I think it's helpful to acknowledge two things:

First, there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking time away from hobbies, and that does not diminish their value or importance to your life in any way. I've been playing various instruments off and on for over a decade - some years, it was most of my free time, and some years I never picked up a single one. But through it all, I have never thought that music was less important to me just because I hadn't played in a year, or thought I was being a "bad" musician. Life is chaotic and our brains do their best to adapt to our circumstances - sometimes we just need a break, that's all. Draw when it feels right, don't try to force it. You'll come back to drawing when your body and brain are ready. Our hobbies are here to enrich our lives, not define them. There's legitimately no reason to feel guilty by not participating.

Second, our patterns of behavior are often a symptom of the feedback we're getting from our bodies and brains, which often do not get the direct attention they deserve. It helps to focus not on the "laziness" itself, but the source of it. What emotions arise when you think about stopping what you're doing so you can draw? Note that "I don't want to do that right now" is not an emotion - where is that sentiment coming from? Is it fear of performing poorly? Is it pure disinterest and boredom? Or is it simply inertia (would you rather just keep doing whatever it is that's keeping you from it)? In any case, be truthful with yourself and don't ascribe any negativity to the answers you uncover. Just take some time to introspect and acknowledge exactly why you find yourself having a negative emotional reaction to drawing, and then you can decide how to move forward from an informed position.

As a brief aside, I also think we as artists can easily get laser-focused on our practice, and overly inflate its importance. When we're criticizing ourselves for not practicing our art, we often fail to take into account other external circumstances in our lives. You say the holidays are coming up, so you have "no responsibilities to worry about", but what about the responsibility you have to your family and your friends, or other communities you are a part of? If your art practice is truly more important to you than your family and friends, that's fine, but if it isn't, consider that people will still want to spend time with you; choosing to spend time away from them to focus on your art practice still comes at a cost. Holidays are some of the busiest and most emotionally draining times of the year for many of us, and that's worth considering when you evaluate if it's a good time to push yourself to draw more. If you can find the time, that's great! But if it puts additional pressure and strain on your life, it might not be a good time to do so.

Hopefully something in there is somewhat helpful, sorry for the long response. Good luck with your practice and don't forget to have fun!

First, read Cornballs response, if you don't feel like drawing, that's cool, it'll come back.

Assuming that you DO feel like drawing, but just not "that" (I'm 90 boxes in, I feel you) then try to find a small goal to start with.

I've seen great advice around:

1- set yourself a goal to fail. Specifically aim to do a bad drawing, and just deliver on that goal.

2- go lower effort, a loose pencil sketch counts, even a scribble. you don't have to polish and render it into an artwork.

3- share your work (even the awkward ones) I started an IG page just to catalogue my stuff, I'm not invested in the outcome (which is important, since most posts get nothing) but it feels a little less pointless and I can look back on my progress.

4- draw whatever you want to, don't worry about it being worthwhile or artistic. I've drawn the silliest random thoughts that came to mind on some days, on others I've drawn literal garbage, curtains, my shoe, just draw whatever, if drawing is what you want to do.

5- don't forget the 50% rule, draw what you want first, then once you're back in the flow you can switch in a page or two of boxes when the inspiration runs dry. Nothing will burn you out faster than drawing a page of boxes every day.

First off you're not lazy. Laziness is often used as a placeholder for other problems that have absolutely nothing to do with being lazy. For instance, I work really well with a schedule. If I don't have a schedule, then I will procrastinate. I will feel lethargic.

When I was younger, I used to think that I was allergic to hard work or effort because I would spend most of my days watching YouTube or lounging in bed. All I wanted to do was make video games, but I thought I was so lazy that there was no way that I was ever going to dedicate the time I needed. I remember complaining to my sister about this, in which she gave me some pretty sage advice. The advice was just to show up.

I kept it really simple at first all I did was show up at noon (because that worked for my schedule at the time). I didn't track how many hours I worked on stuff all I tracked was showing up at that exact time. Only worrying about the start time is infinitely more easier than trying to block out a start and end time.

