If INTP is your personality type, you may have to deal with people assuming or telling you that you are lazy. Or maybe you know an INTP and want to understand why this person always seems to be on another planet where there’s no pressure to get things done. INTPs are deep thinkers who are often misunderstood as lazy, but this stereotype is far from the truth.
INTPs are not lazy – they just have a different way of prioritizing tasks. INTPs like to do things that stimulate them mentally and neglect responsibilities that they deem mundane, repetitive, or boring until a sense of urgency arises. Although they are not lazy, INTPs are not fond of routines.
INTPs can appear to be living in a world of their own, where time seems to stop and things get done at a whole different pace. But just because they don’t seem to be working hard, does this mean they are lazy?
Are INTPs Lazy?
INTPs are the opposite of “go-getters.” They never appear to be working hard and have a very relaxed approach to getting things done. They sometimes seem reluctant to do what others expect of them and appear to lack ambition or motivation to do what others deem necessary. Some people label this behavior as laziness, but this is only due to a lack of understanding of how the INTP brain works.
Why Do INTPs Seem Lazy To Others?
Just because INTPs appear to be doing nothing, it doesn’t mean they are. Let’s dive into why most people have the misconception that INTPs are lazy.
1. They Prioritize Things Differently
INTPs have difficulty prioritizing certain things, especially when they don’t deem them important. This can make it appear like they are too lazy to do things. Typically, INTPs do what seems most important or most interesting to them at the time, which causes them to neglect other tasks that are required of them.
They also get bored very easily and can jump from one task to the other without completely following through with either task. They may have various incomplete tasks that they will finish when it suits or interests them.
2. They Often Forget Things
INTPs may seem uninterested or distracted sometimes. Even though they actually have a very good memory, they struggle to stay in the present moment and often lose track of time. They easily become distracted by their own thoughts and ideas, which leads to them forgetting about a more important task they were supposed to do. This may reflect as laziness to those who don’t understand INTPs.
3. They Struggle To Follow Through With A Plan
INTPs are not fond of planning and struggle to follow through with a plan once they’ve made one. Because they easily get distracted, they do not do well with routine or strict planning. INTPs prefer a more relaxed approach to getting things done. They tend to be more productive when they can do things their way and in their own time. Others may think of INTPs as lazy when they do their work this way, when in fact, INTPs work better when they’re not pressured by a timeline.
4. They Are Sometimes Disorganized Or “Messy”
INTPs are deep thinkers and often lose touch with what’s going on around them. They are intensely focused on their inner thoughts and ideas and often become oblivious to the mess around them. Cleaning is the last thing on an INTPs priority list, and they tend to be very lazy in this area. They often neglect “boring” cleaning tasks for days, with their workspace being the only area they maintain. However, once they notice the mess, they can get it cleaned up in no time, sometimes much quicker than other people.
5. They Spend More Time Thinking Than Acting
INTPs can sit or lie down for hours, seemingly doing nothing. However, this is far from the truth. INTPs work “in their minds”. When you spot an INTP sitting down or lying down for hours, they’re most likely thinking and processing all kinds of new ideas. You can almost say that an INTP’s “office” is in their mind since this is where they do most of their work. What can be days of planning and thinking for other personalities, an INTP can do in one hour of lying on the couch.
They may appear lazy when they’re sitting or lying down so much since thinking is a passive act. But in actual fact, their brains are working overtime.
Are INTPs Unmotivated?
INTPs are not unmotivated – they are just motivated by different things.
INTPs don’t like doing mundane, monotonous tasks and can often completely lack motivation for doing specific tasks. If the task doesn’t stimulate or seem interesting to them, they’ll struggle to find the motivation to do it. If a project doesn’t challenge an INTP mentally, they’ll struggle to find the inspiration to take action. They may spend more time analyzing and thinking about a task than actually doing it.
INTPs also don’t like being obligated or pressured to do something and find tedious tasks very draining. INTPs can feel a sense of dread for doing something they don’t want to do and therefore keep putting the task off. Even the feeling itself can become very exhausting to an INTP and cause them to lack motivation even more.
What Motivates An INTP?
INTPs are motivated from within. Their motivations can often seem selfish because they focus on the things that they want to do rather than what others require of them.
INTPs like using their intuition for analyzing and problem-solving and are motivated when their minds are stimulated or challenged. Therefore, their motivation comes from doing “inner thinking work” rather than physically doing a task, especially mundane tasks that don’t require any creativity or abstract thinking.
INTPs prefer envisioning things in their minds rather than doing a tangible task. INTPs don’t like focusing on things they already know. They literally live out the saying, ‘Out with the old and in with the new.’ They are extremely motivated when they get to explore new ideas and concepts or to learn something new.
Why Do INTPs Procrastinate?
INTPs don’t like wasting time on things that don’t interest them, particularly mundane or repetitive tasks or responsibilities. They prefer to spend their time doing mentally stimulating activities.
INTP procrastination also comes down to how they like to prioritize their time. They have an all-or-nothing approach when it comes to certain tedious tasks. An INTP would rather tackle all the boring, mundane tasks all at once and get them done or postpone them indefinitely until they become urgent enough to deal with.
If a task doesn’t seem interesting enough, an INTP will struggle to find the motivation to do it until the very last minute. Only a sense of urgency will get an INTP to do something that they don’t feel like doing.
How An INTP Can Overcome Procrastination
Since INTPs tend to be lax in following through with certain tasks, they struggle to function in an environment where structure, organization, and planning is required. However, if INTPs want to put all their ideas and knowledge to good use and get things done quicker, there are certain habits that they need to develop.
- Prioritize the most important tasks, but allow plenty of freedom from rules and schedule in other areas to avoid becoming drained or stressed out
- Tie incentives to the tasks that they find the most challenging to finish, as this will motivate them to complete the task
- Find an accountability partner that will inspire and encourage them to get mundane tasks done
Conclusion
The relaxed approach that INTPs have in getting certain things done can confuse others and lead to the assumption that INTPs are lazy. But the truth is that INTPs do most of their work in their minds and are simply not interested in doing things that do not intrigue or challenge them mentally. What others see as “laziness,” an INTP simply sees as a different way of prioritizing tasks.
