🍦 Freeze Response 101

Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋  You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: You’re probably familiar with the fight-or-flight response. But did you know there’s also a freeze response? We’re breaking down what it is, how to tell if you’re stuck in one, and how to break free. Let’s dig in!

🍦 What’s the Freeze Response?

Freeze response = feeling so stuck that you’re unable to do something.

Unlike procrastination, a freeze response can also stop you from doing things you want to do.

Just like its famous cousin, fight-or-flight, the freeze response is one of your body’s natural (and almost instant) reactions to stress and threats.

But with the freeze response, instead of confronting or running away from the danger, you “freeze” into inaction.

While it’s common in people living with trauma and certain mental health conditions, anyone can experience it. (And chances are you probably have.)

So how can you tell if you’re stuck in a freeze response? And what can you do to process it and move on? Read on to find out!

😮‍💨 Signs of Freeze

• Putting off something you actually want to do

• Feeling incapable of starting even the smallest step

• Getting caught in a loop of thinking instead of doing

• Being so overwhelmed that you don’t know where to start

• Attempting to do something and failing due to vulnerability factors (more on these later!)

Now that you know how to tell when you’re freezing up, let’s look at a few things you can try next.

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Now, here’s how to navigate the freeze response!

⛸️ How to Move Through It

🧊 Acknowledge it’s a freeze response, not a failure

You’ve probably misinterpreted a freeze response as procrastination in the past. Knowing the difference is key to resolving it quickly and effectively.

To confirm, ask yourself: “Why am I resisting this task?” If your answer is anything other than, “I just don’t feel like it,” you’re probably in freeze mode.

🤔 Shift your mindset from critical to curious

Procrastination is a vicious cycle:

• Put off doing something you don’t want to do → Beat yourself up for not doing it → Continue being unproductive because now your emotions and self-esteem are low

Criticizing yourself will only keep you stuck in the freeze response for longer. Try to swap critical thoughts for questions to discover and explore the cause.

Instead of, “I’m such a failure for not doing this,” try, “Why am I feeling stuck right now?”

😰 Identify your vulnerability factors

A vulnerability factor is anything that makes you more prone to freezing, like:

• Poor sleep, nutrition, or hygiene

• Physical pain

• Mental health symptoms

• Relationship difficulties

• Financial instability

The point of this step isn’t to solve everything immediately — simply to acknowledge the cause(s) behind the freeze. Knowing these makes it easier to treat yourself with compassion.

☀️ Gently warm up

Heat is the opposite of cold, so it makes sense that gentle movement can help you shake off the frost.

“Movement” doesn’t necessarily have to mean vigorous exercise — an outing at your fave park, library, or cafe can work wonders. Even moving to a different room can help. If your energy is super low, try adjusting your posture or doing some small stretches in your seat.

🛣️ Get some clarity and direction

By now, you’ve hopefully calmed some of the intense emotions behind your freeze response. When you feel ready, start planning your next steps.

Let’s take a look at some common reasons why we freeze — and the first step for moving through each one:

• 🤷 You don’t know what we should do next → Prune your task list

• 🤹 You have too many things to do → Declutter your mind

• 👷 You’re blocked by other things → Rethink roadblocks

• 🙇 You’re burned out → Know when to rest

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• How to Turn Off the Freeze Response (Video) — More insights on the freeze response from Therapy In a Nutshell

• white noise lofi (Playlist) — If soft music is the antidote to sensory overload for you, throw on this playlist for ultra plush vibes

• Reducing Your Emotional Vulnerability (Article) — The concept of “vulnerability factors” comes from dialectical behavioral therapy. This article provides more examples, plus expert advice for regaining balance

✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard

Feeling frozen by your to-dos? Flocus helps you ease into motion with a calming workspace that works with your energy. Prioritize tasks one step at a time with soothing visuals and immersive focus-friendly soundscapes.

Go to Flocus

The next time you’re “procrastinating”, remember these tips — there’s a good chance it’s a freeze response instead.

Tell us your thoughts on this week’s newsletter with a quick reply! We always love to hear from you, and we read each response we get!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team