Have you ever had an important task staring you in the face – like preparing a presentation for work, finishing an assignment for school, or even cleaning up your room – but instead, you found yourself scrolling endlessly on TikTok, watching Premier League highlights, or chatting away on WhatsApp? You tell yourself, “I’ll do it later,” but later somehow never comes. That’s procrastination.
Now, picture another scenario: you wake up on a Saturday morning, there’s nothing urgent on your plate, but you just feel like staying in bed, doing absolutely nothing. You don’t even try to convince yourself that you will “do it later.” You simply don’t want to. That’s laziness.
Although procrastination and laziness often look alike from the outside, they are not the same. Many Nigerians, for instance, confuse the two. A university student who delays studying until the night before exams might be labeled lazy by his parents, but in truth, he’s procrastinating – not because he doesn’t care, but because he is overwhelmed or distracted. Understanding this difference is the first step toward reclaiming your drive and improving your productivity.
We will break down the distinction between procrastination and laziness, look at the root causes, and most importantly, discuss practical ways to overcome them.
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks despite knowing the negative consequences. It is not about refusing to work – it is about avoiding it temporarily, often replacing it with less important or even irrelevant activities.
Think of the civil servant who spends hours re-arranging office files instead of working on the report due at 4.00pm, or the small business owner who binge-watches Netflix when they should be updating their customer records. These people aren’t lazy – they are procrastinating.
Psychologists explain procrastination as a self-regulation problem. It is not that you don’t want to do the task; it is that your brain is choosing short-term comfort (watching a funny skit, checking social media, or chatting with a friend) over long-term benefit (finishing the report, studying for exams, or hitting a fitness goal).
Laziness, on the other hand, is a lack of willingness to exert effort. Unlike procrastination, where there is an inner conflict (you want to do the task but delay it), laziness is characterized by indifference. You don’t feel motivated, and sometimes you don’t even care about the outcome.
For example, a worker who consistently avoids contributing to team projects, not because they are busy or anxious, but simply because they “can’t be bothered,” is showing laziness. Or consider a young guy whose parents buy them everything – they may avoid seeking a job, not because they are procrastinating, but because they are comfortable in their inactivity.
Laziness is more of a habit and mindset, while procrastination is usually situational and tied to fear, perfectionism, or lack of planning.
Procrastination vs. Laziness: Key Differences
Let’s break it down:
- Effort vs. No Effort
- Procrastinators intend to act but delay. Laziness involves no intention to act at all.
- Feelings Involved
- Procrastinators often feel guilty, anxious, or restless about not working. Laziness rarely comes with guilt – just apathy.
- Root Causes
- Procrastination stems from fear of failure, perfectionism, lack of focus, or being overwhelmed.
- Laziness stems from a lack of motivation, interest, or discipline.
- Outcome
- Procrastination often results in last-minute rushes, stress, and poor outcomes.
- Laziness leads to consistent underperformance and stagnation.
As Nigerian motivational speaker Fela Durotoye once said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” Procrastination is a crack in that bridge, while laziness is refusing to cross it altogether.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
Understanding the triggers of procrastination can help you manage it. Here are some common reasons:
- Fear of Failure – Many people delay tasks because they are afraid they won’t do them perfectly. For instance, a graduate job seeker may keep postponing writing a CV because they feel it won’t impress employers.
- Overwhelm – When tasks feel too big, we avoid them. Imagine a small-scale farmer delaying planting season because the workload feels unbearable.
- Distractions – Social media, TV, and even endless “meetings” with friends often lure us away from important tasks.
- Lack of Clarity – If you don’t know where to start, you’ll likely delay. Students, for example, often procrastinate research projects because they don’t understand the guidelines.
Why Do We Become Lazy?
Laziness often grows from different factors than procrastination:
- Comfort Zone Mentality – If life feels “good enough,” there is no push to do more. Many people stick to routines that don’t challenge them.
- Lack of Vision or Goals – Without a clear purpose, why bother putting in effort?
- Low Energy or Poor Health – Sometimes laziness is a sign of fatigue, poor diet, or even depression.
- Dependency – In some households, where parents or partners provide everything, individuals may lose the drive to work hard.
How to Overcome Procrastination
Since procrastination is about delay, the solution is to improve focus, planning, and self-discipline. Here are proven strategies:
- Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps
– Instead of saying, “I will write my entire business plan today,” start with, “I’ll draft the first page.” Small wins build momentum. - Use the 5-Minute Rule
– Promise yourself to work on a task for just five minutes. Most times, once you start, you will keep going. - Eliminate Distractions
– Put your phone on silent or use apps like Freedom or Cold Turkey to block social media when working. - Reward Yourself
– After completing a task, treat yourself to something small: a snack, a break, or even an episode of your favorite show.
Laziness requires building discipline and a strong mindset shift. Here’s how:
- Set Clear Goals
– Define what you want in life or work. As Nigerians say, “Person wey no get destination, any road go carry am.” Goals give you direction. - Build Discipline, Not Just Motivation
– Motivation comes and goes. Discipline is what gets you out of bed even when you don’t feel like it. - Improve Your Health
– Eat well, exercise, and rest. A weak body fuels laziness. - Surround Yourself With Driven People
– As the saying goes, “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.” Spend time with people who inspire you to work harder.
Whether you are procrastinating or being lazy, the solution lies in finding your drive —that inner motivation to keep pushing forward. Here are a few tips:
- Connect Your Tasks to Your Larger Goals: If you see how a small daily task links to your dream of financial freedom, career growth, or building a family legacy, you’ll value it more.
- Visualize Success: Imagine yourself graduating with top honors, running a successful business, or earning a promotion. This mental picture fuels action.
- Take Responsibility: Stop blaming circumstances. As Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie put it, “You can’t control how people treat you, but you can control how you react.” The same applies to how you treat your goals.
Procrastination vs. Laziness in Everyday Life
- The Student: A University of Lagos student who keeps postponing studying until the night before exams is procrastinating. Meanwhile, a student who never opens their books all semester is being lazy.
- The Entrepreneur: A Lagos tailor who delays sewing customers’ clothes because they keep checking Instagram is procrastinating. But one who refuses to expand their business because they “don’t want stress” is lazy.
- The Employee: A banker who delays submitting reports until the last minute is procrastinating. A banker who ignores tasks altogether because “salary go still enter” is lazy.
At the end of the day, both procrastination and laziness rob you of opportunities, progress, and peace of mind. But the good news is that you can overcome both by understanding the difference, tackling the root causes, and consistently working toward your goals.
Remember this: procrastination is a temporary delay; laziness is permanent avoidance. Knowing which one you struggle with helps you apply the right solution.
Life in Nigeria is already full of challenges – from rising costs of living to stiff competition in the job market. The last thing you need is to hold yourself back through delay or indifference. So, take charge today. Start small, stay consistent, and watch how your drive transforms your life.
As the old African proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” Don’t wait. Don’t laze. Act.
