Task Breakdown
Turn one heavy, vague task into a small first step you can actually begin.
How do I break a big task into steps with ADHD?
Breaking a task down means turning one big, vague job into an ordered list of small, concrete actions — and for ADHD it is often the difference between starting and stalling. A task like "do my taxes" is not one action; it is a fog, and the brain cannot grip fog. Naming the actual first step ("find last year’s return") gives it a handle. This tool does that for you: type the task and get an ordered set of steps with rough time estimates, then switch to a one-step-at-a-time view so only the next action is in front of you and the rest stops shouting. When the AI assist is on it drafts the steps; when it is not, or if you would rather, you add and edit them by hand — the tool stays fully usable either way. Nothing you type is stored on a server.
How to break a task down
- 1
Write the task as you think of it
One line, plain language — "clean the kitchen", "write the email I am dreading". Don’t pre-organise it.
- 2
Get the steps
Generate an ordered list with rough estimates, or add steps by hand. Aim for first steps small enough to feel almost too easy.
- 3
Switch to one-step view
Show only the next action so the rest of the list cannot overwhelm you. Tick it, reveal the next.
- 4
Start a block on step one
Send the first step into the Focus Timer and run a short block. Momentum does the rest.
In ADHD OS, breakdown is unlimited and personal
- Unlimited breakdowns, personalised to how you actually work and how long things really take you.
- Replanning on the fly when a step turns out bigger than it looked.
- Start a focus session on any step in one tap, with the whole plan remembered for you.
This free tool keeps working, forever. The product just adds more.
Questions people ask
How do I break a big task into steps with ADHD?
Name the single first physical action — not the whole task — small enough to feel almost too easy, then only look at that one step. Repeat. This tool generates the ordered steps for you, or lets you add them by hand.
Is the AI breakdown required?
No. If the AI assist is off or you hit the daily limit, you can add and edit steps by hand and the tool works exactly the same. The AI just gives you a first draft.
Is my task text stored anywhere?
No. When the AI assist runs, your task text is sent transiently to generate steps and is never stored. Everything else stays in your browser.
Why only one step at a time?
Seeing the whole list can trigger overwhelm and avoidance. Showing only the next action keeps the load small enough to act on.
Related tools
Get all of these, connected.
Every free tool does one job completely. The full product links them so they learn your patterns and hand off to each other.