Burnout or Laziness?

Switching from one tab to another, having your tasks written down in front of you, and still not doing them - feeling so stuck🥶. You have been through this cycle so many times but somehow you still struggle each time to get yourself out of a rut. 

Psychology says to solve a problem, there are a set of steps you can follow, a solution-oriented approach. The first step to solving any problem is to "identify the problem itself”. When you find yourself stuck in a cycle of no productivity, there are usually three possible causes in your mind. “Am I procrastinating? Am I just lazy? or Oh no maybe I’m just burnt out!”

Procrastination is something we have explored extensively in the very first issue of our newsletter and so if you still have not found the solution to your procrastination, we recommend you do so here

But for the other two we’re diving into all the nitty-gritty stuff in this issue: what causes burnout and laziness, what the symptoms are, how to tell the difference between laziness and burnout and what are the solutions to both? Excited? Lets dive in!

WHAT ARE THEY EVEN?

Before we go on to differentiate, we first need to define what exactly is a burnout and what exactly is being lazy?

According to the APA (American Psychological Association)- Burnout is physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It results from performing at a high level until stress and tension from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll.

And according to the good’ol Wikipedia, Laziness (also known as indolence or sloth) is emotional disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to act or to exert oneself.

Let’s make it simple.

BURNOUT.

Burnout is-

• Emotional exhaustion

• Depersonalization

• Detachment

• Reduced Professional Efficacy

• Mental fatigue

  Burnout is all of this and so much more. Burnout can happen to anyone, but we most often see it in workplaces, be it your 9-5s or schools. But burnout is not specific, it’s not a given that it only occurs in a high demanding environment. Rather burnout is not about the stress of the work itself at all. It’s about how you deal with said stress.

  The problem lies in the mismanagement of the stress we receive. While the stress itself (like long working hours, heavy school curriculum, demanding housework etc.) cannot really be changed, how we approach these stressors can still be changed.

LAZINESS.

Laziness is-

• Avoidance of tasks

• Lack of initiative

• Preference for immediate gratification

• Making excuses or rationalizing inaction

• Wasting time and potential

Laziness is more about internal factors. It's a lack of motivation or desire to engage in activity, even when you know you should. Laziness is characterized by a preference for inactivity over action, even when action would be beneficial.

But a little good news for all you lazy folks, we came across something interesting which is that research suggests what is often perceived as laziness may actually be linked to cognitive processing styles and a preference for structured, reasoned approaches to looking at things. Laziness can also potentially have a mental illness underlying it.

WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT THOUGH?

1. The Causes - Burnout occurs because of constant stress mismanagement or workload pressure meanwhile laziness occurs due to lack of motivations and goals, fear of failure, learned helplessness or just absence of motivation.

2. The Duration: if you embrace the stillness, the lack of responsibilities, and the freedom to do whatever you want. But when you’re burnt out, you don’t want to be stuck in that rut, yet no matter how hard you try, you simply can’t muster the energy or motivation to do anything.

3. The Motivation: In burnout individuals experiencing start with high levels of motivation but become depleted over time due to chronic stress and overexertion. Laziness on the other hand lacks motivation from the outset, struggling to find reasons to engage in tasks or activities.

4. The Time Span - While both can be overcome, laziness is easier and can be overcome much faster than burnout. Burnout is not simply a bad day or a rough week; it is a chronic state of being overwhelmed and depleted.

AND THE SOLUTION?

Burnout is a state of pure exhaustion and during a burnout it is very typical for us to get harder on ourselves. We start to despise ourselves for not doing the amount of work we expect ourselves to, but it is very important to remember that in times of burnout you need to be kind to yourself and build again from scratch, slowly and strategically. Here’s how you do it -

• Keep your to do list short and easy.

  When you’re burnt out, your mind is already overwhelmed. A long list of tasks will only make things worse and that lead you to end up doing nothing it all.

• Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your productivity.

  Don’t expect to get back to full productivity just as soon as you start trying because that will only lead to more disappointment and in turn more burnout.

  Take a tasks and break it into say 5 mini tasks. Now one day you try to do just 1 mini task, the next day one more, a day later you take 2 more mini tasks and this is how you build yourself up slowly.

• Fix your associations and cues.

  Since burnout happens due to extreme pressure, the workload (or the thing causing the pressure) usually becomes associated with a struggle or a hard time. And so when you try to do that task again, it automatically becomes a cue for avoidance. To break these cues, make the tasks more fun and calmer. Try to listen to music you enjoy or just change your working space when attending to the task

• Reconnect with purpose, not pressure

  "Why did I care about these tasks in the first place?" Burnout disconnects us from why we started — whether it’s studying, working, creating, or showing up for others. Take time to remember the purpose beneath the productivity.

Laziness is the biggest waste of potential. Potential is something each and every single one of us has whether it be the potential to excel in academia, the potential to an inventor, the potential to be a leader or the potential to achieve more than what is presented to us. But it is truly a tragedy to see potential wasted. What you could’ve given to the world and what you could’ve built for yourself if you just had the slightest courage to try, must remain a mystery simple because you. were. lazy.

Here’s an attempt to prevent another tragedy-

• Find your purpose, define your goals.

  To truly find your goals, you need to connect with your roots, your values, and your desires. Ask yourself not just what you want, but why you want it. The "why" gives your goal meaning, turning it into a purpose. Write you goals down because without them, ambition fades when things get tough.

• Look for those who have done it and done it better thank you can imagine.

  Study those who've walked the path before you and gone even further. Analyze what they did, how they thought, and how they overcame setbacks. Success leaves clues—you just need to pick them apart and apply them with intention. Let their stories fuel your strategy, not your comparison.

• Remain Focused, But Flexible

  While having clear goals is essential, a little flexibility keeps you grounded in reality. Life is unpredictable, and being adaptable helps you pivot when needed. Never chase ten things at once, focus deeply on one, master it, and move forward from there.

• Break the Pattern
  Learned helplessness is a trap that convinces you that effort doesn’t matter but it does. As Mark Cuban said, “You only need to be right once.” Failure isn’t final unless you stop trying. Break the pattern, believe in new outcomes, and push through, even if it’s just one step at a time.

Whether it's burnout, laziness, or procrastination, the first step to change is always awareness. Once you understand what’s holding you back, you can begin to take intentional steps toward change.

Be gentle with yourself in burnout, firm with yourself in laziness, and strategic with your procrastination. Your goals aren’t out of reach—you just need to approach them with the right mindset, one small step at a time.

We will see you again next week with more strategies and stories of inspiration.

Remember, you don’t need to be perfect every day, you just need to keep showing up.

~ The Mindset Matters Team