What you’ll learn
- What task breakdown does – one stuck task in, five tiny steps out, in under three seconds.
- Why ADHD brains need it – task initiation deficit is neurological, not character.
- How FOCO’s breakdown is different – calibrated for ADHD-sized first steps, with time estimates.
- When to use it – any time the task in front of you feels too big to start.
- Where it fits – works alongside voice capture, focus mode, and the mascot companion.
How task breakdown works
Type the stuck task
“Write the report.” “Reply to all emails.” One sentence is enough.
Get 5 tiny steps
Each with a time estimate. The first step is always under 5 minutes.
Start step one
Focus mode runs the timer. Mascot stays present. You begin.
What the task breakdown feature does
You sit in front of something you know you need to do. The shape of it is too big, too unclear, too overwhelming. You cannot start.
You open FOCO. You type or speak the stuck task – “write the quarterly report,” “respond to all the unanswered emails,” “clean the kitchen.” Three seconds later, FOCO returns five steps:
- Open the report doc and write a one-sentence headline (2 min)
- List the three things you want the reader to understand (5 min)
- Write the first bullet under heading one (8 min)
- Add two supporting sentences (10 min)
- Take a break, then start step five (5 min break)
Each step is small enough that starting it does not require the activation energy that the original task required. You don’t have to “write the report.” You have to “open the doc and write one sentence.” That’s something an ADHD brain can do.
Why ADHD brains need task breakdown
Task initiation deficit is neurological
Documented in Russell Barkley’s executive function model. Brain regions that convert “I want to” into “I am” have less consistent activation in ADHD. Not laziness – structural.
First-step size matters more than task size
A 4-hour task with a 30-second first step is easier to start than a 30-min task with a 5-min first step. ADHD brains are exquisitely sensitive to first-step friction.
Decomposition is itself a task
Breaking down a task requires the executive function the breakdown is trying to compensate for. Recursive problem. Let the app pay that cost so you don’t have to.
How FOCO’s task breakdown is calibrated for ADHD
Five steps, not twelve
Most task-breakdown tools return long checklists. ADHD working memory cannot hold a twelve-step list. FOCO defaults to five – the maximum number most ADHD adults can hold in mind at once without re-reading.
Each step has a time estimate
The estimate is calibrated for how long the step takes in practice, not in theory. Read the full time estimates feature →
The first step is always under five minutes
The opening step in any FOCO breakdown is sized to be doable in a single focus attempt – usually two to five minutes. This is by design. The hardest part is starting. We make the start as small as possible.
You can re-break any step
If a step still feels too big, tap to break it down further. FOCO will return three or four sub-steps. There’s no limit to how granular you can go.
Who task breakdown is for
Adults who freeze in front of tasks they care about. The defining ADHD struggle. If you have ever sat in front of work you knew was important and could not start, this is the feature.
It also serves: founders working alone with no manager to break tasks down for them, parents trying to start the bedtime routine, students staring at an essay outline they cannot write, professionals at the start of any work session.
How it pairs with other FOCO features
Once you have the five steps, you pick step one. Focus mode starts a timer calibrated for that step’s estimate. The mascot stays present while you do it. When the timer ends, FOCO surfaces step two.
The breakdown is the entry point. The rest of the FOCO loop catches you from there.
FOCO is live on Google Play
The Android app is out now. Download FOCO free on Google Play → iOS is coming next.
FAQ
Does the task breakdown use AI?
Yes. FOCO uses AI to generate the breakdown, calibrated with prompts that produce ADHD-appropriate first-step sizing. The AI processes your task description, returns the five steps, and stops. Your data is not used to train public AI models.
What if FOCO’s breakdown isn’t what I expected?
Tap to regenerate. The app produces a new five-step breakdown with a fresh angle on the task. Most users find the second or third try lands closer to what they needed.
Can I save breakdowns for tasks I do repeatedly?
Yes – templates. Save any breakdown as a template and reuse it for similar tasks. Useful for routines (morning startup, weekly planning, recurring projects).
Is this available in the free version?
The website tools do not include task breakdown – only the mobile app. The free tools cover focus timers, brain dump, and body doubling. See free tools →
How is this different from Goblin Tools’ Magic ToDo?
Goblin Tools is a free web tool – text in, list out. FOCO’s breakdown is integrated into the workflow: paired with time estimates, focus mode, and the mascot. Goblin Tools is the lighter free option; FOCO is the integrated paid version. Full comparison in our ADHD app guide →