Shrink a task to its first action
Make the first step concrete enough to do without planning it all again.
Not ratedADHD evidence
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Name a task you've been putting off and the first physical thing it needs.
5 minutes
Do that first action and identify what comes next.
15 minutes
Break one job into a few actions and complete the first manageable part.
30 minutes
Work through a short sequence, pausing to make each next step concrete.
A plan
Make one stuck task approachable
- Replace the vague task with a visible action.
- Try that action and resize it if necessary.
- Reuse the approach on the next task that stalls.
How sure the science is
Not rated, ADHD evidence
No pooled trials to rate. This rests on single studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Measured in people with ADHD.
ADHD clinical guidance and programme content; the isolated strategy has no separately rated efficacy estimate.
The number, drawn
Break complex tasks into smaller parts
Why it matters
Breaking a job down means fewer decisions before you can start. ADHD CBT teaches it and NHS practical guidance recommends it. Trials test whole programmes, so nobody can put a defensible percentage on one small step.
How to do it
- Pick a task you keep putting off.
- Swap its broad label for an action you can picture doing, like 'open the form'.
- Do that, then pick the next small step.
- With a child, name the next action together and offer to help them get going.
Putting it into practice
In real life
- Change 'sort insurance' to 'find the renewal email'.
- Change 'write essay' to 'open the document and add a working title'.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeA step can still be too big. If you can't see how to begin, shrink it again.
- Common mistakePlanning every step can turn into its own task. Start with the next useful one.
Trusted guides
How we rated it
- Evidence grade
- C Small or mixed studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Worth knowing, not worth betting on.
- The number
- Break complex tasks into smaller parts (Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, 2025)
- Benefit
- 44/100 The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.
- Effort
- Quick win
Sources
- Tier 1 guidelineDe-procrastinationOxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, 2025
- Tier 2 studyDescription and Demonstration of CBT for ADHD in AdultsCognitive and Behavioral Practice, 2010
- Tier 1 guidelineTreatment of ADHDCDC, 2026
General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.