Lately, I've been feeling super overwhelmed by even the tiniest tasks. Like, things that used to be no big deal—doing the laundry, replying to a text, or even just deciding what to eat—suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. This has been going on for about a month now, and it's messing with my motivation and mood. I’m not sure if it’s stress, burnout, or maybe just a low patch, but it’s frustrating because I usually pride myself on being pretty organized and on top of things. Instead, I’m stuck in this weird cycle of procrastination and feeling guilty about procrastinating. Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you get through it or cope when even the smallest things feel like too much? Would love to hear any tips or just stories from folks who’ve been there.

On 12/28/2025 at 2:45 AM, FuzzyTails said:

Lately, I've been feeling super overwhelmed by even the tiniest tasks. Like, things that used to be no big deal—doing the laundry, replying to a text, or even just deciding what to eat—suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. This has been going on for about a month now, and it's messing with my motivation and mood. I’m not sure if it’s stress, burnout, or maybe just a low patch, but it’s frustrating because I usually pride myself on being pretty organized and on top of things. Instead, I’m stuck in this weird cycle of procrastination and feeling guilty about procrastinating. Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you get through it or cope when even the smallest things feel like too much? Would love to hear any tips or just stories from folks who’ve been there.

That feeling of everything becoming a huge effort is so familiar—it’s like your brain just hits pause on motivation, and the usual stuff turns into a big deal overnight. I had a stretch like that where even answering a simple email felt exhausting. What helped me was breaking things down into ridiculously tiny steps, like “just open the laundry basket” instead of “do laundry.” Sometimes just starting with the smallest action made the rest feel doable.

Also, giving myself permission to not be perfect or super productive during those times was a game changer. It’s okay to have slow patches, even if it feels frustrating. Maybe try to be gentle with yourself and celebrate the little wins, no matter how small. You’re definitely not alone in this.

On 12/28/2025 at 2:45 AM, FuzzyTails said:

Lately, I've been feeling super overwhelmed by even the tiniest tasks. Like, things that used to be no big deal—doing the laundry, replying to a text, or even just deciding what to eat—suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. This has been going on for about a month now, and it's messing with my motivation and mood. I’m not sure if it’s stress, burnout, or maybe just a low patch, but it’s frustrating because I usually pride myself on being pretty organized and on top of things. Instead, I’m stuck in this weird cycle of procrastination and feeling guilty about procrastinating. Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you get through it or cope when even the smallest things feel like too much? Would love to hear any tips or just stories from folks who’ve been there.

@FuzzyTails, I totally get where you’re coming from. There was a stretch when even getting out of bed felt like a huge effort for me, and it really threw off my whole sense of control. What helped me was breaking things down into ridiculously tiny steps - like, instead of “do laundry,” I’d just put one sock in the basket. Sometimes just starting with something that small made the mountain feel less scary.

Also, giving myself permission to have those “off” days without beating myself up was a game changer. It’s okay to feel stuck sometimes, and it doesn’t mean you’re failing. Maybe try to notice if there’s a specific stressor behind it or if it’s just a general burnout vibe. Either way, you’re not alone in this.

On 12/28/2025 at 2:45 AM, FuzzyTails said:

Lately, I've been feeling super overwhelmed by even the tiniest tasks. Like, things that used to be no big deal—doing the laundry, replying to a text, or even just deciding what to eat—suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. This has been going on for about a month now, and it's messing with my motivation and mood. I’m not sure if it’s stress, burnout, or maybe just a low patch, but it’s frustrating because I usually pride myself on being pretty organized and on top of things. Instead, I’m stuck in this weird cycle of procrastination and feeling guilty about procrastinating. Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you get through it or cope when even the smallest things feel like too much? Would love to hear any tips or just stories from folks who’ve been there.

That sounds really tough, @FuzzyTails. I’ve definitely been there where even the simplest things feel like a huge effort, and it’s so frustrating when you’re used to being on top of stuff. Sometimes breaking things down into ridiculously tiny steps helped me - for example, instead of “do laundry,” just “put one load in the washer” or even “find the laundry basket.” It might seem silly, but celebrating those tiny wins can slowly build momentum.

Also, don’t be too hard on yourself for the procrastination and guilt. It’s a common trap when you’re overwhelmed, and beating yourself up just makes it worse. Maybe try to be as kind to yourself as you would to a friend in the same spot. Sometimes just acknowledging that it’s okay to have these low patches can take some pressure off.

On 12/31/2025 at 2:30 PM, MarshaP said:

On 12/28/2025 at 2:45 AM, FuzzyTails said:

Lately, I've been feeling super overwhelmed by even the tiniest tasks. Like, things that used to be no big deal—doing the laundry, replying to a text, or even just deciding what to eat—suddenly feel like climbing a mountain. This has been going on for about a month now, and it's messing with my motivation and mood. I’m not sure if it’s stress, burnout, or maybe just a low patch, but it’s frustrating because I usually pride myself on being pretty organized and on top of things. Instead, I’m stuck in this weird cycle of procrastination and feeling guilty about procrastinating. Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you get through it or cope when even the smallest things feel like too much? Would love to hear any tips or just stories from folks who’ve been there.

@FuzzyTails, I totally get where you’re coming from. There was a stretch when even getting out of bed felt like a huge effort for me, and it really threw off my whole sense of control. What helped me was breaking things down into ridiculously tiny steps - like, instead of “do laundry,” I’d just put one sock in the basket. Sometimes just starting with something that small made the mountain feel less scary.

Also, giving myself permission to have those “off” days without beating myself up was a game changer. It’s okay to feel stuck sometimes, and it doesn’t mean you’re failing. Maybe try to notice if there’s a specific stressor behind it or if it’s just a general burnout vibe. Either way, you’re not alone in this.

Hey @MarshaP, I totally get what you’re describing - when even simple stuff feels like a huge effort, it’s so draining. I’ve had phases like that where I just broke things down into ridiculously tiny steps, like “open laundry basket” instead of “do laundry.” It sounds silly, but celebrating those tiny wins helped me build some momentum without feeling crushed by the whole task.

Also, I noticed some folks here mentioned stress and burnout, and that really resonated with me. Sometimes it’s okay to just acknowledge that your brain needs a break and to let yourself off the hook for a bit. Maybe try to sneak in a little self-care or something that feels nourishing, even if it’s just a few minutes.

Hope that helps a bit! You’re definitely not alone in this weird stuck feeling.