As you stare at your computer screen trying to summon the motivation to prepare that PowerPoint for that meeting later in the week, you wonder if there’s something wrong with you. Lately at work — and if you're being honest, even at home —it’s felt hard to complete tasks, and you find little meaning in your life.
If this sounds familiar, you could be experiencing something known as a functional freeze. While it's not an official diagnosis, functional freeze is a common feeling that you may need some help to address. Here's what to know.
Therapist Tip of the Day: Lack of Motivation is No. 1 Sign of Functional Freeze
“A functional freeze is a physical, emotional and mental state where you lack the motivation to carry out tasks, even the simple ones, due to burnout, stress or lack of purpose,” psychotherapist Niro Feliciano wrote in her TODAY.com column, Is This Normal? “You may also feel disconnected from your life, despite being successful at work or having numerous close relationships.”
Simply put, being "outwardly functioning but (feeling) frozen and (lacking) motivation ... especially in your personal life," is the No. 1 sign of a functional freeze, she explained.
Often, a functional freeze follows a high-stress time in life or accompanies burnout. Those who feel as if they do not lead a meaningful life might also experience a functional freeze.
Why It Matters
A functional freeze can be a frustrating state of being, where your to-do list just keeps growing and you feel stuck at work. As a result, you may find yourself struggling with your mental health, especially anxiety, Feliciano noted, so it's important to try to prevent your functional freeze from getting worse.
Take these feelings as a sign to listen to what your mind and body may need that they're not getting.
How to Get Started
While a functional freeze can feel overwhelming, there are things people can do to snap out of one.
- Connect with nature — Walking outside or spending time by water can help reduce anxiety while strenghtening attention span and allowing for creative thinking, research has found.
- Exercise — Working up a sweat is an easy way to boost endorphins, which improve mood and energy.
- Laugh — Chuckling boosts endorphins and it has the added benefit of triggering the parasympathetic nervous system, which aids with stress reduction and relaxation.
- Work in chunks of time — Following the Pomodoro technique, which encourages working for a shorter block of time with breaks, teaches the brain to focus.
- Breathe — Mindful breathing helps reduce stress. Taking a long exhale can even lower stress hormones in the body.
- Practice self kindness — People who give themselves grace for their mistakes and sit with their feelings are better able to navigate a functional freeze.
- Talk to an expert — People who feel as if they’re struggling with day-to-day life and as if they lost meaning in life can benefit from speaking with a therapist.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.
