5 Ways to Combat Task Paralysis

Your family just left the house and you have an entire 3 hours to yourself at home on a Saturday afternoon. Ahhhh the things you can accomplish! You can rest! You can cross some things off that never ending to-do list! You can maybe even nap!! You have been looking forward to this window ever since the last time it happened 6 months ago. But as soon as that door closes and the house is quiet, that brain that has been so looking forward to getting! things! done! is stuck and that clock keeps ticking while you scramble to figure out how to move forward. It’s like you have 2 flat tires at the bottom of your legs.

If you are a human, you’ve likely encountered a situation similar to this at some point in your life. Most likely when you really want to get something done. The name for it is task paralysis. So what officially is task paralysis?? It’s the most frustrating brick wall of desperately wanting to get something done, but not being able to act on this desire. You almost literally stop in your tracks, unable to move forward with…anything. If you have ADHD, the likeliness of you encountering this is even higher.

Now you may think that this sounds like laziness or procrastination, but it is in fact very different. You are motivated and interested in completing the task(s), however you just can’t figure out how to move forward. It’s like wanting to take a step but your feet are planted into the ground. The energy is there. The interest is there. But you still cannot do it. This can not only be extremely frustrating and overwhelming, but it can also create self doubt. How can something like creating an afternoon of intended self care be so difficult? When this happens to me, I stand there and literally feel the time slipping away like sand through my fingers.

We are as a species already so hard on ourselves, especially in the culture that is America. Do all the things! Work 24/7! Don’t use vacation time! Answer work emails on nights and weekends! Take your laptop on vacation! Ugh. It’s normal to be exhausted by these pressures. But when it comes to task paralysis, it’s different. The task you might want to do is not necessarily completing a work order or sending off that proposal, it might be taking a nap. Like - how can something so…relaxing…be so hard to do?

If you have ADHD and struggle with executive function, task paralysis might come into your life when you aren’t able to prioritize or organize the tasks that are on your mind, When working memory is your struggle, you might feel like you can’t get a grasp on all the things you want or need to do and therefore become stuck in making progress on any of them. Low dopamine levels affect your ability even more to get started. The accumulation of these frustrations results in even more aggravation when you are not able to regulate the initial emotions. You may start off feeling excited for the free time we talked about in the beginning of this post, but as you become more and more paralyzed, your emotions start to get the best of you and you start to spiral.

Beyond frustration, task paralysis can result in missed deadlines and incomplete projects which can further impact your life outside the walls of your home or office.

Ok, enough about all the sucky things that can happen as a result of this event. Let’s talk about how we can overcome task paralysis - whether you have ADHD or not:

Break It Down

When something like a 3-hour window of free time feels hard to get a hold of, break it down into smaller pieces that feel more manageable. For example, instead of thinking of 3 hours to “get things done at home”, think of it as 1 hour of housework, 1 hour of leisure time and 1 hour of planning. For a big work project, instead of thinking 3 hours to “send the report”, think of it as opening the report, reviewing what you have already done, listing out what you would like to accomplish, completing the first draft, making revisions, and then sending the report. Each milestone reached will give you a boost of dopamine and propel you forward toward your goal.

Another way to make good use of your time is to use the Pomodoro technique. Pomodoro is creating short timed sessions in order to complete tasks. Using a timer can be very helpful so you don’t get overwhelmed with a huge window and instead focus on the 15-minute session you are currently working in. These timers are an awesome way to visualize time elapsing.

External Accountability

Having a friend or coworker keep you accountable can be very helpful, especially if you have ADHD by adding external structure. For more information on this topic, check out this recent blog post on the value of accountability partners.

Optimize your Environment

Spending time in a calm, organized environment can help keep you focused on the task at hand. Before you get started, clear off horizontal surfaces nearby, create a sense of calm with relaxing music or white noise, make sure the lighting is ideal, and eliminate distractions by putting away your phone, turning off the TV, etc. Wearing comfortable clothing can also eliminate some roadblocks as you are attempting to get out of the funk.

Reward Yourself

Give yourself rewards to keep you motivated. For example after each 2 Pomodoro sessions, give yourself a brief walk outside, a yummy snack or a few minutes to connect on social media. Rewards for hitting even small milestones can be extremely motivating!

Practice Self Compassion

Task paralysis is very common, especially for those with ADHD. It doesn’t define you or your abilities. Remember that. Journaling or self talk might be helpful in reminding yourself that you are smart and capable. Remembering your strengths and focusing on those instead of the struggles you face will keep you moving forward.

I hope some of these ideas help put “air in your tires” when you feel stuck. I’d love to hear of anything I missed that helps you when you are facing task paralysis!