Shrink a task to its first action
Not ratedADHD evidence
Make the first step clear enough to do without planning everything again.
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 An editorial priority for the general list, weighted by certainty. It does not predict 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.