Listlessness: the causes and all the remedies to defeat it!
Listlessness: who among us does not know the meaning of this word? We all have days when we don't really want to do anything, in which a mixture of laziness and tiredness assails us that makes it difficult to get up from the sofa, despite all the commitments and duties that haunt us ...
Moments of listlessness, if fleeting, are part of normalcy. However, when it becomes a state that lasts over time, making it difficult to carry out any daily activity, then it can represent a problem, especially if a symptom of something more serious. There are also those who are listless by nature, and so they should look for a way to smooth out this characteristic as much as possible, to live their life to the fullest, with more enthusiasm and energy! Let's find out together what are the possible causes and what the remedies recommended.
The meaning and the causes
The meaning of the word "listlessness" is intuitive: lack of desire, and therefore indolence, laziness, sluggishness and so on and so forth. There are many possible causes of this state in which it is really difficult to do something good. The causes, in fact, can be of different types and range from psychological reasons to others of a physical nature. Let's see them together.
A first cause of listlessness can be stress: if we are experiencing a period in which we feel particularly stressed, it will be difficult to keep the mind clear enough, as well as to conserve the physical energy necessary to carry out any activity. The first reaction of the body will be precisely that to weaken us, resulting in a lack of desire (and strength) to do what we should.
Listlessness can be caused, again by reaction, by the fear of making mistakes or by too much perfectionism. If within us we are afraid of not being good enough to be able to do a task well enough, we will tend to distance it from us, demotivating ourselves, taking away the desire to do and procrastinating.
We could also become victims of this form of laziness if we lack motivation. If we do not like what we do or does not give us the right recognition or, again, we are forced to do it in a hostile environment or that does not make us feel comfortable, it will turn out that we will not have any desire to do it! Finding motivation, a purpose in our actions and in our life, is fundamental.
An "additional cause of listlessness could be the overload of things to do and / or poor management of our time. If we are not good at optimizing and organizing the commitments of the day, we end up with a pile of backlogs. and the consequent and absolute lack of desire (and strength) to carry them out.
Another cause is perhaps the most trivial, but it should not be taken for granted: we have a tendency to distract ourselves. With today's technologies, between social networks and all the information we are constantly bombarded with, it is easy for this to happen. continuous distraction can lead, in the long run, to an inability to concentrate which turns into indolence.
Listlessness, as we have seen, derives in general from a lack of energy and, if we have examined the most common psychological causes so far, the physical ones are not to be underestimated: in some cases, in fact, it can be the symptom of more important problems. such as chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, thyroid disease, celiac disease, diabetes, obesity, immune disorders, cancer or AIDS, sleep disturbances.
Menopause or pregnancy can also cause it, as well as a disordered lifestyle (from eating problems to alcohol abuse). If it is persistent and really debilitating, see a doctor to do the necessary tests, starting with that of the blood, which may detect some deficiency.
Listlessness in pregnancy
It often happens to pregnant women to feel unwilling to do anything, whether it is thinking about the house, about themselves or about the rest of the family. The motivation is physiological: one feels very tired due to the great changes in course in your body.
Not surprisingly, listlessness is stronger and felt in the first trimester, only to return again in the last few months, also due to weight gain. It is not uncommon for you to suffer from insomnia as well. If you are pregnant and you feel particularly listless, you have nothing to worry about: give yourself the rest and relaxation you need whenever you can and it will soon pass!
The remedies
To deal with listlessness and remedy it in the best way, it is important first of all to understand the cause. Take a moment to ask yourself the reason for your lack of will to act, if it could be a symptom of a bigger problem or simply laziness. If you bring out the real psychological motivation, you will know how to manage it. If it is fatigue, you will allow yourself some relaxation. If it is fear, you can investigate the causes and look them in the face. If you lack motivation, try asking yourself what you could change in your everyday life in order to regain it. .
Try to tidy up your work environment: we often don't notice it, but the external disorder creates internal imbalances, generating a condition in which it is difficult to feel active and energetic. Cleaning up your desk or throwing the superfluous and unnecessary into your room could help.
Focus on the benefits you would get if you could beat your listlessness - think about the results you could get, aren't they wonderful? Instead of letting yourself be blocked by the lack of desire you have now, shift your mind to the near future and it will become easier to get to work. I recommend, however, that it is important that you focus on achievable goals and that you do not overload yourself with commitments!
It might be useful to stick to the wall or write some motivational phrases or phrases that you find very inspiring to help you find the right energy and momentum on a blackboard. The greatest difficulty, you know well, lies in starting ... so take courage and start! But please don't be in a hurry: it could be counterproductive.
If you think you need help, ask for it. Even simply of a "friend to work with or study side by side with: it can be useful to overcome the laziness in which you linger when you are alone!
A to-do list, whether it is a weekly or daily plan, could help you a lot in managing your time, avoiding you accumulating delays, commitments and stress, the first cause of demotivation and, therefore, of listlessness. The technique of 20/10 or 45/15 could also work, which consists of alternating 20 minutes of activity with 10 minutes of pause in one case, 45 of activity and 15 of pause in the other.
Exercise: in addition to stimulating circulation and speeding up your metabolism, sport (whatever sport it is) has the incredible ability to give you energy. Half an hour of exercise is enough to make you immediately more active. Try these that we recommend:
Try to improve your sleep quality, avoiding using technological tools before going to sleep, having dinner too late and too heavily and helping yourself with herbal teas and natural remedies. If your lack of sleep is due to anxiety or stress problems, consult a psychologist and find time to practice meditation or autogenic training.
Nutrition is also essential to combat listlessness. Your body needs nutrients to feel active. Therefore, junk food, full of sugars that only weigh you down or provide you with an energetic burst that runs out in a few minutes, is forbidden. , and then return you to a worse state than the previous one.
Your diet must not lack mineral salts, first of all magnesium and potassium, and vitamins. Yes, therefore, to fruit and vegetables, but also to legumes and dried fruit. To completely eliminate fried foods, precooked foods, glutamate, cold cuts and sweets. Here is a series of perfect foods to combat fatigue:
Listlessness or depression?
While it is true that listlessness can be one of the symptoms of depression, the two should not be confused at all. Those suffering from depression experience the loss of desire to do with a lot of pain, in a sort of vicious circle that only worsens their condition. On the other hand, those who are simply listless, tend to settle down without too many problems in their laziness.
A depressed person does not limit listlessness to the personal and emotional sphere, but also struggles a lot to work, expressing with his immobility a sort of rejection for all of reality, for his own life. A listless person, on the other hand, experiences the sweet doing nothing more lightly, does not suffer from an existential crisis, but rather experiences a sort of satisfaction in settling into his laziness, going back to bed to laze with a certain taste and without great internal conflicts. Those who are depressed would like to change their situation, but they cannot.
If your listlessness is persistent, you have the feeling of feeling overwhelmed and lacking in self-esteem and none of the remedies indicated have worked, try to contact a psychologist who can help you understand whether or not it is depression.
