Are You Really Lazy or Do You Need a Break?

Welcome to the land of studygrams! Here, you will find two things: an intense need for aestheticism, and a potentially toxic mindset of productivity. Take a look around. To your left, you'll see a beautiful array of stationery and pretty notes. To your right, an exhausted student.

Now I'll admit, not everything is so black and white like this. Studygrammers aren't always burnt out students and you don't need to have aesthetics to be a good student. But in the world of studygram, productivity is practically your brand. People follow you because they are inspired by your content, and as a result you feel as though you need to show up for your followers. As a result, studygrammers often feel bouts of burnout or times with lack of inspiration.

The problem is, people in the studygram community adopt the mindset of always needing to be productive. For many, taking breaks is seen not for what it is, but as an excuse for being lazy and wasting time that could be filled with more productive work. Even though this has changed over time, there is still a lingering need for productivity that comes with running a studygram.

Here's how to tell whether you're actually being lazy or if you just need a break.

Laziness: you don't feel like doing anything and you haven't for a long period of time. There is no motivation to do anything and you are okay with not making any progress. You do not care whether you get the job done, or you are content to letting someone else pick up your slack. It's not that you are overworked or inundated with tasks, you just choose not to do anything or care.

Burnout: sometimes recognized as executive dysfunction, burnout is often confused with laziness by overworking students. Often, those who pride themselves with a good work ethic begin to believe that they are doing themselves a detriment by "being lazy," when in reality it is their body telling them to take a break. Burnout can come in many forms, but throughout all of them, there is an underlying feeling of guilt. You so desperately want to get things done, but even the thought of working for another minute exhausts you and you cannot continue. You feel guilty about this but, try as you might, you can't seem to get yourself going again.

The main factor in the difference between laziness and needing a break is guilt. Wanting to keep going and feeling guilty because you physically and mentally can't is a sign that you are burning out and needing a break.

If the second one is you, fear not. Step back, prioritize your tasks, and take a break before you start again. If you absolutely need to feel productive, check out my other blog post: Productivity But No Burnout

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions! My email is listed in the Contacts tab of the website, or you can DM my Instagram by clicking here.