"Lazy" Is a Lie

This weekend, I didn’t want to do anything.

I saw my to-do list. I understood what needed to get done.
But my brain and body refused to move.

Later, my husband and I were talking, and he casually said:
"So you were just being lazy?"

And I immediately pushed back.

❌ "I wasn’t lazy—I was exhausted!"
❌ "I just needed a break!"
❌ "I was overwhelmed, not unmotivated!"

But then I stopped and thought about it.

Why did that word—lazy—hit so hard?

And why do so many of us, especially neurodivergent people, react so strongly to it?

Why ADHD & "Laziness" Are So Intertwined

For most of my life, I’ve been told that if I just tried harder, focused more, or stopped being so distracted, I’d be more productive.

But here’s what a lot of people don’t understand about ADHD & executive dysfunction:

💭 We don’t choose to "not do" things. Our brain literally won’t let us start.
💭 Task paralysis is real. Seeing the thing, knowing the thing, but being unable to initiate the thing.
💭 Our brains need different types of motivation. If something isn’t urgent or interesting, our executive function won’t kick in.

And yet—when this happens, we’re labeled as lazy.

And "lazy" isn’t just a word. It’s an accusation. It implies that we’re:
🚫 Unmotivated
🚫 Unproductive
🚫 Failing

It tells us that if we’re not constantly moving, doing, achieving, we’re not valuable.

But that’s bullshit.

The Shame Cycle of Productivity

So what happens next?

Because we don’t want to be seen as lazy, we try to push through.
We override what our bodies and brains are telling us.
We work until we’re exhausted—until we physically can’t anymore.

And then?

We crash. Hard.
We lose days to burnout, guilt, and shutdown.
And because we’ve now "wasted" time, the cycle starts again.

Sound familiar?

This is why so many neurodivergent people struggle with productivity.

Because traditional productivity models weren’t built for brains like ours.

Reclaiming "Lazy"—Because Rest Is Part of Productivity

Here’s the truth:

🔹 If your brain and body refuse to move, there’s a reason.
🔹 If you need a day to reset, that’s not failure—it’s maintenance.
🔹 Rest isn’t a reward for hard work. It’s part of how we function.

So yeah—this weekend? I was lazy.

And I’m not ashamed of it.

Because resting when my body tells me to means I’ll actually get more done later.

That’s why I built CORXLY—because productivity shouldn’t come with shame and burnout. It should work with how your brain actually functions.

If you've ever been called "lazy" for something you physically couldn’t make yourself do—you’re not alone.

Let’s Talk About Burnout & Productivity Myths—Live with Katie Dunn!

🚨 If this resonated with you, join me for a LIVE conversation on burnout, work culture, and productivity myths.

📅 March 4, 2025 | 12PM EST | 🖥 LinkedIn Live
🔗 Register here

I’ll be talking with Katie Dunn, investor and startup advisor, about:
🔥 Why productivity ≠ personal value (and how to unlearn it)
💸 How financial security influences our ability to set work boundaries
🤖 Whether AI tools actually help prevent burnout or just shift the workload

If you’re a founder, leader, or just tired of overworking, this convo is for you.

Resources: The Science of ADHD, Laziness & Productivity

If this resonated with you, here are some resources that dig deeper into this:

📌 Book: "Laziness Does Not Exist" by Dr. Devon Price → A deep dive into the social construct of laziness.
📌 Article: Why ADHD Brains Struggle with Task Initiation (Additude Magazine)
📌 Podcast: The Rest Revolution—Why burnout culture is broken and how to redefine productivity.
📌 Tool: CORXLY (shameless plug 😉)—because traditional productivity systems weren’t built for us, so I built one that was.

Final Thoughts: Your Turn

What’s one thing you’ve felt guilty for not doing?
Drop me a reply and let’s talk. 👇🏽

And if this resonated with you, forward it to someone who needs to hear it.

Till next time,

Ariana
🚀 ADHD entrepreneur | Operations junkie | Building the future of neurodivergent productivity with CORXLY