Overcoming Task Paralysis

Overcoming Task Paralysis

What is task paralysis?

Task paralysis is when you have a lot to accomplish and you feel stuck and unable to get started. For some, this is a somatic experience that can manifest as your body feeling heavy, lethargic, frozen in place, tensed up, an increase in heart rate, or a feeling of drowning. For others, this may be a mental block, which could look like racing thoughts, panic, lack of motivation, trouble focusing, or engaging in avoidance behaviors such as procrastination.

Why do some people struggle with overcoming task paralysis more than others?

Consider the impact of your psychological profile.

Personality may play a role in your battle with overcoming task paralysis, and it can help to understand the why behind your struggle. Individuals who tend to be perfectionistic, obsessive, detail-oriented, and have high expectations for themselves may fall prey to paralysis.

Task paralysis can also be a symptom of another issue or a sign of neurodivergence. For example, if you have a previous diagnosis or believe you might qualify for a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, trouble overcoming task paralysis may be a manifestation of a larger issue.

Cognitive factors and self-esteem also play a role. If you struggle with self-doubt, ruminations, chronic overthinking, or a tendency to spiral or catastrophize, you may have more difficulty overcoming task paralysis.

Understanding the why behind your behavior can be useful when it comes to self-improvement and breaking bad habits. This list of tips for overcoming task paralysis is meant to be a guide for when you feel really stuck, and some tips may be more useful for you than others depending on your personal psychology. Seeking professional help might be a beneficial next step if you are unsure of why you engage in certain behaviors or you feel unable to control your behavior.

Where to begin when you start feeling overwhelmed:

Set yourself up for success the night before. Planning on making it to that workout class first thing in the morning? Try sleeping in your workout clothes! When you wake up, you’ll have less of an opportunity to make an excuse and more accountability to get out of bed and show up. Whatever it is you’re planning to accomplish the next day, how can you prepare yourself the night before to get yourself going in the morning? Whether that’s laying out your clothes, putting your shoes by the door, emptying the dishwasher, or removing social media from your home screen to prevent doomscrolling, try laying out the tools you’ll need for your day and setting up your environment.

Next, start your day off by making a list of all the tasks you want to complete in order of importance. Include things on the list that are a routine part of your day, such as getting out of bed or eating breakfast, and at least one thing that you actually want to do so that the list feels less scary.

“But everything is important…how can I figure out what to do first?”

Try categorizing your list into three parts: what has to get done today, what you would prefer to get done today, and what can wait until tomorrow.

If you get stuck on what to prioritize, don’t overthink it – getting started is the key. Pick any item from the list, or do ‘eenie meenie miney mo’ until you land on a task. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, choose the task that you can complete the fastest just to get the ball rolling. Make sure to check things off as you go as a way of feeling accomplished and acknowledging your progress.

If any one task feels immense or impossible, break it into parts. Make sure to set realistic expectations for what you can complete in your allotted time frame. Maybe this is a task that will take multiple days to complete. List out the parts of this task, and focus on the part you are completing today, rather than fixating on the task as a whole. Check off the individual parts of the task as you complete them. Every step counts!

Overthinking is your enemy – the more you think about a task, the more overwhelming it becomes. Instead of thinking about what it will be like to complete the task, try thinking about how you will feel after you complete the task.

Set the scene. Light some candles, put on some calming background music (my personal fave for maximum productivity is LoFi), make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, open a window, and grab yourself a sweet treat – whatever it is you can do for your immediate environment to induce a sense of calm and comfort while you work. Maybe you like to work with a podcast on or your comfort T.V. show playing in the background. Perhaps being at home makes you feel trapped, and you work better from your local cafe or lunch spot. No matter what it is, find what environment works best for you

Be your own hype man. Stand in front of a mirror, and tell yourself “I CAN DO THIS!”. Think about all the other things you have accomplished in your life, some even more difficult than what you will accomplish today. “I’ve done x, so I can do y” or “I’ve done this before, I can do it again!”. Some other helpful motivational phrases are, “I can do hard things”, “I am strong and capable” or “I am doing the best that I can right now”. Praise yourself just for showing up and trying, even if you don’t accomplish everything you set out to do.

