People who constantly live on autopilot will feel stuck and develop an unconscious decision-making a system to help guide them through their daily tasks. Here are the reasons and the coping methods.
Being on autopilot is the same as being stuck in life and simply existing not living. In general, when you live on autopilot, you are distracted or partially aware of what happens around you, thus making many decisions without self-awareness or recognition. It entails working through your daily routine without thinking about your actions, being constantly busy and distracted, and sensing that time flies but not remembering what you did throughout the day.
When on autopilot, your brain leans more towards the more relaxed thinking mode, also known as System, which is the automatic, fast, and unconscious decision-making system. The road to recovering from living on autopilot starts by being aware of when you slip into that system.
Why do we live on autopilot, and how to cope?
Reasons why we live in autopilot
- Feeling overwhelmed and burned out
You might face complex challenges that leave you feeling overwhelmed and tired, as a result, you feel stuck and unable to move forward. This is likely due to losing your sense of direction every time you hit a roadblock. Lack of rest for someone with a busy lifestyle will also cause them to be stuck and live on autopilot.
- Limiting yourself
You could be unconsciously limiting or sabotaging yourself as a result of being unhappy in a situation, whether it be in a relationship or your career. When you find yourself stuck you begin to doubt the decisions you’ve made so far; this will put you on autopilot in an attempt to move forward. Not having clear goals to work towards can also make you feel stuck.
- Failure to accept change
You might be unconsciously resisting any transitions or changes coming your way. By doing so, you ultimately end up feeling mentally stuck and will have a hard time moving forward. In addition, someone struggling with mental conditions, such as depression or anxiety, will want to resist change, fearing any discomfort that may stem from it.
- Perfectionism
As you spend your time on every little thing, you lose the energy to deal with more important matters. By seeking perfection, you are constantly holding yourself back from what you desire in life. When you focus on the insignificant things, you will no longer pay attention to the big picture, and you may end up stuck in life for a long time.
Once you find the reason why you feel stuck or why you are constantly on autopilot, you will have completed the first step towards breaking free from your unconscious thinking mode. The next step is to find a coping method that works for you in order to let go of your autopilot mode completely.
Four methods to cope with living on autopilot
- Take charge of your life
Sometimes you blame people around you or events that occur for why you’re feeling stuck, however, shifting blame will not benefit you. Instead, practice taking responsibility and acting appropriately to mend what went wrong. In addition, practice self-love; be your own friend instead of self-sabotaging. By doing so, you will slowly gain back your energy and motivation to move forward.
- Find a purpose
Since a routine requires repetition, your daily routines will activate your autopilot, and you will unconsciously get through them. Think about what it is you want to achieve in your life and work towards it. While doing so, remember that sometimes your actions will not yield the desired expectations, and that’s okay. As long as you find meaning in your life and work towards it, in the end, you will reach your desired expectations.
- Challenge yourself
When you live on autopilot, you grow used to your daily life, and you stop seeking something new or going out of your comfort zone. In order to grow and move forward, test your limits; see how far you can go and how much you can learn from it. By bringing new experiences into your life, you will slowly start to accept changes and let go of your autopilot.
- Reflect on yourself and your actions
Every once in a while, take a break from what you’re doing to think about what you’ve done so far, and what you plan on doing later. Stay connected to yourself and your purpose, so you keep overcoming your roadblocks. Develop a mindset that will accept changes and mistakes you make as a part of learning. Take those challenges and turn them into opportunities to keep living, not existing.
You deserve to live life to the fullest, without distractions and automations. I believe that you can restore your energy and take control of yourself; you can do this!
