I need someone to tell me if this is a real thing or if I’ve finally just broken my brain.
Lately, I’ll sit down at my computer at work, look at my to-do list, and completely freeze.
Not because I’m scrolling social media.
Not because I’m playing games.
Not because I’m avoiding work.
I’m literally staring at the screen.
Just sitting there. Motionless.
Like my brain has looked at everything it needs to do and decided to blue-screen.
The weird part is that I know exactly what needs doing.
The blogs need writing.
The emails need answering.
The social posts need posting.
The projects need finishing.
The laundry at home probably has a few comments for me as well.
And yet somehow I sit there thinking about all of it while accomplishing absolutely none of it.
Apparently, this is actually a thing.
While most people call it “brain fog,” what I found online sounds more like overwhelm, task paralysis, or executive dysfunction. Experts describe it as what happens when the number of things demanding your attention exceeds your brain’s available bandwidth. In other words, your mental to-do list gets so crowded that your brain struggles to decide where to start, so it starts nowhere at all.
Which honestly makes me feel a little better.
Because I thought it was just me.
Apparently lots of people experience this weird state where they know what needs to be done but can’t seem to initiate the first task. Some experts even describe it as a “freeze response” to being overwhelmed.
And that is exactly what it feels like.
Not laziness.
Not procrastination.
Just…
Buffering.
Like when you have 47 tabs open on your computer and suddenly nothing works properly anymore.
The funniest part is that usually the solution is just picking one tiny thing and starting. Once I do, my brain magically remembers how to function.
Until then, though, you’ll find me sitting at my desk staring into the middle distance while my to-do list grows longer.
@gx94radio Please comment! Does this happen to you too? #fyp #brainfog Tonya Cherry 🍒
Comments