You sit down to write a song.
You open Logic Pro (I hope).
You stare at the blank screen.
Then you check your phone. You scroll. You noodle around with a synth patch, half-heartedly throw down a chord progression… and walk away thinking:
“Ugh. I’m just being lazy.”
But let me hit you with a truth that might punch a hole in that thought:
You’re probably not lazy. You’re just drained.
And those two states—lazy and drained—look similar on the surface. But if you can learn to tell them apart, you’ll stop beating yourself up for the wrong problem. And more importantly, you’ll know what to do about it.
So What’s the Real Difference?
Lazy is not wanting to do the work.
Drained is wanting to do the work but not having the energy to pull it off.
Here’s how to spot the difference in your own songwriting life:
1. Lazy feels avoidant.
You’ve got energy, but you’d rather use it to reorganize your plugins folder or binge videos about vintage compressors.
2. Drained feels heavy.
You want to write, but the thought of lifting your hand to hit record feels like dragging a 50-pound snare drum through wet sand.
Lazy is solved by commitment.
Drained is solved by rest, recovery, and regulation.
Here’s how to figure out which one is hijacking your creative session—in 10 minutes or less.
THE 10-MINUTE SELF-CHECK
To get started, follow these three simple steps to diagnose the difference between lazy and drained—and get yourself back into motion:
Step 1: Name the Resistance (2 minutes)
Grab a notebook or open a blank text file. Write this sentence:
“I want to write a song right now, but I’m not doing it because…”
Now, finish the sentence without censoring yourself.
Write fast. Don’t overthink it. Get raw.
Example:
“I want to write a song right now, but I’m not doing it because I’m tired, and I know I’ll hate whatever I make.”
Or:
“...because I just don’t feel like it, and I’d rather mess with synth presets.”
Notice the emotional texture of your answer. Is it fatigue and frustration? Or boredom and avoidance?
Step 2: Check Your Battery (3 minutes)
Now, rate your current energy on a scale from 1 to 10.
- Physical energy: Did you sleep? Have you eaten something with actual nutrients today? Is your body tense or relaxed?
- Mental energy: Are you spinning with other responsibilities? Do you have a headache or brain fog?
- Creative energy: Do ideas feel reachable or completely out of the room?
If you’re below a five on two or more of those, you’re not lazy—you’re drained. Period.
(And drained songwriters don’t need a productivity hack. They need fuel.)
Step 3: Take the Right Action (5 minutes)
Now that you know which state you’re in, here’s what to do next.
If you’re lazy (and you know it):
You have the energy. You’re just scattered or not locked in.
Try this:
→ The 5-Minute Dare:
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Tell yourself:
“I’m not writing a song. I’m just starting one ugly-ass draft.”
Open your DAW. Lay down anything—a drum loop, a chord, a vocal gibberish melody. You’re not building Rome. You’re throwing spaghetti at the wall.
The magic? Most of the time, those 5 minutes snowball.
Momentum is the cure for laziness.
If you’re drained (and it’s obvious):
Writing won’t fix this. Rest will.
But not just rest. The right kind of recovery.
Try this instead:
→ The 5-Minute Reset:
Pick one of these:
- Take a slow walk around the block. No phone. Breathe.
- Lie on the floor with your eyes closed and listen to an instrumental you love.
- Eat something with protein and drink a full glass of water. (Yes, really.)
- Stretch your arms, neck, and shoulders for 2 minutes while breathing deeply.
Your brain needs oxygen. Your nervous system needs regulation.
These are not luxuries—they’re tools.
Try a reset, then recheck your energy.
If it’s still low, stop forcing it. Book a real break and come back fresh.
HERE’S THE REAL TRUTH
Lazy is a behavior.
Drained is a condition.
One is solved with pressure.
The other is solved with grace.
And if you’re someone who loves music deeply, who cares about growth, who wants to finish what you start?
You're not lazy. You’re carrying too much.
Too many tabs open in your head. Too many expectations on your shoulders.
Too little recovery between creative sprints.
So before you shame yourself for not writing...
Do the 10-minute check.
Find out what’s really going on.
Take the right action.
Then get back to the song—with the energy it actually deserves.
If you found this helpful, share it with a songwriter who needs to hear it.
Because the cure for burnout isn’t more hustle.
It’s clarity—and the right kind of support.
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