π§ TL;DR: That “procrastination problem” might actually be a survival response. Here's how Flight Mode hides in plain sight—and what to do about it.
I used to beat myself up for procrastinating.
Why couldn’t I just sit down and do the thing?
Why did I bounce between projects, chase a million ideas, or suddenly need to reorganize my kitchen instead of writing that email?
Sound familiar?
For a long time, I thought it was a discipline problem. Or maybe some kind of creative quirk. But it turns out, it was something much deeper: my nervous system stuck in Flight Mode.
This is Part 2 of my 3-part series, Survival Mode: The Patterns Behind Your Behavior. In this series, I’m exploring the subtle ways our stress responses shape our work, leadership, and wellbeing—even when we don’t realize it.
In this week’s episode of my podcast, Movement, Mind, & Meaning, I dive into what Flight Mode really looks like in our modern work lives—and why it so often gets mistaken for laziness, distraction, or poor time management.
π§ From a nervous system perspective, Flight Mode is the physiological response of “get me out of here.”
But when the threat isn’t a tiger—it’s an overwhelming to-do list, an awkward conversation, or the fear of failure—this response gets internalized in other ways.
π Enter:
Procrastination that feels like self-sabotage
Overplanning without action
Shiny Object Syndrome
Bouncing from one idea to the next before anything sticks
In a people-first company or purpose-driven business, this can show up as talented team members who seem uncommitted or inconsistent—but underneath, they’re actually overwhelmed and in survival mode.
In the episode, I break down what’s really happening in the brain and body when this happens, including the role of the polyvagal system, cortisol cycles, and threat perception. This isn’t about willpower. It’s about your biology.
The good news? Once we bring non-judgmental awareness to the pattern, we can interrupt it.
That’s where Power Pauses come in—simple, real-time practices that calm the nervous system and reconnect you with your grounded, creative self.
Because you can’t problem-solve, plan, or perform when your body thinks it’s under threat.
But you can learn to shift the state.
π§ Listen to Part 2 of the Survival Mode Series on the podcast now!
π Flight Mode: Procrastination & Shiny Object Syndrome
Β
Press PAUSE on your busy life with this free 10 minute "Yoga at My Desk" video to instantly feel better!
