Almost every human being is afraid of changes.
This fear of getting out of your comfort zone makes you question yourself if it is even possible for a lazy person to change.
For some people, the answer to this question is quite easy to find, but for others, it’s a painful topic.
Let me break it down to you in a couple of sentences:
Every habit like laziness is vulnerable to changes. Laziness is a learned behavior, you are not born lazy. Because of that, every learned behavior that majorly impacts your life can be replaced with a better one.
Scientific evidence shows that a lazy person can change his habits
Now that we look at laziness as a bad habit, we can treat it the same way as other bad habits like eating fast food, having too many sweets, etc.
In a recent study conducted by the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), volunteers were divided into 2 groups, and each group had a goal to form healthier habits and lose weight.
In the first group, there were habit-based interventions that involved simple changes to their diet, and in the second group, there were no interventions at all.
After 8 weeks, the first group on average lost 2 kg, and the second one lost around 0.4 kg of weight. A massive 1.6 kg difference, just by implementing tiny habit-based interventions.
These habit-based interventions were seen as a behavior change strategy that showed up to be quite effective. At first, the habit-based interventions were quite difficult to stick to, but soon after the automation process took over, those interventions became second nature to the participants in the study.
This study shows that a habit like laziness can be changed if a person has a plan that he is willing to follow.
How long does it take for a lazy person to change?
Many people have heard a myth that habits take 21 days to form, but that statement is completely wrong. The NCBI found out that habits need at least 10 weeks to form. This means that a lazy person can change his behavior in approximately 70 days.
This might look like an unattractive offer, but remember that it gets progressively easier to form the habit as time passes.
Every beginning is hard, especially when it comes to forming good habits. In order to succeed in forming habits you will need a lot of motivation and determination. Some people find it easier if you keep a record of the things you did, so you can watch it get easier and easier with time.
What it takes to change the habit of laziness?
In order to change to habit of laziness you will need: motivation, determination, goal, and a plan.
Obviously there is a tight connection between motivation, determination, and goals, so you have to have all 3 at once or none at all. When it comes to having a plan, many people undermine the benefits it can create.
Planning is crucial for your development because it involves organizing and scheduling your activities. Your plan should act as a trigger and a reminder to do a certain activity. This is important simply because you are more likely to stick with the initial plan and not mess up your rhythm.
This step is crucial for the automation process and your final goal. The whole purpose of forming habits is to create an importance of a certain activity.
Conclusion
Never doubt yourself and your abilities to change. Every day we become better and better versions of ourselves without even realizing it. Take a look back and see the progress you have made throughout the years.