I've spoken about the importance of hard work before, but when I did, I was speaking partially from a place of comfort. At the time, the sources of commitment and pressure in my life had become routine. I was used to the demands of my education and my courses so I was able to balance them with my hobbies and interests. It was still difficult but I was comfortable within the difficulty due to my familiarity with its nature. However, for the past two weeks I've been experiencing a different type of pressure - one that I am not yet used to. And for these two weeks I began to neglect my projects and commitments. Hard work seemed less attainable and far more difficult to do. I became, in all honesty, lazy.
Laziness is defined as the unwillingness to work or use energy. This was me. I am beginning to understand that a person can be both tired and lazy. I had worked an exhausting eight hour shift that left me completely worn out - I just wanted to sleep. Yet sleep didn't cure the tiredness, I continued in a state of lethargy for the next few days until my Saturday shift which caused a repitition of events. I was unwilling to work, but not without reason, I was genuinely tired. But what I had to be wary of was that tiredness can become a habit if one is not careful. It can become a justification for unproductivity, or as I have termed it, laziness.
Hard work is hard because it requires sacrifice, effort, and intentionality. It cannot be convenient lest it is no longer hard work. I must not neglect my physical health in the name of working hard, but I must not let my feelings rule over my commitments. I must trust that my eight hours of sleep have been enough to equip me with the energy I need for the day. I must sacrifice a few hours a week to invest into that which I want to see grow. I must sow seeds of effort even in the seasons where I am tired. I must not allow my physical tiredness to translate to mental laziness. Rewards are always sweeter when you know the work you've put into them. This week I have had to force myself out of my habitual laziness and despite my drooping eyelids and yawning, I am actualising my dreams and ambitions. I will be able to rest tomorrow, and my rest will be all the more enjoyable knowing I've worked hard.
I'm so tired but I know I'm a hard worker so I've let go of laziness
