Name what's actually happening
Task paralysis isn't a motivation problem. It's what happens when a task has too many undefined decisions in it — where to start, what counts as done, what order to do things in — and the brain refuses to move until one is picked for it.
Remove the decision, not the task
Instead of asking "what should I clean," pre-decide one specific action before you're even standing in the room. A starting sequence works because it removes the decision in advance, not because it makes the task smaller.
Use a body double if the paralysis is about starting alone
Sometimes the freeze is specifically about doing something unobserved. A body-doubling session adds a shared beginning, which can be the exact piece that was missing.
If nothing moves, change your position
Standing up, moving to a different room, or walking around the block can interrupt the freeze. The goal isn't to feel ready — it's to do the smallest possible action before you feel ready.