In a world obsessed with “crushing it,” the moment we feel a lack of drive, we reach for a label.
We call ourselves lazy.
We say we lack discipline.
We buy another coffee and try to power through.
But what if the problem isn’t a lack of will —
what if it’s a lack of bandwidth?
The Allostatic Load Concept
In biology, there’s a term called allostatic load.
It refers to the cumulative wear and tear on the body and brain when you’re exposed to repeated or chronic stress.
Think of your capacity like a bucket.
Every task.
Every notification.
Every unprocessed emotion.
Every physical stressor — poor sleep, bad posture, constant noise — adds another cup of water.
When the bucket is full, your nervous system does something intelligent:
It shuts down non-essential functions to conserve energy.
Unfortunately, motivation and creative problem-solving are the first things to go.
The “Lazy” Defense Mechanism
What we often call laziness is actually functional freeze.
When your system is overloaded, your brain recognises it can’t handle another demand. To protect you, it creates a sense of heaviness or apathy. The couch feels magnetic. The laptop feels impossibly heavy.
Laziness is a choice to avoid work.
Overload is a physiological inability to initiate work.
(To see how this affects everyday choices, revisit Article 2: The Hidden Role Your Nervous System Plays in Decision Making.)
How to Empty the Bucket
You don’t need a motivational speech.
You need a de-load strategy.
Audit your sensory inputs
Are you working in a loud room? Is your chair uncomfortable? These “micro-stressors” quietly drain your system without you noticing.
Stop the “should” loop
Telling yourself you should be doing more adds more weight to an already full system. Acknowledge the load before trying to increase output.
Externalise your memory
Stop trying to remember everything. Use simple tools to hold tasks so your brain doesn’t have to.
(We explore practical options in Article 8: Best Tools to Improve Focus Without Burning Out.)
Respecting the Limits
You wouldn’t expect a car to run on an empty tank — yet we expect ourselves to perform while red-lining.
When you stop calling yourself lazy and start managing your load, motivation often returns on its own.