Executive Dysfunction: The Truth Behind Feeling Lazy

Unpacking the Myth of Laziness

There was a time when I labeled myself as lazy. It consumed me. It made me believe there was something severely wrong with me. There were times that I couldn’t even turn over, open my side-table and take my medication. Yes, it gets that bad.

For a long time, I felt like I couldn’t get anything done without breathing out a heavy sigh.  My to-do list became non-existent because I couldn’t find the strength to get up—let alone do anything productive.

I’d scroll through social media, watching people hustle and get through life.  I wondered why I couldn’t keep up with the rest of them.  Everything to me just felt so heavy.  

It’s taken me a long time to understand, but I was never truly lazy. I was just burned out. I showed the signs: overstimulated, overwhelmed, and mental exhaustion.

I realized that I was so sluggish because the world around me doesn’t understand me, or how my brain works. There’s too much pressure to live up to this societal standard that it really reinforces negative self-doubt.

Laziness is a judgment. Burnout is a condition.

Laziness assumes that you don’t care.  Burnout means you’ve cared too much, for too long, without the rest or support you needed. For neurodivergent people especially, burnout can be quite complex.  It’s not always about workload.  It can be sensory overload, decision fatigue, emotional masking, and invisible labor trying to “pass” as neurotypical. 

Highlights and Information:

• Sensory overload: Sensory overload happens when your brain is overwhelmed by too much input. Such as loud sounds, bright lights, or strong smells. It’s your body’s way of tell you that you’ve had enough.
• Decision fatigue: Decision fatigue is the mental exhaustion that piles up from making too many choices. The smallest decison can feel impossible when your brain is already in overload mode.
• Emotional masking: Emotional masking means hiding your true feelings or reactions to fit in or avoid judgment. It’s a survival strategy that can leave you feeling drained and disconnected from yourself.
• Passing as neurotypical: Passing means acting in ways that seem “neurotypical” so you can blend in. It often requires constant self-monitoring, which can be exhausting and unsustainable over time.

There were so many times that I wanted to tackle the simplest of tasks, but I just couldn’t. The executive dysfunction was real.  My brain was frozen and caught between shame and survival. 

Laziness is a judgment. Burnout is a condition.

Executive dysfunction is one of those things that’s hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it.  It’s not about being unwilling to do things—it’s about being unable, in that moment, to initiate or follow through on a task.  It’s not laziness.  It’s not procrastination.  It’s a disconnect between intention and action. 

The worst part of it all is the ultimate guilt that ensues.  Because society doesn’t talk about this.  Instead, we’re told to “try harder,” “push through,” or “just do it.”  But that mindset only fuels the cycle of burnout. 

What I’ve learned to ask instead:

Instead of saying, “Why can’t I do this?” I now ask, “What’s making this hard right now?” 
– Am I overstimulated?
– Am I emotionally drained?
– Did I eat today?
– Am I being too hard on myself?
– Do I need a break before I try again?

Shifting from self-criticism to curiosity has changed everything.

Here’s what helps me now:

• Breaking things into micro-tasks (“Just fill the sink” instead of “clean the kitchen”)
• Using timers for short bursts of energy
• Body doubling—working alongside someone, even virtually
• Letting myself rest without guilt
• Naming what’s happening—“This is executive dysfunction. I’m not lazy.”

If you needed to hear this today, let me say it clearly:

You are not lazy.
You are carrying more than people can see.
And even if the world doesn’t always understand, your experience is valid.

Helpful Article: https://restore-mentalhealth.com/burnt-out-or-lazy/

“The world may not always see you, but that doesn’t make you invisible. Your truth, your pace, your path—they matter.”

Unknown