Why You Can’t Start Tasks (Even When You Want To)
If you’re reading this, chances are that you are surrounded by a chaos of tasks that you can’t start.
Perhaps you have clean laundry that you want to put away, but feel paralysed.
What about those texts you swore you’d respond to and are now avoiding?
Maybe you are starving and yet the last thing you could do right now is make yourself food.
What I am describing here is called task paralysis, and is commonly experienced by autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent people.
Task paralysis describes the experience of being unable to start tasks, and feeling overwhelmed, shut down, upset or angry about the idea of starting the task/s at hand. It is one part of executive dysfunction difficulties.
FAQs
What is task paralysis?
Task paralysis is a common experience in which autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent people feel unable to start tasks, despite wanting or needing to.
Does not being able to start tasks mean I am lazy?
No. Task paralysis is a cognitive processing difference and is a common neurodivergent experience. It is not your fault, and does not mean you are lazy.
Can therapy help me with task paralysis caused by ADHD, autism or neurodivergence?
Yes. Counselling and therapy can help you to identify what it is you are struggling with, uncover strategies and support you to work through your emotions connected to a difficult history of struggling to start tasks.
It’s not your fault.
Being in task paralysis is not your fault. Struggling to initiate tasks is a really common ADHD and autism experience, caused by:
Cognitive processing differences
You might need more time to consider what tasks need completing, in which order and whether you current have the energy levels to do them. A common experience is difficulty transitioning between tasks, which is usually required in order to start a new task.Persistent Drive for Autonomy (PDA)
Sometimes also referred to as pathological demand avoidance, PDA describes the difficulty some neurodivergent people have when they perceive a demand is being placed on them. You might feel you have to do the chores, tasks or activities around you. This can be received as a threat due to difficult or traumatic past experiences, putting your body into a fight or flight response. This often leads us to shut down when we think we are being told or forced to do something.Emotional dysregulation
Whether as a result of processing differences or PDA, you may feel anxious, trapped, distressed or angry about struggling to start tasks. Autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent people may find it difficult to recognise and then regulate their emotions, leading to extended periods of task paralysis, executive dysfunction and distress in some cases.
Task paralysis can leave you unable to even get out of bed!
It effects everything.
Unfortunately, all areas of life can be impacted by task paralysis, particularly in a productivity-focused and non-accessible world like the one we live in.
At work, you may struggle to start tasks if you feel unsure about how to complete them, if you perceive them as boring or meaningless, if there is too many things on your plate or if you feel you are being made to do the work. This can lead to difficult work relationships, overwhelmed caused by growing workloads and barriers to promotions.
Tasks paralysis can also seep into the ADHD or autistic person’s relationships. You might struggle to meet your friends or partner’s needs, such as to be at hangouts or events on time (or at all), to contribute to house management and life admin tasks or to respond to texts and calls on time. You might find friendships and relationships repeatedly fail or struggle when others don’t understand your challenges with task paralysis.
You will likely struggle with daily tasks too, such as keeping on top of chores, appointments, making meals, exercising, and hygiene. These can come with a lot of shame, and can lead to limiting self-esteem concerns, depression and anxiety.
What helps:
A large part of supporting and looking after yourself involves accepting the way your brain works, and asking for help when you need it.
Here are a few different ways you might help yourself with task paralysis as an ADHD or autistic person:
Adjust the task
Where possible, look to adjust the task so that it demands less of you and your energy. Can you cook in batches, meaning the task of meal making comes up less frequently? What about responding to all emails at a particular time of day, to avoid having to transition to this task multiple times a day. Are there tasks that are not so important or urgent, and that can be reduced or removed to lessen your mental load?Apply the PINCH framework
The PINCH framework, developed by Dr Megan Naff and based on work Dr William Dodson, helps us to understand what drives neurodivergent people to complete tasks. It stands for passion/play, interest, novelty, competition/challenge/cooperation and Hurry/urgency. If you can make a task fun, new, a competition or challenge, or add an element of urgency, you are more likely to feel able to complete it. So, countdowns, gameification, apps like Finch, body doubling ‘races’ etc. might help you feel about to tackle the task.Regulate first
There is a good chance you are shutting down due to overwhelm and stress when you are in task paralysis. You probably won’t be able to start the task without regulating yourself first. In order to regulate an emotion, you can start by just identifying what you are feeling (or using visual or metaphorical approaches if you struggle with alexythymia). Once you can identify what it is you are feeling, you can use a variety of strategies to regulate your emotions, such as calming sensory experiences, meditation, journaling and more.
Learning to identify what your feelings are and how you cope with them can be a difficult and, at times, painful task. Seeing a neurodivergent-affirming and trauma-informed counsellor or therapist can support you to identify what you are struggling with, why, and support you to make changes that support your wellbeing.
At Same Page, I use my years of experience working with autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent adults and teens to provide truly specialist counselling and education services. I would love to hear from you and help you navigate any difficulties you are facing.
