The task breakdown planner

Why "just start" doesn't work

A task that keeps stalling isn't a motivation problem. It's missing a first step.

Planning a task in your head, before you write anything down, is the step that gets skipped.

If a task keeps stalling, the fix is a smaller first step. Not more willpower.

How the planner works

No typing. Pick the task closest to what's stuck: a report, a presentation, an inbox, a performance review, a project, or proofreading.

Click it, and the breakdown appears right away. Five or six steps, in order.

Don't see your task? There's a box underneath for suggesting one by email.

One click gets you a short list you can start on today. No typing required.

What a good breakdown actually looks like

Take "write a report." Step one isn't "write the report." That's the whole task in disguise.

Step one is smaller: skim the brief once. Write down the headings only.

Step two turns each heading into one sentence. Only then does drafting start.

A real first step takes five minutes. If it doesn't, it's still the whole task in disguise.

When to use a different tool instead

Not every stuck task is a sequencing problem. Deciding whether to disclose your dyslexia is a decision, not a checklist.

So is asking for adjustments. A generic list of steps can't make either call for you.

For those, use the disclosure decision guide or the adjustments email builder instead.

If what's stuck is a decision rather than a sequence, a different tool will serve you better than a checklist.

What this means for you

Click whichever of the six is stuck right now. Not a hypothetical one. The real one.

If breakdowns like this help often, that's worth noticing. The masking cost calculator can show what the extra planning time costs you over a year.

Use it on the task you're avoiding right now. That's the one costing you time today.