Am I Lazy? Lack of Motivation? Or is it Depression?

We all have those days when we indulge in bed, order in from Grubhub, and binge-watch the latest shows on Netflix. Sometimes this can be as simple as self care or even a personal preference. Other times and perhaps if it occurs often enough, we may begin to wonder if there’s something more going on. Questions may arise in our minds like, “Am I Lazy?”, “Is it Lack of Motivation?”, “Could it possibly be depression?”

To help guide you, first it’s important to understand the differences between laziness, lack of motivation, and depression, recognizing the unique features of each. By looking into the details of laziness, fleeting motivation, and the challenges of depression, you can gain a better understanding and develop strategies to cope. This not only helps you to grow personally but also allows you to connect more compassionately with yourself and others on a similar journey.

Am I Lazy?

The term “laziness” has a historical and cultural context, often used to pass moral judgments on individuals and is associated with societal expectations and hierarchies. Laziness, often seen as not wanting to do things, is a term you hear a lot. But it’s crucial to know that laziness is more of a personal judgment than a medical condition. Sometimes, feeling lazy comes from being tired, bored, or needing a break. It becomes a concern when it gets in the way of doing things in your life.

Understanding laziness means looking at it carefully because lower energy or motivation can happen for many reasons. Pressures from outside, stress, or what society expects can contribute to these feelings. Calling yourself “lazy” is too simple because many things, including your thoughts and feelings, affect your behavior.

Laziness is temporary and related to situations, often going away with a change in your surroundings, routine, or mindset. Taking breaks, setting small goals, and making tasks more enjoyable can help overcome laziness and make you feel better overall. Exploring why you feel this way is important, rather than just saying you or others are lazy. This helps you be kinder and more understanding to yourself and others.

What Does it Mean When You Are Lacking Motivation?

Lack of motivation is a bit different and goes beyond not wanting to do things. It can happen when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or not sure what you want. It means temporarily not feeling excited or driven to start or finish tasks, especially ones you find challenging or uninteresting.

Unlike laziness, which is more general disinterest, a lack of motivation is often about specific tasks. It might show up as putting things off, having trouble focusing, or feeling stuck. Figuring out why you lack motivation is key to finding ways to fix it.

Breaking Down Tasks: A Key to Overcoming Lack of Motivation

To tackle a lack of motivation, try making big tasks easier by breaking them into smaller steps. Instead of attempting everything at once, identify smaller, more manageable actions contributing to your overall goal. This approach minimizes overwhelm, allowing focused attention on completing one step at a time. It establishes a clearer plan, enabling you to see progress and feel a sense of achievement with each completed step. This method overcomes the inertia often associated with a lack of motivation, shifting focus from the entire task to smaller, achievable parts, making it less intimidating.

Leveraging Strengths: Finding Fulfillment in Every Task

Consider your strengths—those activities you enjoy and excel at—and link them to your personal values and goals. This connection helps you discover purpose and motivation. Understanding how your strengths contribute to achieving goals makes tasks feel real and satisfying. Leveraging your strengths means utilizing what you’re good at, allowing you to approach tasks authentically, making the journey more fulfilling. This not only boosts motivation but also emphasizes the importance of your strengths in reaching your goals.

ACT Principles: Guiding Your Motivational Path

You can also boost motivation using the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Identify your core values, guiding principles for your choices and goals. Let these values drive your motivation, prioritizing them over fleeting feelings. Your values will steer decisions, helping you stay motivated by focusing on what truly matters to you.

Building a Supportive Network: The Power of Encouragement

Surrounding yourself with supportive people and finding inspiration from others who have faced similar challenges can also increase motivation. Friends, family, or mentors who encourage and understand your journey create a positive environment. Sharing experiences with those who have overcome similar struggles shows it’s possible to navigate difficulties and emerge stronger. This support system helps you stay motivated by providing encouragement, advice, and a sense of camaraderie. 

If you find that there aren’t people in your life who fully understand your journey, consider joining relevant Facebook groups and establishing online connections. This can help broaden your support network, providing additional resources and diverse perspectives to enhance your motivational journey. It’s like having a virtual team cheering you on, making the path ahead seem less daunting and more achievable.

Understanding the Ebb and Flow: Strategies for Ever-Changing Motivation

Understanding that a lack of motivation can come and go empowers you to find strategies that work best. Being flexible with goals and knowing that motivation changes at different times in life helps you be kind to yourself and others going through similar things.

Understanding is it Depression?

Depression is more serious and goes beyond feeling lazy or unmotivated. It brings a constant and deep sense of sadness, hopelessness, and not finding joy in things you once enjoyed. Depression doesn’t just affect your emotions but also your physical health and thinking.

People going through depression may find it hard to do daily tasks, have changes in eating and sleeping habits, and struggle to concentrate. Feeling worthless, guilty, and thinking about death or suicide can make it even more complicated.

Recognizing how severe and lasting these symptoms are helps you tell depression apart from feeling lazy or unmotivated. Depression disrupts your ability to function well in different parts of life, like relationships, work, and overall happiness.

Dealing with depression usually needs professional help, like depression therapy or medication for depression. Therapy helps explore why depression happens, identify coping strategies, and provides ongoing support. Having a supportive environment, being kind to yourself, and having friends or family to lean on are important for managing depression.

Understanding that depression is complicated and has many sides helps you be more compassionate and understanding to yourself and others. It’s important to challenge ideas that make mental health a secret and to talk openly about it. This helps you, and others going through depression, get the help you need.

Connecting the Dots

While laziness, lack of motivation, and depression are distinct states, it’s essential to acknowledge that they can coexist or transition into one another. For instance, a lack of motivation, if left unaddressed, can evolve into a more pervasive state of depression. Recognizing these nuances allows for a more nuanced and compassionate understanding of yourself and others.

Knowing the differences between laziness, lack of motivation, and depression is not only good for you but also helps you be kind to others. Giving support to someone not feeling motivated means cheering them on and making a positive environment. Recognizing signs of depression needs a more careful approach, like understanding feelings, suggesting professional help, and being there for them.

Need Help Understanding if You Have Depression?

If you need help understanding if you are dealing with lack of motivation or if it’s something more serious like depression, we can help. Call us at 412-856-WELL or fill out the form below.

Reviewed by: Stephanie Wijkstrom, LPC, and Founder of The Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh