“Redo my portfolio” points you in a direction. “Pick three projects to showcase” gives you a starting point. Connecting the two lets you keep the big picture while knowing what to do today.
1. Define what “done” means
A clear outcome is a reference point for choosing tasks. “Improve my portfolio” leaves a lot of options open. “Publish a page introducing myself, with three projects and a way to contact me” spells out what you want to achieve.
You can list what’s essential and what can wait. A contact page may be needed in the very first version, while an animation or a fourth example can come later.
This choice also helps you spot new ideas that expand the project. When one comes up, compare it with the original outcome before adding it to the tasks for now.
2. Identify the main stages
For the portfolio, you might settle on:
- Choose the projects and the content.
- Prepare the text and images.
- Put the pages together.
- Proofread, check and publish.
At this point, you’re drawing a map of the work. A stage like “Prepare the text” is still too broad to tell you exactly what to write in your next work block. The next level of breakdown is what makes it actionable.
3. Write tasks with an observable result
Use a verb, an object and just enough context. Add a finish condition if it makes the decision easier.
| Vague wording | More specific task |
|---|---|
| Portfolio | Pick the three projects to showcase. |
| Text | Write five lines introducing the Atelier project. |
| Images | Choose a cover image for each project. |
| Feedback | Send the first version to Léa for review. |
| Finalize | Check the links and send a message through the contact form. |
Contextual details can live in the notes. A task title doesn’t need to hold the entire brief.
4. Spot what depends on another step
Some actions can start right away; others are waiting on information. You can write your personal introduction while you wait for permission to show a client project.
For each blocker, ask whether there’s an action that unblocks it: sending a request, tracking down a document or making a decision. Then note what you’re waiting for and when it would make sense to check in.
If the project has a deadline, place these waiting periods in a backward schedule. The time it takes to get feedback is part of the planning.
5. Choose a task that fits your next work block
The right size for a task depends on the time available and the work involved. “Write the three case studies” may be too ambitious for your next work block. “Write the background of the first project” is a more contained start.
On the other hand, turning every click into a task would clutter your list. Keep the steps that match a decision, a deliverable or a useful point to pick things up again.
If a task is still hard to start, check three things: do you know what you’re trying to produce, do you have the information you need, and does the scope fit the time you’ve set aside?
The template to copy for your next project
Expected outcome: what needs to exist at the end.
Essential in this version: what to deliver now.
Main stages: the phases that lead to this outcome.
Next action: a specific task I can start.
Information or reply I’m waiting for: what could block the next steps.
Restart point: what I need to find at my next session.
Keeping tasks connected to the project in Keepio
Create the project in Keepio, add its tasks and keep useful information in its notes. Priorities and deadlines show what needs your attention; progress shows which tasks are done and which remain.
Then choose an amount of work that fits your day. The guide to building a realistic to-do list helps you make that choice without pulling the whole project into today’s list.
After a session, update the project with what you’ve learned. You can make a task more specific, add a step you discovered or remove an action that’s no longer needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do you break a project down into tasks?
First describe the expected outcome, meaning what needs to exist at the end. Then identify the main stages and write the concrete actions needed to complete the first one. Each task starts with a verb and should make sense without having to think the whole project through again.
How do you write a good task?
Use a verb, an object and just enough context, with a finish condition if it helps you decide. “Pick the three projects to showcase” is more useful than “Portfolio”. The details of the brief can stay in the project notes rather than in the task title.
How big should a task be?
A useful task fits into your next work block and matches a decision, a deliverable or a point where you can pick things up again. “Write the background of the first project” is easier to start than “Write the three case studies”. On the other hand, turning every click into a task clutters your list.
What should you do when a task depends on another one?
Look for an action that unblocks it: sending a request, tracking down a document or making a decision. Note what you’re waiting for and when to check in, then move ahead on a part that can start right away. If the project has a deadline, include these waiting periods in your backward schedule.
Try this today: take a project whose title is still vague. Describe the expected outcome, write three concrete actions and choose the one you’ll start with.
