How to Manage Task Paralysis

 I am in the process of moving right now, which most everyone can agree is a stressful process. There is never a dull moment in my life right now. Throughout this last month, I was reminded of an issue that I face with my mental health that I know others often experience: task paralysis. The list of things to do is like a mountain, and I’m standing at the bottom trying to figure out how in the world I am going to make it to the top. If you have experienced this before you can guess what happens next… nothing. My brain goes into overdrive, I have twelve tasks I am thinking about completing and how to complete them. At some point, my brain and body freeze, and I don’t get a task started, let alone finished. Whether it’s anxiety or ADHD that causes it, task paralysis can cause a disruption in your life or become a hindrance to your daily functioning. For this month’s blog, I am going to walk you through my favorite way to combat it. 

Let’s go back to the simile of the mountain quickly. If you stand at the base of the mountain, looking up at the top, you won’t get anywhere. What if you stood at the start of the path for the trail that goes to the top? It will be easier to tackle, everything you have to focus on is what is directly in front of you on the path. This is how we will tackle the task paralysis that comes from our to-do lists. 

  • First things first, we need to set the goal or task that we need to get accomplished. This goal or task is the overarching goal that you want to achieve on a normal to-do list. For the example, we will use one that I struggled with last month, getting my office ready to move in. 
  •  After we have our goal, we are going to start to break it down into bite-size pieces. Make each task something that can be accomplished in an hour or shorter. If the task takes longer than an hour, that is your cue that you need to break it down further. For my office, I will need to: 

    1. Painting the walls will take an hour
    2. Patch all holes in the drywall
    3. Sand the bookcase
    4. Tape off windows
    5. Paint the walls
    6. Paint the bookcase
    7. Paint the trim
    8. Remove trim around the doorframe
    9. Install a new door
    10. Remove painter’s tape
    11. Throw away all the trash
    12. Sweep
    13. Swiffer
    14. Mop

Notice how I have taken one goal and have now made it into 13 different tasks that need to be done. This is done to make it more realistic that I complete an item on my to-do list versus if I just wrote, “finish my office”. The other benefit is that because more items on my list will take a smaller amount of time, I will be able to physically cross items from my checklist, which each time will give me a sense of accomplishment and release dopamine in my brain.

  1.  Now that I have broken down each of the tasks, it is good to assign a time allowance to each task. Remember not to assign any task more than an hour of time allowance.
    • Patching the holes in the drywall will take 30 minutes
    • Etc. 
  2. Next, we are going to assign each activity to a day when you know you have the time to get the task accomplished. Note that this is not a strict schedule but a timeline to help you plan and divide out your time to get the tasks accomplished. You can always do more or fewer tasks if you find that one takes less time, or if something comes up that prevents you from accomplishing the tasks. If you notice that a task will take longer than you anticipated and you cannot break it down further, you can schedule it for two separate times.
    • On Sunday at 12pm, I am going to paint the walls of my office for an hour
    • On Monday at 7pm, I am going to paint the trim for 30 minutes
  3. Finally, make sure that you write your task breakdown out and cross each item off as you complete them. This will allow you to be able to look at the path whenever you feel stuck looking at the mountain and will continue to give you a sense of accomplishment for completing items on your to-do list. Even if it seems silly or unnecessary, it can still bring you joy where you would normally be anxious. Trust me, it’s the only reason I haven’t had a panic attack while moving this month!

About the Author

Samantha Ruwe (she/her), M.A., LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in dialectical behavior therapy. She works with teens and adults in a warm, compassionate, and non-judgmental manner to help clients build a life worth living. Samantha knows that therapy can be daunting to begin and is supportive of clients at all parts of their counseling journey. Click here to learn more about Samantha’s experience and therapeutic approach.