1. Set a 10-minute alarm
Multiple Redditors shared some variation on the idea that you should tell yourself youll only work on the dreaded1 task for a designated time period - and then you can sTOP.
Heres an example, from backformore: I set an alarm for 10 minutes and then see how much I can get done in that time. Usually, it gets me motivated to keep going after the timer goes off, but if it doesnt at least I did something.
2. Find a workaround
Rebecca Martinez talks about directing your laziness into innovation. She writes:
Being lazy can lead to useful shortcuts2 and inventions, so find the thing you really want to be lazy about and then come up with a working way to make it easier. Suddenly your laziness is actually productive.
3. Exercise
Several Redditors highlighted the importance of exercise for beating laziness, particularly when you do it first thing in the morning.
As hackday puts it, once you get your blood pumping, you will realise that you feel wakeful and energetic instead of sleepy and lethargic3.
4. Switch up your work environment
I find that I procrastinate4 constantly when Im at home, so when I want to be productive, I go to a library or another public space, writes scissa.
Recent research suggests that being around other people who are working hard can motivate us to buckle5 down, too.
5. Get a partner
HeartlySerious suggests finding a partner to hold you accountable for your non-lazy behavior.
For example: If you schedule time at the gym with a friend, youll have more motivation to actually get up.
6. Dress up
Heres a tip thats particularly useful for those who work remotely. If you cant find the energy to sTOP futzing around on Facebook and start writing your project proposal, consider changing out of those stained sweatpants.
As fashion psychologist Karen Pine told Forbes, A lot of clothing has symbolic6 meaning for us, whether its professional work attire7 or relaxing weekend wear, so when we put it on we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning.
7. Follow the two-minute rule
GEEKitty has a two-minute rule: If it takes less than two minutes, just do it.
Its similar to a strategy used by David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done. As soon as Allen sees an email in his inbox, he decides whether he can deal with it in two minutes or less. If so, he deals with it right then.
8. Dont break the chain
iluvucorgi points out the calendar trick that actor and comedian8 Jerry Seinfeld uses to motivate himself to write.
As Seinfeld told software developer Brad Isaac, for every day he gets his writing done, he puts a big X over that day on the calendar. After a few days, he has a nice chain and his only job is not to break it.
