How to break a big task into steps
- Say what “done” looks like in one sentence. “Passport renewed and in the drawer” is done. “Deal with the passport” isn’t.
- List the steps as things you could do in one sitting, each starting with a verb: find, call, fill in, book.
- Make the first step tiny: under ten minutes, using only what you have. Finding your old passport counts.
- Put a time on each step. If one runs over an hour, break it down again.
- Do the first step now. You don’t need the whole plan settled to start.
Find a starting point for your task
Pick the example closest to your task, then edit the steps to fit. For a leaking faucet, start by photographing it from two angles. For a dissertation, take it one chapter at a time.
These are 16 ready-made plans with 112 steps and 182 sub-steps, not a custom plan. There aren’t plans for cooking or weddings.
If nothing matches, describe what “finished” looks like and list what you need. Then start with the first thing that’s missing.
Paperwork and admin
- Renew a passport or other ID: try “Renew my passport”.
- Tax return or official form: try “File my tax return”.
- Call, email, cancel or dispute something: try “Get a refund for the broken headphones”.
- Health appointment: try “Book a dentist appointment”.
- Sort out money: try “Sort out my budget”.
Home and plans
- Move home: try “Move to a new apartment”.
- Home repair or DIY: try “Fix the leaking kitchen faucet”.
- Clear out or organize a space: try “Clear out the garage”.
- Plan a trip: try “Plan our trip to Lisbon”.
- Plan a party or event: try “Plan a 40th birthday party”.
Writing and study
- Write an essay or article: try “Write a blog post about our launch”.
- Dissertation or thesis: try “Write my dissertation”.
- Study for an exam or course: try “Study for my statistics exam”.
- Prepare a presentation or talk: try “Prepare the quarterly review presentation”.
Work
- Job search or application: try “Apply for the product manager job”.
- Build or launch a project: try “Launch my portfolio website”.
Choose how long you can work
The minutes are rough guesses: four hours for a literature review may be far too short. Adjust them, then check how many sittings you’ll need.
If starting is the hard part, use 5-minute blocks. It’s a to-do list technique from England’s NHS: plan on just five minutes, then decide whether to keep going.
Press Break this down on a step until the first sub-step is something you can do right now. For the passport, that’s “photograph the photo page so you have the number handy.” One minute, and you’ve started.
Use 5-minute blocks for anything you’ve avoided for a month. Save 60-minute blocks for a job you’ve already started.
The list lives in this tab and nowhere else. Download it before you close the page, or your checkmarks go with it.
It won’t reorder the steps for you. That’s deliberate: the order is most of the advice.
Questions about task breakdowns
How small should a step be?
Small enough to start without deciding anything first. If you’d stare at a step wondering where to begin, split it again. Most steps here take 5 to 30 minutes.
Does a task breakdown help with ADHD?
Many people with ADHD use one, because starting is often the hardest part. This tool keeps steps short, lets you split any step again and check off each one as you go.
What if I’m stuck on the first step?
Make it smaller. “Write the cover letter” becomes “open a blank document and type the company’s name”. Or start with a different step: getting going matters more than the order.
How is this different from Goblin Tools?
Goblin Tools writes steps for whatever you type. This tool starts from ready-made plans you edit, then packs the steps into timed work blocks. If you want someone to check in on your progress, Wren, the Personal Assistant Nym, does that every week.
Is it free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no account, and you can download your plan as text.
