The mental state of being unable to start any individual task because one's "to do" list is so overwhelming. Instead, the person suffering from this condition can only sit there in a position of miserable futility, unwilling to begin so as to delay the increased feelings of hopelessness in their short-term future, knowing that try as they might, a morning's work (with no breaks) will barely a make a dent in their ridiculously excessive list of jobs and, by lunch-time, they'll feel no more satisfied than at present.
Dev: "You started that report yet? It's due Friday." Sandy: "I can't get going. I've got workload paralysis."
by ZimmyJay84 December 5, 2021