- Victor Ochieng’, who rolls out academic talks and training services, explains why laziness remains one of the biggest obstacles to academic success.
- He shares practical strategies to help students overcome procrastination, build discipline and develop productive study habits.
One month ago, I was inspired by muses. I sit and write to students about how to conquer laziness. Unfortunately, I also became lazy about it. So, I procrastinated penning this piece. Sounds interesting; that even adults wrestle with laziness and lassitude. Actually, most of us desire to overcome laziness, but we sometimes find ourselves defeated to wend that way.
Above all, laziness is a vice – bad deed. Whereas hard work is a virtue – good deed. So, Solomon reprimands us in Proverbs 6:6, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.” Indeed, all and sundry desire to do good, but sometimes things go south. Apostle Paul of Tarsus penned in Romans 7:21, “I have discovered this principle of life — that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.”
Therefore, laziness is unwilling to work or use energy. Laziness is doing a lot of nothing. Laziness is getting tired before doing the job. No wonder, to be lazy is to be crazy. For why should I be the last one to get out of bed? Why should I wake up in the morning, and feel tired before work? Why should I look tired after a real meal?
Then, when we are lazy, we fail to work, and so look for luck or short cuts. Laziness majorly manifest in form of sleeping too much, procrastination and making lame excuses. For instance, students who are lazy, procrastinate academic work. Then, laziness is lassitude – physical or mental weariness. Or lack of energy.
Also, laziness is hebetude – being dull or lethargic. No wonder, as a student, when you are left alone, and you have a weak will or lack self-drive, you do a lot of nothing. You just eat, sleep and spend time on phone – surfing on social sites such as tiktok. Or watching movies and listening to non-classic music sang by some serious jokers.
Ideally, lazy learners find it hard to sit and implement useful study skills such as reading, concentrating, consulting and discussing. No wonder, some students perform poorly in school, not because it is a dance of a dunce. Instead, they fall and fail because they are lazy. Or lackadaisical – lack enthusiasm and determination.
Somewhat, as a peripatetic speaker, I do receive cordial considerations to deliver academic talks in several schools. Being a public speaker with a teaching background, I oft opt to endeavour to structure my pep talks. I first deliver a talk. Then, at the tail-end, I create a segment for question-and-answer session. I am fond of sharing sticky notes for students to write quality questions and feed me with feedback.
With that, they ask all manner of questions. Close associates in this great art know, sometimes, students mutate to weirdos. Some of them interject funny questions. One of them asked why I am a bit bald on the crown of the head. Being that I am bald but bold. I responded, it is God shaving me, and it is a wonderful thing.
Sometimes, I get shell-shocked. For after you sound profound in your presentation, students just ask simple and obvious questions. They hardly ask you to expound academic models such as Pomodoro Technique, Feynman Technique, Eisenhower Time Management Matrix, Learning Pyramid or Cone of Learning, et cetera.
Conversely, you will realise, students are disturbed by simple stuff. Just the way our deep sleep gets interrupted by those tiny organisms called mosquitos. So, in the Song of Solomon 2:15, the wise man made a harp for help, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.”
In fact, students’ problems revolve around food and sleep. So, one can ask: How can I stop sleeping in class? We all know, when a student sleeps in class during lessons, it shows lack of interest or negative attitude towards the teacher or the subject. Lack of quality sleep the previous night can also cause a student to sleep in class. Then, some students just sleep in class because they are not tough on themselves. As a scribe, I describe it as weak will.
No wonder, those who are fond of sleeping in class do so not because they are suffering from trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). Sometimes, it is just because they are lazy lads and lasses with hazy academic targets. They are getting tired before doing the academic work. So, they are lazy and crazy. For some fall asleep even a few minutes after leaving the dorm during dawn preps. I know, it makes a certain reader glad, but it is bad. It is sad.
Therefore, it is important to share a few top tips on how students can conquer laziness. I thought, they can overcome it by choosing discipline, not motivation. For in The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John C. Maxwell wrote that motivation keeps us going. Whereas discipline keeps us growing.
Additionally, to conquer laziness, students can prepare what-to-do-list and study plans: to assist in tracking academic activities. Creation of a routine will save them from splitting hairs or doing a lot of nothing. They should have quality sleep, which is a sure source of enough rest. For when they rest, they do not rust. Sometimes, students also become lazy when they eat a lot of junk or fast food that do not supply sufficient energy to replenish the body.
No wonder, it is important to eat right as directed by nutritionists. Let them eat good food to acquire enough energy to drive the body and mind. Then, they should drink enough gallons of water. For as water welters in the body, it will keep them fit like fiddles and sound like bells. Forgive me for dotting on such clichés, which are faded flowers in the garden of idioms and expressions.
Advisedly, students can conquer laziness by heeding to Stephen Covey’s priceless piece of advice in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Those who have been chanced to read that heroic book know there is the habit of setting priorities right. Or doing-first-things-first.
READ ALSO: TSC cautions parents against meddling in teachers’ affairs
Finally, if laziness is a vice to be conquered and defeated, then, I should conclude this advisory writ with the 3 daily wins. One, is physical win, which includes: working, walking, running and playing. Two, is mental win, which includes: thinking, reading, writing and learning. Three, is spiritual win, which includes: Soul-searching, meditating and praying.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ rolls out academic talks and training services.vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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