Inertia: You’re actually NOT lazy!

Feeling lazy and stuck with your bestie, Inertia?

If you’ve ever stared at a never-ending to-do list and thought, “why can’t I just get it together?”, this is for you. If, when you get stuck, you call yourself lazy, unmotivated, or not disciplined enough, I want to offer another perspective on this.

Because, more often than not, it’s not actually laziness or a lack of motivation that’s at the root of being stuck. What looks like laziness is often a nervous system responding to overwhelm, overloaded executive functioning, Autistic or ADHD inertia, burnout, chronic stress, or a body that has been carrying too much for too long?

Inertia and the nervous system

Our nervous systems are constantly scanning for cues of safety and danger. And depending on what they pick up, they shift us into different states to help us cope with what we are faced with. So before you judge yourself for not “pushing through,” or “channelling a productivity mindset” let’s talk about what might actually be going on beneath the surface.

Fight/Flight: The Overdrive Mode (mobilised, accelerator is on)

This is that go-go-go, can’t-stop-won’t-stop energy. It can look like:
⚡ Overworking, perfectionism, never feeling like you’re doing enough
⚡ Feeling constantly on edge or tired but wired
⚡ Avoiding rest because it feels “unproductive” or because it’s simply too hard to slow down.

This mode can help us get things done in the short-term, but when we get stuck here for days, weeks, months, or years… we can quickly head into burnout territory and run out of the energy needed to keep going.

Freeze: The ‘Stuck’ Feeling (immobilised, brakes are on)

On the outside, this often looks like procrastination, zoning out, or feeling stuck. But inside? Your system has hit the brakes, leading to:
❄️ Brain fog, exhaustion, wanting to do things but feeling frozen
❄️ Avoiding tasks that feel overwhelming
❄️ Scrolling, numbing out, or feeling like time disappears

We can also be in a functional freeze, where we’re still getting things done to an extent, but it’s taking longer and requiring more energy to do the basics (kind of like the accelerator and brake are both stuck on at the same time).

Fawn: The People-Pleasing Pattern

This is the part where you overcommit, overgive, and forget your own needs. It might show up as:
🌿 Saying yes when you want to say no
🌿 Feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotions
🌿 Struggling with boundaries because you don’t want to disappoint people.

Again, this might work for a time, but then the balance goes, and we can head back into burnout territory, getting overloaded and running out of vital energy reserves.

How to work with your nervous system to move past inertia

If any of this resonates, the answer probably won’t be pushing yourself harder. Instead, we have to start by giving your nervous system what it actually needs. Everyone is a little bit different, and this will depend a lot on your situation and your individual nervous system and neurotype. Some very simple places to start are:

💫 Movement: If you’re stuck in fight / flight mode, it can help to move your body. If you feel angry or agitated: Release energy with big body movements like shaking, stomping, or punching a pillow. If you’re in flight mode, intentional movement that doesn’t require too much energy from you (like a short walk or gentle stretching) can help move some survival energy out of your body and support the nervous system to find a level of settling back into sustainable physiology.

💫 Soothing / nurturing environment: If you’re stuck in freeze, even wiggling your fingers or stretching can help bring some life back into your system.If you feel sad or collapsed: Create a soothing environment, with cozy blankets, soft lighting, calming music. If you’re experiencing dissociation, try putting something cold (like a cold pack) against your head (maybe wrap a tea towel around first).

💫 Co-regulation with safe people: Sometimes, we need other humans to help us feel safe/regulated again. A hug, a chat with a friend, or just being in the presence of someone calm can make a difference. This can also happen by listening to a favourite podcast, or a meditation by someone who has a voice you find familiar, soothing, and regulating. We can also co-regulate with animals and with nature. Journaling can also be a way to co-regulate with ourselves.

💫 Self-compassion vs. self-judgement: Instead of, “why can’t I just get it together?” try a little self check-in: “I’m feeling stuck. Am I wired or frozen? What does my nervous system need right now?”. It’s okay if you don’t know the exact answer right away. Try out something from the nervous system support menu and see what gives you a sense of even 5% relief or settling (movement vs stillness, co-regulating vs time alone, sound vs silence, hot vs cold, etc).

Inertia can help us understand our needs

Next time you feel lazy or stuck, I really encourage you to take a pause. Instead of forcing yourself to just try harder, or to push through, get curious. What state are you in? What does your body need? What does your inner critic need to remember in this moment?

And, if the examples in this blog don’t work for you, there will absolutely be resources that do! This is a very generalised snapshot as a starting point.

If you need personalised support in understanding and working with your nervous system (instead of against it), I’d love to help.

In my 1:1 counselling sessions, we get to know the unique landscape of your nervous system and develop a personalised menu of supports to work with it, to bring more ease, energy, and self-trust into your life.