ADHD at work

Break a big project into small steps

Quick answer: Give the AI the goal and the deadline, and ask for a milestone plan with steps under 30 minutes each. Then put only this week's steps in your to-do app.

The problem

Big projects have no obvious starting point, so they sit untouched until the deadline panic hits.

Copy, paste, go

Project: [GOAL]. Deadline: [DATE]. Make a plan with 3-5 milestones. Under each, list steps that take under 30 minutes. Mark which steps I can do this week.

What steps do people usually forget for a project like [GOAL]? List them as short checkboxes.

Works in ChatGPT, Claude or any AI assistant. Swap the [BRACKETS] for your stuff and go.

Tools worth a look

• Goblin Tools
  Free tools built for neurodivergent people: Magic ToDo breaks tasks into steps, Formalizer rewrites tone.
• Motion (affiliate link planned)
  AI calendar that schedules your tasks into your day.
• Todoist (affiliate link planned)
  Simple to-do app with natural-language dates.

Little things that help

• Only this week's steps go in your to-do list.
• Put the first step on your calendar, not just your list.
• Re-run the prompt when the plan stops matching reality.

Related fixes

• Stay on top of meetings and action items
• Focus on deep work with distractions around
• Structure a remote work day
• Write an email you've been dreading

FAQ

How do I use AI to break down a big project with ADHD?

Give the AI the goal and the deadline, and ask for a milestone plan with steps under 30 minutes each. Then put only this week's steps in your to-do app.