It helps to the test if the start time is realistic too. It's all well and good to say that you're going to wake up at 8 AM and spend an hour drawing but if every day you are constantly waking up at 10 AM, And by the time you wake up and eat and are prepared to actually draw, it's noon...then that 8 AM start time is unrealistic.

Another good tip for this is to find an accountability buddy. This can be easier said than done, however you don't necessarily need an artist friend to help you out. All you need is someone else who is procrastinating/needs to dedicate time to something and then work out a time that works best for the both of you. Bonus points if you can either meet up in person or screen share through Skype/Discord, That way the pressure of knowing someone's eyeballs could be looking at what you're doing, makes you dedicate the time properly.

I did this for about two weeks with a friend of mine and I saw massive growth and confidence in what I was doing and what happened at at least for me is after those two weeks I was able to set an actual time and show up consistantly (without an accountability buddy). This life skill/process has also helped me make evening walks apart of my life, and keep to a work out routine.

Another tip which I have heard echoed a lot in YouTube videos is if you feel like you can't show up that day (everything sucks, you're tired and exhausted) go ahead and set everything up as if you were going to start anyways, and if you still feel bad then it's OK to take a day off. However, often or not you're going to go through with studying at that point anyways. It is easier to go through the motions then to break free from them. Which is what showing up does.

rapid fire tips, build the habit over monitoring the goal. Be kind to yourself remembering that you're human. It's much easier for the brain to want to do something if it's manageable. When I applied all of these tips to working out, I would make my first week so simple that there was no reason for me not to do it. such as a singular push-up or literally lifting a pencil 10 times (its silly but it works). find some sort of journal to record every day that you show up but keep in mind that it's also OK to break streaks!!! there are plenty of days where I don't go on an evening walk but at this point around the exact time of the sunsets, my brain is always looking to go on one anyways. I no longer keep track of the days I walk either, It just happens.

My final point is 9 times out of 10 you're not lazy.all of what I suggested is just for a single potential issue. It could be a lack of scheduling, which was the case for me, but it could also be a lack of nutrition, sleep, support, or a million other things. A lot of people have already given some amazing suggestions and words of wisdom, but hopefully this comment gives you even more to chew on!

I wish you the very best with your creative journey!!

You are not lazy—far from it. Would a lazy person take the time to reflect and write this post? No. Recognize first that what you’re feeling isn’t laziness but a common struggle: the loss of motivation. Let’s explore why this happens and how to move forward.

Motivation is a tricky thing. It feels boundless one moment and vanishes the next. That’s why people say, “Don’t rely on motivation; build habits.” But even habits require some motivation to start, and motivation itself is tied to your values, experiences, and mindset. It’s natural for it to fade over time, especially when tasks feel difficult or non-rewarding. This isn’t a flaw—it’s part of being human.

The good news is that motivation can be reignited, often by rethinking the task at hand. For example, ask yourself: Why did I want to draw in the first place? What excited you about this journey? Revisit those feelings. Seek out artwork or ideas that inspire you. Try to view your drawing practice through a fresh lens—find something novel and compelling about it. Our brains thrive on novelty; it’s what keeps us engaged and curious.

You might also be facing hidden mental barriers. If your brain associates drawing with frustration or failure, it might be exaggerating the difficulty of starting again. Combat this by setting a tiny goal that’s impossible to argue against. Draw one box. If that feels too much, draw one line. Once you’ve done that, reflect: Was it as hard as you imagined? Often, the first step is the hardest, but it can also be the most freeing.

Finally, consider this: drawing isn’t just about making art. It’s a form of exploration—a way to understand how your mind interprets the world. Practicing illustration sharpens your perception of space and form. It’s not just an artistic skill; it’s a cognitive exercise that changes how you see reality itself. Yes, it’s humbling—our vision often outpaces our ability—but that’s what makes the process so rewarding. Each flaw you notice is proof of your growth, showing you what to work on next.

