How to recognize your “task paralysis” and get rid of it

What is "task paralysis"

It is at the very moment when we have the most things to do that we often lose the ability to do anything. This feeling of helplessness usually comes when we have 10 tasks on our list and they are all equally urgent and important. Or when we are dealing with a large serious project and do not understand where to start. If you're familiar with situations like this, chances are you're familiar with "task paralysis."

In this state, instead of logically comprehending a to-do list or gradually merging into work on a project, our brain seems to freeze. This is due to the fact that it perceives tasks as a potential threat and goes into "fight, flight or freeze" mode. It can be the threat of failure because we can't do it, the threat of letting others down, or the threat of feeling stupid and incompetent because we don't know where to start or how to act.

"Task Paralysis" can hit anyone, but it's especially susceptible to

perfectionists. They subconsciously identify with their work, and if a person thinks that he is what he does, doing something becomes even scarier.

How to deal with it

With "task paralysis" the administrative center of our brain loses control over the situation. Usually, the prefrontal cortex, which gives us the ability to plan and make decisions, restrains sharp emotional outbursts. But during times of stress, the amygdala comes to the fore, which is responsible for recognizing threats. There are several ways to overcome this condition.

Break big tasks into small parts

First of all, you need to relieve stress, so first take a few deep breaths in and out. This will allow reduce stress hormone levels cortisol.

If one complex project intimidates you, break it down into tiny steps. They should be so small that they do not cause resistance in you. For example, you need to make a presentation. Make a list of steps with all the details: collect data, write text for slides, open the program, choose a design style, and so on. Be as specific as possible to each item, including the location, time, and duration of each step. Imagine that you are writing a manual for a teenager who does not want to do it at all. The more details you include, the better.

Then try to release the tension. Tell yourself that if you can't do it, it's okay. You can always go back and fix things. Ask yourself how many mistakes you will allow yourself to make. The answer must not be zero.

And finally, take the first step, any first step. Sometimes the very idea of ​​a task scares us. It seems so big that we don't know what to do. And since we do not know from which side to approach the problem, we do not approach from any. Once you start working, the process will go easier and you will realize that all fears were in vain.

Stimulate yourself

If in front of you long list small things, approach the issue strategically. Of course, you can start with the most important, or you can start with the most pleasant. If you have to do everything anyway, let the task that causes the least rejection be the first one. You will feel confident and gain momentum, because nothing contributes to success like success itself.

Another way to get motivated to work is to start with something important to those around you. Think about what task will make life easier for other people. If you do it, will it help someone? Or, on the contrary, if you do not fulfill it, will it prevent someone from achieving their goal?

There is another way to stimulate yourself when you don’t feel like getting down to business at all. If you have to send an email that you keep putting off and putting off, promise yourself that once you do that, you'll spend 10 minutes on social media without a twinge of conscience. Or combine pleasant activities with unpleasant ones. For example, decide sudokuwhile waiting for an answer on the bank's telephone line. In other words, use what you love to do to reward yourself for what you don't like to do.

In extreme cases, if it is simply impossible to complete all the tasks on time, delegate. Ask a colleague, relative, or friend to help with some tasks and promise to reciprocate in the future.

Stop avoiding any work

Before you start working get rid of from distractions. Put away your phone, clear your desk, set a timer for the time you want. Tell everyone, including yourself, that you are not to be disturbed and that you cannot interrupt even for such a trifle as washing a cup.

It is unlikely that you want "task paralysis" to turn into procrastination when you do something simple and pleasant in the short term, for example, checking social networks, just so as not to engage in difficult tasks. Distractions and procrastination often go hand in hand. If the “forbidden fruit” is always there and easily accessible, you will procrastinate more.

Task avoidance runs the risk of becoming a repetitive pattern. When we distance ourselves from what scares us, we trigger the “double lie” mechanism. The first lie is that the task is a threat to us, and the second is that we cannot cope with it. Caught in the trap of "double lies", we lose the chance to get the job done and realize that in fact everything is not as bad as we thought.

Ultimately, the key goal is to deal with anxiety and train the brain to function properly even under stress. This will give you confidence and solidify good habits that will come in handy the next time your to-do list gets you stuck.