Why You’re Not Lazy. You’re Overloaded
Karren Kerrisk 
Researchers have a name for this dip in drive — the October slump. any people experience what psychologists call goal fatigue, a natural drop in focus
Every year around this time, something interesting happens.
Motivation dips. Focus fades. That drive you started the year with… slows to a crawl.
You might call it “losing your spark,” but psychologists and productivity experts call it the October slump — a period of mental fatigue and emotional burnout that hits when we’ve been in high gear for too long.
If you’ve been thinking, “I should be further along by now,” you’re not alone. But this isn’t failure. It’s feedback.
What’s Really Happening in the October Motivation Slump
Your brain has been running all year — processing, striving, adapting.
By October, your unconscious mind starts sending subtle signals that it needs space to breathe.
You may notice:
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Difficulty concentrating
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That “browser with 47 tabs open” feeling
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Emotional exhaustion, even after rest
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Guilt for not being productive enough
This isn’t laziness. It’s neural overload.
Your system is quietly saying, “Please reset me.”
Why Willpower Alone Won’t Work
When burnout creeps in, we often push harder, but willpower is a limited resource. You can’t outthink exhaustion with more effort.
Instead, you need to work with your unconscious mind, not against it.
That’s where NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and mind skills come in. They help you reset from the inside out — by changing how you talk to yourself, how you focus your energy, and how you emotionally regulate.
Mind Skill Reset #1: The Self-Edits Reframe
Write this sentence:
“I am worthy even when I rest.”
Say it slowly. Feel it.
This simple phrase rewires self-talk patterns that tie your worth to productivity.
Every repetition tells your nervous system: “It’s safe to pause.”
That’s how you begin to recover from productivity guilt — not through force, but through self-permission.
Mind Skill Reset #2: The 90-Day Focus Reframe
Instead of looking at what hasn’t happened this year, ask:
“If I focused on one meaningful goal for the next 90 days, what would it be?”
This reframe narrows your energy and reawakens belief.
You don’t need a full year. You just need clarity — and a way to reconnect with your why.
You can explore this further with the Well-Formed Outcome worksheet. It helps you define outcomes that align consciously and unconsciously — the secret to sustainable motivation.
You’re Not Behind. You’re Becoming.
So, if you’ve been feeling flat or unfocused lately, know this:
You’re not broken — you’re overloaded.
And the solution isn’t to start over; it’s to come back to yourself.
Your mind doesn’t need another push. It needs a reset.
And that starts with compassion, not criticism.
Try This Today
Close your eyes and ask:
“What’s one thing I can mentally put down today?”
Let the answer rise up.
That’s your starting point.
A small mental declutter tells your unconscious: You’re listening.
Because sometimes, the most powerful way to move forward is to pause with purpose.