How would you frame drawing practice in a way that excites you? For me, it’s not just practice—it’s a journey into perception, humility, and creativity. When I struggle, I remind myself of that. Maybe you can find a perspective that resonates with you, one that turns drawing into something you can’t wait to explore.

Co-written with ChatGPT. Original text: https://chatgpt.com/share/67598b9f-59f8-800a-a884-ec14341dbc98

I'm right there with you. I struggle with the desire to be a loafy cat whenever I get a second of free time. With the holidays and everything its hard to find time and feel good about time spent practicing. I finally submitted my first lesson's assignments after days of having been finished. So not that I have any helpful advice to get to drawing but during this time of relaxed responsibilities definitely take advantage of your freedom to practice. Use your boredom to your advantage! Set aside time to fully relax and enjoy your break as well as time to practice and make art free from distractions. Hope you enjoy your break!

I went through what sounds like a really similar experience. I went to art school, loved art, and worked by butt off to finish school strong and as soon as I did I just...quit drawing. I constantly had other things to do, was too lazy, procrastinated, etc. It took me many years to get back into a normal swing of things and I realized that back then I pushed so hard with art that it turned into a job or chore and I didn't give myself enough chances to enjoy it and really benefit from the experience, so when school was over it was essentially a free pass to not have to push so hard anymore.

Back on the other end of the slump where I now enjoy sketching and even working on drawing courses again - the biggest realization for me was this: I waste time anyway, might as well use it on improving. There's plenty of time that can and should be used to do nothing, to unwind and decompress, but really, if you set a timer and have your paper and pen ready how long does it take to draw one box? Even with taking it really slow and careful, 5 minutes? Motivation doesn't just happen out of nowhere, it comes from results. You work, slowly see results, and the improvement gives you motivation. You can't wait for motivation to happen before you start working, because that's not how motivation works.

You likely spend a lot of time in a day doing things you'd rather not, like doomscrolling or standing in front of the fridge for 20min being sad that you ran out of your favorite snack. 5 minutes in the grand scheme of a day is almost nothing. You don't have to work for super long, or super often, you just have to work a little bit, a little bit of the time. Try to give yourself a goal and start with something super super easy. Like: Each week I will draw at least 1 box. Make a checklist of some sort and keep track. If you feel good and want to do more, great, but don't push yourself. The hardest part is going from 0 back to some sort of routine. Once you have that then changing or improving the routine is a lot easier.

We get stuck because we're at a standstill and we're looking at this mountain of work we have to do and picture all these scenarios of what we'll have to do and how much time it will take and how hard it will be and how much we don't want to do it etc. etc. Stop staring at a mountain and start looking at the smallest possible step you can take, and do that. Commit to yourself to do that one tiny step at a time, and eventually you won't even recognize where you started.

You don't have the rest of the 250 box challenge to do, you don't have this one small time window during the holiday break to do it, you don't have way more time now than you'll do in the future and have to make the most of it. You have this: Draw 1 box, once a week. That's it.

Laziness doesn't exist, wrong priorities do.

I draw at average 4.5h a day, without motivation, love, discipline or whatever.

Here's some tips:

1) Clearly understand why you do this - there is probably a difference between "it's just a hobby" and "it will be part of my work"

2) Draw in the morning, in first 6h or so, it's much easier to force yourself.

3) I always hear that forcing yourself is bad but I only saw lowered mood which gets to normal with the results

4) Don't draw just 2 pages as advised in the course in most cases it takes at least one extra page to get it to the okay level. Or maybe it's just me

5) Sleep & eat well. Do sports daily at least 30m

6) Take notes what you won't lose - I don't do this but I plan to start cuz I'm starting to loose grasp on that I learned

7) I don't do 50% rule, maybe it's wrong but I'm not good enough so I will only loose mood with bad results.

8) Maybe submit for official critique, not sure how important is this, but it gives me a bit of motivation

9) Yes, it's hard. Don't expect fast progress and it will be easier

I'm only several months in so I expect problems in the future, but for now it works for me.