We’ve all experienced days when even the thought of doing work makes us want to roll over and go back to sleep. The question becomes, are we simply being lazy, or is this an indication of something that goes much deeper than the feeling of being burned out?
Find out more as we cover the main differences, solutions, and common symptoms of both burnout and laziness.
Burnout vs Laziness – Main Differences
So what actually is the difference between burnout and laziness?
Laziness is an unwillingness to work because you have a lack of interest and nothing motivates you, while burnout comes from a point of stress. Everything feels too much, work becomes overwhelming and you feel incapacitated. You want to work, but you simply can’t.
Additionally, the main differences between burnout and laziness can be tracked down to what caused them.
Burnt-out people have been exposed to a lot of stress for a longer period of time. Usually, it’s strictly related to their work, but sometimes it can even be caused by being surrounded by negative people.
On the other hand, lazy people are being lazy regardless of their levels of stress. Sometimes additional stress can even help them be more productive, which is the complete opposite of being burnt out.
Common symptoms of a burnout
In order to be completely sure that you are suffering from burnout check out the most common symptoms, you get when experiencing burnout. Pay attention in case some of these symptoms are relatable:
- The harder you think, the worse you feel
- Frequent headaches or muscle pains
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Sense of failure and self-doubt
- Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated
- Decreased satisfaction or ability to recognize accomplishments
- Withdrawing from responsibilities
- Procrastinating
- Skipping work
If you don’t believe that you are experiencing these symptoms on a daily basis, then we recommend checking out our article on the most common causes of laziness, and how to stop being lazy.
Dealing with Burnout and How long It Takes to overcome it
In many ways, allowing yourself some time to be completely lazy might be a practical choice when dealing with actual burnout. However, this does not mean that approaching work lazily every day is always a good suggestion.
Burnouts can last days, weeks, months, and even years in some extreme cases. The most important thing about burnouts is how you approach them in order to speed up the recovery process.
The first step toward dealing with burnout is recognizing what it is. Then there is a need to take action, which does not mean hunkering down and doing more work.
Here are some suggestions:
Tip 1: Take time off: set limits to your work hours and days, and if possible allow for a short break or vacation
Tip 2: Set healthy boundaries: Learn to say No While you may think that saying no means you aren’t being a team player, knowing when and how to say no so that you can focus on doing quality work is an important skill to develop. Setting healthy boundaries also includes limiting interaction with negativity.
Tip 3: Be kind and gentle with yourself: silence the gremlins telling you that you are failing or not enough.
Tip 4: Reassess and Reevaluate: feeling burnout often indicates something isn’t working in your life. Now is the time to reflect on what you really want and value.
Tip 5: Treat your body, and yourself, with respect: eat healthy food, aim for quality sleep, make time for exercise, meditate, spend time with loved ones and friends, or simply alone doing an activity that you love. Adding these things to your day may seem like taking on more, rather than letting go. Yet, these healthy choices will empower you to take on the more stressful challenges of everyday life.
Burnout or Laziness?
Deciding whether you or someone else is exhibiting burnout or laziness requires a willingness to dig deeper. If the job holds little to no interest and doesn’t motivate you to try, then most likely non-action is laziness. However, if the work has become overwhelming, stressful, and all-consuming, perhaps it’s time to take a break and reassess before the burnout becomes worse. It’s important to recognize the difference before it’s too late.