laziness and procrastination are similar in that they both involve a lack of motivation. But, unlike a lazy person, a procrastinator aspires and intends to complete the task and eventually does so, albeit at a higher cost to himself.
Here are 4 cheat codes that will give you unfair momentum in life, according to psychology:
1. Stop making everything about you
Just because you’ve been doing things that might be described as ‘lazy’ doesn’t mean you are a lazy person. Who we are and what we do are very separate things. Don’t define yourself by your actions. If actions are the problem, those need addressing. But if we make it about us, we lose hope. Who we think we are can’t change — but we can change what we decide to do. And actions will ultimately shift our perceived self-image.
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2. Identify the issues that limit your energy
Becoming motivated isn’t all about mindset. And we aren’t supposed to lack energy. Humans are highly energized by default. Most of it has to do with optimizing your energy levels. Most people who come to me and tell me they’re lazy are doing all kinds of stuff, limiting their energy — often without them even realizing it.
Here are some examples:
- Too much fake dopamine, like playing video games, eating excessive sugar, and watching porn.
This fries your dopamine sensors, making it difficult to be motivated for everyday things like writing and creating.
- Eating processed food, sugar, and wheat
- Sitting around all day and rarely exercising
- Eating food you are intolerant to, like gluten, slows you
Get real about the changes you need to make in your life. Identify those things you think could be limiting your energy and take small steps to eradicate them so your energy and motivation return.
Distraction — something many of us are struggling with today — is a major driver of procrastination. “These technologies we have now are really problematic; it’s why we call them weapons of mass distraction,” he says.
Tech-based alerts, social media sites, and other enticements make it more difficult for many of us to get started on a difficult task and to stick with it, he says. 2018 research from Computers in Human Behavior has shown that social media use (and high smartphone use) predicts some forms of academic procrastination.
3. Become a master at creating momentum
The most productive people who create in huge quantities tend to be masters at creating momentum. Think about how you ride a bike. At the start, turning the pedals and maintaining balance can be a push. It’s not easy. After some wheel turns, momentum is on your side, balance becomes easy, and you’re flying.
The same applies to productivity and getting a handle on your ‘laziness.’ To create momentum, you must be willing to deal with the initial push, which might be felt as boredom or resistance.
You either sit with the boredom and wait for inspiration to strike, which can work. Or you adopt a warrior’s pose, dive in head first, and create momentum through gritted teeth. Find the way that works for you and get moving. Motion creates results.
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4. Find a productivity system that works for you
When it comes to being productive, most of us focus way too much on ourselves. We say: ‘Oh, I don’t think I have enough self-belief to do this, and so I’ll procrastinate.’
It’s not about you. You need a better, more appealing system. We all have a system for the results we’re creating in our lives. It’s just that yours can be less than optimal.
If you aren’t getting stuff done, what is a system you can build that would ensure you do the right things? Does it mean waking up earlier and reading for an hour before writing? Does it mean getting an accountability partner? Does it mean exercising in the morning before working?
According to research referenced by Georgetown University, people can only focus on one screen for 47 seconds on average, and the brain takes 25 minutes to refocus on a task after a distraction. In constantly diverting our attention to email, chats, or newsfeeds while working on something important, we exist in a “neurological liminal state of conflicted attention targets.” In other words, we can’t entirely focus.
“The true productivity poison in the modern workplace or educational environment is the quick checks of unrelated sources of information that create that persistent state of divided attention,” said Newport, an associate professor in the College of Arts & Sciences and a New York Times bestselling author. “This not only reduces our cognitive capacity but is also exhausting. Both our work and our mental health suffer.”
Your purpose will come into this too. Do you have a clear reason for doing what you do? Forget yourself and focus on creating a system that works for you. That’s how to cure laziness … and win.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.