What to do if you’re feeling overwhelmed during a task:

Break it up to break it down. Breaks are necessary for your brain and body to function at peak capacity. Plus, you’ve earned it, just for existing! Know yourself – do you need a break every 20 minutes? 30 minutes? Every hour? Everyone is different, but regardless of how frequently, everyone needs a break. If you struggle with time management, try setting a timer for a certain amount of time you want to grind. That way it feels more doable and you can look forward to your break!

During your break, take 5-10 minutes to clear your head. You might step outside and take in some fresh air, walk around the block, eat a snack, play a game, have a dance break, do some light stretches, or play with your cat. Try to avoid any break time activity that could be stress-inducing, such as reading the news, and focus on activities that are relaxing and enjoyable.

Reward yourself! Struggling with finding intrinsic motivation? Incentivize yourself! After completing a task, give yourself a little gift. Whether that takes the form of indulging in your favorite dessert, ordering UberEats, buying yourself something new, or making time for your favorite hobbies or social activities. Remember, life is all about balance, and after all, you deserve it!

Realizing the task you started is too much for you today, or you are struggling to complete it? Maybe you are stuck obsessing about the details of your task and it's prevented you from moving forward. Take a break and then switch tasks. It can be hard to focus on one task for too long, and distance makes the heart and the brain grow fonder and sharper. When you come back to that task, whether it’s later that day or another day, you’ll be looking at it with fresh eyes and in a better mental state. Trying to push through the block will only make you more frustrated and you’ll end up wasting more of your time. Know when it's time to move on and circle back to a task later.

On a similar note, give yourself space to make mistakes and be perfectly imperfect. You can’t edit the paper until you’ve written the first draft. It’s better to produce a product that needs finishing touches than to never start. If your expectations are too high, it will increase your anxiety about starting the task. This can be hard if you are a perfectionist, but try to remind yourself that perfection isn’t an attainable goal and that producing something you are proud of takes time. Give yourself the same grace you would give others. Remind yourself that no one is perfect and that is okay. Mistakes are a part of the human experience and that is how we learn and grow.

If you’ve gotten distracted and are spiraling about lost time, forgive yourself and move on. Try not to focus on what you could have done, instead, focus on what you can still get done.

Starting to panic? Take a break and use this time for a quick mindfulness exercise. Mindfulness and grounding exercises can help you calm down your body and your mind when you’re feeling anxious and having trouble overcoming task paralysis.

Here’s a few quick mindfulness exercises you can do right where you are:

-Start with 3-5 deep breaths — five counts inhaling, five counts holding, and five counts exhaling. Focus on how your lungs feel when they fill up and deflate with air.

-Then check in on other parts of your body – are you sitting down? What parts of your body are making contact with the chair? How do your feet feel touching the ground? How about the rest of your body? Notice any sensations, such as any muscle tension or looseness, tingling, or temperature.

-Focus on relaxing your muscles one body part at a time starting with your toes and working your way up to your neck, head, and face. Notice where you carry your tension.

-Afterward, show yourself some love by giving yourself a quick shoulder rub, laying on the ground and holding your knees to your chest for a couple of minutes, or resting in a child’s pose.

-If you’re too antsy to sit still, try some gentle stretches or movements, such as neck rolls, a forward fold, jumping jacks, swaying back and forth, shaking it out, or taking a walk.

-Acknowledge your thoughts and let them pass without judgment or commentary. Remind yourself that you are safe and every feeling is temporary. You will get past this and you will be okay.

No matter what you accomplish, be kind to yourself unconditionally. Having a bad day and struggling to do anything? Remind yourself that being a person is hard, especially in a capitalist society that is obsessed with productivity.

Rest and relaxation are mandatory and you are allowed to prioritize your needs! Feeling tired and weary? Your body and your brain are trying to tell you something – tune in to that message and give yourself the space and time to recover.

Is your inability to start or complete tasks interfering with your ability to function? Does overcoming task paralysis feel impossible for you? Do you think there is another underlying issue impacting your ability to complete tasks? Ask a professional for help. The Center for Growth offers therapeutic services to help you better understand yourself and improve your ability to function and overall quality of life.

You can self schedule an in-person or virtual therapy session at the Center for Growth by calling (215) 922- LOVE (5683) x 100.

Our Guarantee: If after your first session you are not sold that you are working with the right therapist, do not hesitate to call our intake line at 215 922 5683 x 100 or Alex at (267) 324-9564 and ask to be rescheduled with another therapist. The choice of how you want to proceed is yours. Our only goal is to support you in becoming the best you possible.

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