Gary Martin: How to defrost ‘brain freeze’ and get tasks done

It is an all-too common scenario: The to-do list is frozen in time and the energy to defrost it beyond reach.

Instead, time melts away as you scroll through social media, sit idle after a shower or binge-watch an entire series despite being aware of the looming storm of responsibilities.

If this frosty feeling sounds familiar, you might be facing a functional freeze — the mental and emotional chill where completing even the simplest tasks seems almost impossible.

Although not an official diagnosis, many experience it.

On the surface, everything seems fine — you are fulfilling responsibilities and staying social — but on the inside there is a deep freeze slowing your ability to tackle tasks.

Unlike procrastination, which involves a conscious choice to delay tasks, functional freeze sneaks in like an unexpected cold front to halt all progress.

The signs are subtle: going through the motions without the motivation to handle tasks that should be simple.

A sense of being “tired but wired” can creep in. Anxiety and exhaustion blend together to make it hard to act despite the restlessness.

A functional freeze can lead to unfinished tasks and even a withdrawal from social interactions, leaving you feeling disconnected from family, friends or colleagues.

It sneaks into your routine in various forms.

Maybe a work deadline feels like an approaching cold snap. But instead of focusing on it, you distract yourself with less important tasks like reorganising your desk or cleaning your inbox.

Sitting down to pay bills might turn into hours of scrolling through social media to leave tasks unfinished as the ice thickens.

In the mornings, you lie in bed aimlessly scrolling, too frozen to start your day.

When it is time to cook dinner, indecision stretches on like a long, cold winter and you end up reaching for takeaway again, despite intentions to eat healthier.

You might even find yourself in your gym clothes but unable to muster the motivation to leave the house.

A functional freeze often follows periods of high stress or burnout.

Whether triggered by work pressures, family responsibilities or emotional strain, the brain can become overloaded and shut down as it struggles to process.

It can strike after completing an intense project and arise when life feels directionless and without a clear purpose.

It can also arise when life feels directionless, without a clear purpose or drive.

A functional freeze is not a sign of failure but a signal from the brain and body that they are overwhelmed and need a reset.

Breaking free starts with recognising when it is happening and taking small, deliberate steps to thaw the freeze.

A functional freeze is temporary and not a reflection of your abilities.

While it can feel like your life has been placed in an icy grip, it is just a passing phase.

With a bit of patience and gentle effort, you can melt the stagnation and reignite your momentum.

Professor Gary Martin is CEO of AIM WA and a specialist in workplace and social trends.