It’s easy to label a teenager as lazy when they consistently avoid schoolwork, chores, or other obligations. However, what may look like laziness could actually be a sign of something deeper, like a learning difference or an executive function challenge.
Teens with executive functioning difficulties (often as a result of ADHD or other forms of neurodivergence) often struggle to complete tasks–not because they don’t care, but because their brains work differently.
In this article, we’ll explore how to tell the difference between typical teenage laziness and behaviors that may signal a need for support, and provide strategies to help your teen succeed.
Understanding “Laziness” In Teens
Laziness is generally defined as a reluctance to exert effort or motivation, despite having the ability to perform the task. In teens, what may appear as laziness is often influenced by hormonal changes, shifting priorities, or typical developmental changes. As the teenage brain develops and changes, it’s common to notice your teen is sleeping in later, taking risks, making more independent choices, and focusing on personal interests. The teenage brain naturally releases melatonin later and produces less dopamine, which may lead to fatigue or affect motivation. As teens develop more agency and find themselves, it’s typical for them to prioritize enjoyable activities over responsibilities.
Laziness might look like:
- Choosing not to complete chores, homework, or get out of bed because they “don’t feel like it,” or otherwise do not want to invest the effort.
- Needing reminders to take initiative.
- Occasional procrastination with no underlying cause.
However, It’s important to note that these same examples of “laziness” might not be laziness at all if there’s an underlying issue at play. Some teens with executive functioning challenges might say that something is “boring” or they’ll “do it later” because something about the task presents specific difficulties that are challenging.
Understanding Procrastination
Procrastination is when someone delays a task in favor of completing easier, more exciting, and generally less urgent tasks. It is often tied to difficulties in planning or prioritizing tasks that need to be done, which can be a sign of executive functioning challenges. Executive functions are cognitive processes that help us plan, organize, remember information, and make decisions.
Procrastination can look like:
- Not knowing how to start a task or develop a plan to get it done.
- Difficulty assessing how important tasks are when compared to each other.
- Underestimating the amount of time it takes to complete tasks or mismanaging time while completing a task.
People who procrastinate often feel overwhelmed and stressed because there is a disconnect between recognizing a task that needs to be completed and initiating and following through on completing the task. This can be an unhelpful coping mechanism to avoid stress, overwhelm, or insecurity related to the task at hand.
Learning Differences and Executive Functioning Challenges
Difficulties with executive functioning skills extend beyond procrastination, such as difficulties in planning, managing time, initiating tasks, and following through. Many of these same signs can be misinterpreted as laziness for neurodivergent teens.
Learning differences might also include:
- Putting in substantial effort to focus, but continuing to have a wandering mind.
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about completing tasks.
- Frequent mistakes, even when trying your hardest to pay attention to detail.
- Difficulties staying organized and focused on tasks until completed.
- Difficulties when plans change or understanding the perspective of others.
Laziness vs. Procrastination: Similarities and Differences
Based on the descriptions above, it can be challenging to identify when your learner is being lazy or dealing with executive dysfunction (like procrastination). There are a few ways that you can differentiate between the two.
Motivation
Motivation plays a role in both laziness and procrastination, but the reasons behind it are different.
- Laziness: Motivation is generally low or absent. The learner may not enjoy the task and is uninterested in the outcome of completing the task, regardless of difficulty or importance. For example, a student who delays working on a school project would not feel the internal drive and interest to complete the task and may prioritize leisure activities like watching TV.
- Procrastination: Motivation is present but often misdirected due to executive function challenges. They are driven to complete the task and perform well but lack the skill necessary to see the task through to completion. In this case, a student who procrastinates on a school project may not know how to begin or plan the project, so they do other less-important tasks to delay the experience of overwhelm and negative emotionality.
Intentionality
The difference between laziness and procrastination also comes down to intention.
- Laziness: Teens who are lazy intentionally avoid tasks because they find other activities more fun or exciting. They are aware of their choice to engage in something else and would prefer to do something enjoyable instead of working on an unpreferred task. In the previous example, the student who decided to watch TV instead of working on their school project is aware of their decision and intends to keep watching TV.
- Procrastination: Teens who procrastinate intend to complete the task and do it eventually but at the cost of feeling additional stress. The student who pushes off completing their school project knows in the back of their mind that the longer the project lingers, the more guilt they feel. They will eventually have to scramble to get it done, as they are driven by the pressure to meet the deadline.
Sense of Self
How teens view themselves and their abilities in relation to task completion also differs between laziness and procrastination.
- Laziness: Teens who are lazy are making a conscious choice to avoid tasks. This is often because they are disinterested in the task. Because the decision is intentional, they do not tend to see their behavior as a reflection of their self-worth and are less likely to feel the same degree of guilt. The student mentioned in the last two examples would think “I just don’t like school as much” and not feel the same degree of guilt and inadequacy. They see their behavior as a preference rather than a failure.
