eEase Forward
Free Ease Forward resource

A task-freeze planner for anxiety and ADHD-style overwhelm.

This planner is for the task you keep circling. It does not try to fix your whole system. It lowers the start line until the first action is small enough to do.

Gentle process

How to use it

Keep the page small. Write short answers. If a prompt feels too much, skip it and choose the next smallest step.

  1. Write the task without judging yourself.
  2. Make it smaller until it can be started in 15 minutes.
  3. Choose a setup step, not the whole task.
  4. Stop after the first interval and record what changed.
Printable page

Copy, print, or save as PDF

Use your browser print command to save this worksheet as a PDF. The print stylesheet removes the navigation and keeps the worksheet clean.

A task-freeze planner for anxiety and ADHD-style overwhelm

The task I keep avoiding
The smallest visible version of this task
The first 15-minute action
What I will do after the timer ends

Closing sentence: I do not have to solve everything before I take one smaller next step.

Prompt bank

More prompts

FAQ

Quick answers

Is this an ADHD treatment tool?

No. This is a planning worksheet. If ADHD symptoms interfere with daily life, a licensed clinician can help assess support options.

Why 15 minutes?

Fifteen minutes is long enough to create movement and short enough to feel less threatening.

What if I still cannot start?

Shrink the task again. The first action may be opening the file, clearing a surface, or writing one sentence.

Safety and sources

Ease Forward resources are self-reflection tools, not therapy, counseling, diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. If you are in immediate danger or crisis in the United States, call or text 988.

Useful references: NIMH anxiety disorders | NIMH caring for your mental health | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.