By Emily Bristow, Counsellor at The Eaves
Ironically, it’s taken me months to getting around to writing this blog! The definition of laziness is an unwillingness to do something that you are capable of doing. I was willing and capable of writing this so it wasn’t laziness, but maybe a lack of confidence – is what I have to say worth reading? Was it perfectionism – that what I’m writing has to be well researched and presented professionally for fear of being shamed by other professionals? The point I’m trying to make is that the term laziness is thrown around without much thought to what is going on behind it.
In society, the main groups of people who are labelled “lazy” are usually those who are out of work or overweight. If someone isn’t willing to work, is it laziness or is it modelled behaviour where they haven’t learned to earn the things they have? If someone is born into money and doesn’t have to work, are they labelled lazy? If you’re overweight then you’re lazy because you can “easily” do more exercise and make better food choices. Is it laziness, or is it underlying psychological issues such as addiction, low self-esteem or other coping mechanisms that have been learned? Or could it be medical reasons? I have often used the term lazy towards my children when they don’t do simple things around the house that I ask of them. But, is it really laziness or are they just not living up to my standards around the home?
Next time you judge someone (or yourself) for being lazy, try and take a moment to think if there is the possibility that something else could be going on or are you simply comparing others (or yourself) to a set of standards and expectations?
The Eaves Counselling and Psychology
Emily Bristow, Counsellor and Psychotherapist at The Eaves, is based at our Farnham and Guildford practices. To find out more about Emily, or to enquire about her latest availability, please visit her profile here
The Eaves Counselling and Psychology Ltd is a select professional body of Counsellors, Psychotherapists and Psychologists, providing high quality psychological care Monday to Saturday between 9am and 9pm from our practices in Guildford, Godalming, Farnham, Haslemere and online.
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