Mental Tricks
Comic Sans Font
Section titled “Comic Sans Font”What to do: If you’ve got writer’s block on an essay or email, change the font to Comic Sans.
Why it works: It looks unprofessional and “silly,” which tricks the brain into treating the task as low-stakes. That lowers the perfectionism barrier so you can just write.
Side Quests
Section titled “Side Quests”What to do: Reframe distractions as “side quests.” Went to the kitchen for water and ended up cleaning the fridge? You didn’t fail — you completed a side quest.
Why it works: It cuts the shame. You did accomplish something, even if it wasn’t the main objective — and shame is what deepens the paralysis.
Robot Mode
Section titled “Robot Mode”What to do: For a sensory-hated task (like slimy dishes), consciously pretend you’re a robot with no feelings, executing a script.
Why it works: Dissociating from the sensory experience makes an otherwise unbearable task bearable.
Impulse-Buy “Parking Lot”
Section titled “Impulse-Buy “Parking Lot””What to do: When you want to buy something online, add it to a dedicated list or cart and wait 48 hours before deciding.
Why it works: The dopamine comes from the hunt, not the purchase. The urge usually fades within two days.
Clutter-Blindness Photos
Section titled “Clutter-Blindness Photos”What to do: If you can’t tell whether a room is actually messy because you’ve gone “noseblind” to it, take a photo.
Why it works: Seeing the room in 2D on a screen highlights the mess your brain was filtering out in 3D.
Sleep With Meds
Section titled “Sleep With Meds”What to do: Set an alarm an hour before you need to wake up, take your medication, and go back to sleep. When the second alarm goes off, it’s kicked in.
Why it works: It lets you wake up without the “morning fog” or paralysis, because the medication is already active.