L
Lisa Musser
Guest
Overwhelm starts when you don’t know where to begin. Here’s how to break through and finally get moving.
Photo by John Edgar on Unsplash
Last week, I stood in the middle of my kitchen staring at the chaos around me.
Countertops covered in dirty dishes. Floors begging to be swept. Laundry overflowing. A pile of clothes nobody wears anymore, stacked on top of the deep freezer.
Where do you start? Which one comes first?
My feet felt like lead. The weight of all those unfinished tasks left me feeling confused and overwhelmed, so I did the easiest thing of all — nothing.
If you’ve been there, you know the shame spiral: “Why can’t I just do it? What’s wrong with me?”
Here’s the truth: procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s your brain hitting the brakes because it doesn’t know what to do next.
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Why “Too Much” Makes You Shut Down
Many assume that procrastination is about avoiding work. It’s not, it’s about avoiding uncertainty.
When everything feels equally urgent, your brain can’t choose. And when it can’t choose, it does nothing. It’s a survival instinct, not a character flaw.
That’s why staring at a pile of clothes or a sink of dishes feels heavier than it should. The problem isn’t the task itself; it’s the endless question of where to start.
The Myth of Motivation
We’re told, “Just push yourself. Find the motivation.”
But motivation doesn’t come before action. It comes after.
Think about the last time you finally tackled laundry. At first, you probably dragged your feet. But once the first load was in the washer, momentum carried you forward.
Waiting until you feel inspired is how small messes turn into mountains. The secret isn’t motivation, it’s clarity.
The Shift That Helped Me Start Again
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
For years, I thought I needed more discipline. I made endless lists, set timers, and still froze at the sight of all the unfinished work.
The turning point came when I realized this: procrastination wasn’t about laziness, it was about decision paralysis.
My brain wasn’t saying, “You can’t do it.”
It was saying, “You don’t know where to begin.”
Once I understood that, I stopped beating myself up and started giving my brain what it needed most: direction.
A Simple Way to Break the Overwhelm
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Here’s how I handle those indecisive moments now:
- Pick one category. Laundry, dishes, floor — choose only one.
- Shrink it smaller. Don’t say, “Clean the kitchen.” Say, “Wash three plates.” Don’t say, “Do all the laundry.” Say, “Start one load.”
- Set a 5-minute timer. Promise yourself you’ll stop when it buzzes. Most of the time, you’ll keep going.
- Celebrate progress, not perfection. Even if you only washed three plates, that’s three fewer than before. Small wins stack up.
An Example in Real Life
Photo by Ariane Frei on Unsplash
Yesterday, I looked at a mountain of laundry I had been ignoring. Instead of spiraling, I told myself, “Just start one load.”
By the time the washer beeped, I’d folded two baskets and cleared the couch. Not because I planned to, but because just starting unlocked momentum.
That’s the power of choosing one, small, clear beginning.
Why It Works
When you give your brain clarity, you remove the danger signal that keeps you frozen in place. Tasks stop feeling like impossible mountains and shrink back down to manageable steps.
Over time, your brain learns that starting is safe. And the more you practice, the less likely you are to get stuck in overwhelm.
The Takeaway
There is nothing wrong with you. You’re not broken. You’re just overwhelmed by too many choices at once.
The next time you’re staring at a pile of clothes, dirty dishes, or a to-do list that feels endless, don’t ask, “How will I get it all done?”
Ask instead: “What’s the smallest place I can start right now?”
That single question can turn paralysis into progress.
If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, I created a simple ‘Stop Procrastinating Checklist’ you can print and use today.
The goal is to replace indecision and procrastination with clarity, momentum, and relief — helping you make progress without feeling overwhelmed.
If you have conquered procrastination, let me know how you did it in the comments. I’d love to know what steps you take to get results.
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The Real Reason You Procrastinate (And What to Do About It) was originally published in Long. Sweet. Valuable. on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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