How to Restart Your Nervous System
Ritika Lashkari
You know that feeling.
You sit in front of your screen, notebook, or chores. You want to do something. You know you have things to take care of. But your body doesn’t move. Your thoughts keep running. The tension builds. And still, nothing happens.
You’re not being lazy.
You’re not unmotivated.
You’re not broken.
You’re just overwhelmed.
And your brain is doing its best to protect you — even if it doesn’t feel like it.
Let’s take a moment to understand what overwhelm does to our brain
When your nervous system feels overstimulated, it enters one of four states:
- Fight (push harder),
- Flight (avoid everything),
- Freeze (shut down),
- Fawn (people-please and forget your own needs).
Mental paralysis often sits in the freeze response.
Your brain senses danger — not necessarily from a tiger, but from pressure, expectations, or emotional exhaustion. So it slows everything down. It says: “We’re not safe to act yet.” This isn’t failure. It’s your system trying to pause and protect. And the more you shame yourself in this state, the deeper the freeze goes.
When we are ashamed of not taking action we often think bullying ourselves will get us moving again. We say things to ourselves, such as:
- “What’s wrong with you?”
- “You’re so unproductive.”
- “Other people manage more — why can’t you?”
But self-shame doesn’t unlock energy. It just adds another layer of stress to an already flooded system.
Realize that you need permission, from yourself. You don’t need to do more. You need to feel safe enough to do anything at all.
So now that we know what and why, let’s delve on what helps
The bridge between mental overload and movement isn’t discipline. It’s regulation — calming your system so your body and brain remember they’re safe.
Try one of these small things before asking yourself to be productive again:
- Cold face splash or ice roller
→ Activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Signals “we’re okay.” - Box breathing (4-4-4-4)
→ Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 3x. If you are in a state of anxiety, it will help to understand anxiety and how to manage it, by clicking here - Grounding check-in
→ Name 3 things you can see, 2 you can touch, 1 you can hear. - Put your hand on your chest
→ Say: “I’m allowed to pause. I’m not behind. I’m still okay.”
These aren’t silly. These are biology-backed interventions. Your nervous system responds to presence more than pressure.
Tiny movements matter more than perfect plans
When you feel stuck, and you keep asking yourself: “How do I finish this?”
Rephrase the question to: “What’s the smallest possible step I can take?”
Start so small it feels silly:
- Open the tab, don’t write anything yet.
- Put your water bottle on your desk.
- Move one pile of clothes.
- Set a 5-minute timer and stop when it ends.
These “micro-movements” build momentum.
And every time you complete one, your brain begins to trust: “We can do hard things.”
Redefining productivity
Some days, doing the laundry is a big win. Other days, answering one email is enough. And on some days, showing up to keep your promise to yourself — even if nothing gets done — is the real victory.
You are allowed to measure your day by how kind you were to yourself, not just by what you accomplished.
Healing your relationship with your attention is healing in itself. Restoring your nervous system is a form of progress. Productivity that costs your mental health isn’t sustainable — and deep down, you already know that.
With this, as you move on, remember the words to carry with you
You’re not lazy. You’re overloaded.
You’re not lost. You’re recalibrating.
You’re not failing. You’re feeling.
And that’s a very human thing to do.
The next time you feel frozen by everything on your plate, I hope you remember this:
Start where your body is.
Move in pieces.
Pause without guilt.
And don’t forget — you’re still doing your best, even when it doesn’t look impressive.
Next time when you feel you are not taking action, try these prompts for self-reflection
- What’s one thing I’m avoiding because I feel overwhelmed?
- What emotion is sitting underneath my procrastination today?
- What would feel so small that it’s actually doable?
- If I replaced shame with curiosity, what would I learn about myself