Your Brain’s Freeze Button: Part 3

Week

Theme

Goals

Action Steps (5 min each)

Week 1

Notice & Calm

Learn to recognize when you’re stuck and calm your mind

- Record a stuck moment: Write down one time today you felt stuck deciding (what the choice was and how it felt).

- Acknowledge small wins: List 3 small decisions you made easily today (e.g. what to eat or wear) to remind yourself you can choose.

- Make one quick choice: Spend 5 minutes on a trivial decision (pick any breakfast, song, or movie without overthinking). Practice deciding on the spot.

Week 2

Simplify Choices

Narrow down options and recruit support 

- Limit options: Set a 5-minute timer and quickly narrow your list to 2–3 top choices. If you have many, eliminate the least important options now.

- Ask a friend: Call or text someone you trust for a quick opinion on your top 2 options (the “phone a friend” method). Hearing another view can unblock you.

- Pros/cons list: In 5 minutes, write one pro and one con for each of your 2 main choices to clarify which matters more.

- Set a mini-deadline: Decide on a deadline (e.g. “I’ll choose today/tomorrow”) and commit now. Saying it out loud or writing it gives you a clear cutoff.

Week 3

Trust Yourself

Build confidence and accept good-enough

- Embrace “good enough”: Remind yourself that a perfect choice isn’t needed. Decide now by asking, “Which feels least wrong?” If needed, flip a coin – and stick with it even if it makes you nervous.

- Choose in 1 minute: Practice the advice to “take 1 minute (and only 1 minute!) to choose” an option and then stop analyzing. Force yourself to pick one choice and commit to it immediately.

- Talk about it: Share one past decision that stressed you out with a friend. Often just discussing a worry relieves pressure and shows that no choice was truly disastrous.

Week 4

Maintain & Plan

Maintain these habits and handle tricky moments

- Daily gratitude break: Spend 5 minutes at the end of each day thinking of one good thing you did or appreciating someone. This creates a positive mindset and reduces anxiety around decisions.

- If/then plan: Identify 2 situations where you usually overthink (e.g. picking classes, social plans). For each, write an if/then plan (e.g. “If I get stuck choosing a club, then I will take a 5-min walk or list one thing I’m thankful for” ). Having a set response makes you less likely to loop.

- Quick reflection: When you make a decision, spend 5 minutes afterward noting one thing you learned or a positive outcome (even if small). Celebrate that you followed through – this reinforces that action is better than staying stuck.