Does this sound familiar? Sometimes you feel like you’re struggling without really getting anywhere. The things that are truly important to you are left undone – and you wonder why. Do we really not have time – or are we avoiding something for reasons we’re not fully aware of?
Could it be that we’re sabotaging ourselves, stuck in old patterns or ways of thinking? Often we even realize that we’re not moving forward – and feel a bit bad about it. And yet we let ourselves be distracted by thoughts like: “I’m tired,” “Today was already enough anyway,” or “I just don’t have time.” This is how we lose touch with what’s truly important to us.
In Buddhism, laziness isn’t seen as a flaw, but as something very human. It manifests in different forms – and each of them wants to be recognized first.
1. The Laziness of the Body
You feel it when your body is heavy and you lack energy. You prefer to stay in bed because you feel too exhausted to get up. Exercise, yoga, or meditation then feel like an additional burden, even though you know it would do you good. Here, it helps to be kind to yourself. Small steps, fresh air, and a few conscious breaths are often enough to invite your body back into the swing of things.
2. The Laziness of the Mind
Sometimes it’s not the body that’s tired, but the mind. Thoughts are sluggish, your head feels foggy, and you have little desire to engage with your inner thoughts. Often, this is compounded by the feeling that the goals we set for ourselves—for example, personal change or long-term projects—are too big or unattainable. You think, “I’ll never manage that,” instead of simply trying it step by step.
A brief moment of honesty can make a big difference here: Pause, write down what’s on your mind, or simply ask yourself how you’re really doing. Even small steps can help to get your mind moving again.
3. The Laziness of Overwork (the busyness)
This form is particularly well disguised. You’re constantly active, your to-do list is long—often so long that anything else simply feels impossible. Even things you know would be good for you seem to have no place because “everything is already too much.”
This busyness secretly prevents you from becoming still or making changes. Added to this is the attachment to routines and the familiar flow: “I can somehow manage as things are.” If this resonates with you, it means you’re operating on a kind of “survival mechanism.”
Sometimes you also tell yourself, “Only I can complete certain tasks.” You’re reluctant to delegate because you think others wouldn’t do it carefully enough—whether at home, when you put the children to bed because your partner takes longer, or at work, because you can complete tasks particularly thoroughly. This creates even more pressure, and the space for what’s truly important shrinks.
Even a small step—one less task, a conscious pause, or simply putting what’s important at the very top of your list—immediately creates more space.
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher and writer (1803–1882)
How to get to know yourself
If you truly want to get to know yourself and sustainably change your patterns and habits, there’s no way around daily meditation. It’s the key to developing a deep awareness of yourself. Often, we unconsciously live in a cycle of habits that limit us without us even realizing it. But how can we recognize that we’re trapped in laziness?
It’s simple: through meditation. It gives us the space and stillness to hear our inner voices and break free from the automatic routines of our daily lives. Meditate, and you will become aware of yourself and your behavioral patterns. Without this conscious exploration, change remains elusive, and we find ourselves stuck in the same cycle. Use the power of meditation to move forward and shape your transformation.
I wish you an exciting journey of self-discovery. If you have any questions about this or other topics of personal development and mindfulness, please write to us.
Namaste,
Karin
