Sometimes the task is too large and scary, so you freeze and just get more anxious the more time passes. A to-do list helps, but only to an extent, you’re looking at the text lines and they’re neither helping nor motivating you.

If you’re in this situation, then I suggest my very simple way of visually breaking down the task. And it has a built-in freeze-preventing tool!

Here’re my app and template:

Web appRecommended

Break it down

App designed to cope with complex tasks.

Open full screen

Prefer to work in FigJam? The same planner is also a template:

How does it work?

  • You create a flowchart that shows the clear sequence of steps
  • Start by defining the problem and the desired result (acceptance criteria)
  • Apart from those, there are just two types of blocks (actions) — “I’m not sure what to do” (Think or research the subject) and “Do this” (Bite-sized actions). See? I told you it’s freeze-proof.
  • Then write down, step by step, what is required to complete this task, and if you feel the freeze coming, use the thinking/researching block. It might be as easy as “I’ll think or research this for 15 min”.
  • If you feel like your bite-sized action is actually an entire complex task in itself, no worries, just create new start and result blocks within this task. Treat it as a problem within a problem.

Don’t be intimidated by it. It’s your playground: create, remove, rearrange, mark as done, be proud of your accomplishments. You can do it.