- Procrastination: Teens who procrastinate often internalize their struggle to complete tasks, leading to a negative sense of self. They may think, “I’m not good enough” or “Something is wrong with me,” leading to feelings of inadequacy and incompetence. The student in the previous two examples would see the failure as a personal flaw, which deeply impacts their self-esteem.
In summary, laziness involves a conscious choice to avoid tasks without much emotional impact, while procrastination involves a desire to complete tasks but with underlying struggles that negatively affect self-worth and increase stress.
The “Why” Behind the Behavior
When learners struggle with executive functioning skills, it often impacts their ability to manage both academic tasks and daily living activities. Even when students are putting in extra effort to initiate and complete tasks, the frustration they experience can manifest as anger or turn inward, leading to self-doubt.
For parents and teachers, these behaviors can be confusing, especially when we begin to question if the learner is “lazy” or unmotivated. From the outside, it may seem like they are deliberately avoiding tasks, appearing both lazy and resistant.
This difficulty can quickly lead to what is known as the executive functioning ripple effect.
Procrastination often starts with difficulty taking that first step toward action, even when the student knows what needs to be done. When tasks are delayed, pressure builds. This snowball effect leads to feelings of overwhelm and triggers a cascade of challenges, such as poor planning, ineffective time management, and emotional distress. These challenges can spill over into personal or academic life, leading to increased anxiety, lower productivity, and reduced self-esteem.
So…Which IS It?
With all things in this article considered, if your learner appears to be struggling with personal and/or academic success and is beginning to express dissatisfaction with themself as a learner, laziness is not the issue. Teens who procrastinate or struggle with other executive functioning skills are likely to experience guilt and regret that can snowball into challenges with self-esteem. Signs of discomfort and frustration are clear signs that their behavior isn’t about avoiding responsibility; it can be a signal that they need help.
Unfortunately, the myth of laziness is an all-too-common misunderstanding for neurodivergent teens. When others label them as lazy, it further impacts their self-esteem and self-perspective. They may begin to believe they are lazy, which can become a self-fulfilling prophecy where they give up more easily, avoid tasks, and feel even more insecure as a result. This harmful cycle reinforces the very struggles they’re already facing.
Next Steps to Consider
After reading, you might want to learn more about your learner’s executive functioning skills, especially in areas like planning and time management, which often contribute to procrastination.
Executive Function Assessment
Consider using our free Executive Function Assessment with your teen to learn more about areas of strength and weakness across all eleven areas of executive functioning skills. This can point you in the direction of skills to support at home and/ or school.
Resources for School and Home Support
If any of these difficulties resonate with you, visit our Executive Functioning 101 Resource Hub to browse different informational articles, resources, and strategies for each area of executive functioning. These resources are available at no cost to help you and your teen better understand and support executive functioning challenges.
Professional Coaching
You might feel overwhelmed by where to begin or empowered to seek out additional support for your learner. Executive Function Coaching or Life Skills Coaching can be an excellent option for students who need professional support to organize tasks, manage time, or maintain focus in school, work, or everyday life. When executive function challenges begin to take a toll on physical and emotional health, coaching can help your learner overcome these obstacles and achieve their goals.
TL;DR – (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
Is your teen truly lazy, or are they struggling with executive functioning challenges like procrastination? What might appear as laziness, like avoiding chores or schoolwork, could actually be a sign of underlying difficulties with planning, time management, or organization. Teens with ADHD, learning differences, or executive function issues often experience guilt and frustration, not because they don’t care, but because their brain processes tasks differently.
Differences in laziness and procrastination behavior can be understood by watching for underlying motivation, intentionality, and sense of self. Laziness is understood as a lack of motivation or intention to complete tasks. In contrast, procrastination is more about feeling overwhelmed by how to start or finish a task. While laziness involves a conscious choice to prioritize leisure, procrastination comes with feelings of guilt and stress that can damage self-esteem.
Understanding these distinctions is key to offering the right kind of support. If your teen’s behavior includes procrastination, forgetfulness, or disorganization, they may benefit from tools and resources aimed at improving executive function skills.
Further Reading
- Life Skills Advocate (2024) – Real-Life Executive Function Coaching
- Life Skills Advocate (2023) – The Science Of Procrastination: Understanding the Root Causes
- Life Skills Advocate (2022) – Understanding the Executive Functioning Ripple Effect
- Life Skills Advocate (2024) – Unlock Potential: Get Your FREE Data-Informed Executive Functioning Assessment
- Life Skills Advocate (2024) – Welcome to the Executive Functioning 101 Resource Hub
- Life Skills Advocate (2022) – What is Executive Functioning? A Comprehensive Guide
- Cleveland Clinic (2022) – The Truth Behind a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
- Peri Counseling (2018) – What Makes Teens Seem Disrespectful, Appear Lazy, and Have Obnoxiously Strong Opinions? (and why parents and teachers should increase their empathy towards adolescents)
- Psychology Today (2024) – The Psychology of Laziness