It’s Hard To Fight Over Laziness, But There’s Always A Hope To Living A Better Life
Being Lazy is a Form of Betrayal Against Yourself
“Laziness stems from feeling privileged. Without privilege, the urgency to combat laziness intensifies as it becomes crucial for survival. Failure to engage in work means lacking the means to afford basic necessities like food, leading to starvation.”
I resonated deeply with these sentiments. I used to be a person who always ‘postponed’ every task that I had. I habitually procrastinated, believing that working closer to deadlines enhanced my productivity.
However, encountering a YouTube video by ‘Dear Aya’ felt like a divine intervention urging me to change my ways. I am an undergraduate student at an institution. I have tons of tasks to do every single day; organizational duties, practicum reports, daily assignments, and the fundamental task as a student is to re-learn the material that has been given to strengthen my understanding.
Imagine how crazy I was when the deadlines of those assignments were close together and I only had a few hours before the deadline to work on them. It’s not effective anymore and I’d burn out instead. So, for a moment, I can’t even do my task properly. I just need to get the job done.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be done.”
I always say it whenever I’m feeling stressed and mess up. I like to work under pressure, but too much pressure won’t be easy to handle. So, instead of being relieved because my tasks are done, I feel anxious. The feeling of guilt keeps hitting me. The weight of guilt lingers, impacting my productivity and mental state until the next day.
This pattern of procrastination stems from a sense of privilege — I’ve relied on others’ work as benchmarks for my own, and my team members have often compensated for my shortcomings in organizational tasks. I don’t have to work harder. It’s an irresponsible and cheating behavior. I hate to realize that I used to be a cheater and one of the losers who can’t take responsibility. It’s a realization that fills me with shame.
Then, I realized. By depending on them, I couldn’t train my brain to think properly and understand the material, yet I couldn’t train my soft skills as well. I wouldn’t get anything out of this behavior. I went to college and survived this far for the knowledge I wanted to get. But, what did I do? Did I join the organization just to make famous and my name look great? Did I go to college just to have fun with a bundle of friends and get nothing.
No. I’m not there just for it. My parents will be angry if they know that I get nothing after all these things. They give me everything to make me here, but I don’t do my responsibility as well. They will disappointed. The thought of disappointing them is unbearable, motivating me to change.
So, I decided to change my life. I do adopt a more proactive strategy to tackle my tasks effectively. It’s not that quick, but I try my best to stop myself from being a loser anymore. I get my things done earlier — even if it feels really hard in the first step. But, I always make sure to do it. I won’t ask my friends for their homework anymore, so I won’t use them as a benchmark. No longer will I rely on others’ work or cheat my way through responsibilities. Instead, I do my organizational tasks properly; I always check it a few times to make sure that I do my best on this. This commitment to improvement is not just for myself but also to honor the sacrifices of those who believe in me. It’s a journey of self-discovery and growth, and I’m determined to be a better version of myself.
It’s hard. Really hard. But, there’s a reason that always keeps me doing this. JS Khairen once said through his own side character, Irsal, from ‘Dompet Ayah, Sepatu Ibu’:
“Indeed, if you live half-heartedly, nothing will come of it.”
I take it seriously, really. I put an effort into stopping myself from being lazy anymore. I’m not gonna live half-heartedly, so I believe that something bigger — better stuff than before — will come to me. Even if it takes a little by little step forward, I enjoy it a lot.
To all people who felt or started to feel ‘laziness’ inside your body, remember, that you will be a loser like an old me if you let them take control of your body. Laziness is a form of betrayal against yourself. It will ruin you — if it is not today, it will happen in your future.
So, be vigilant. Be mindful. Don’t allow laziness to dictate your life’s trajectory. Take control, and forge ahead with determination and purpose. Your future self will thank you for it.
