When making it smaller still doesn’t help.

You made the task smaller. You cleared a space. You still have not begun. That does not tell you that you are lazy or that you need an even stricter rule. It tells you this suggestion has not resolved what is in the way.

Name what the task depends on.

Ask what you would need in order to take the next step. Is the instruction unclear? Are you waiting for access to a file? Does another commitment use the time you planned to give it? Do you need someone to show you how?

Imagine trying to write an update when you do not know which result matters to the reader. “Write one sentence” might leave you just as stuck. Asking “What decision should this update help you make?” could be a more useful beginning.

Choose a different kind of response.

You could ask one question, request a resource, discuss an expectation, or reconsider the task. If you know what to do but do not have room for it today, acknowledge that instead of rewriting the same promise.

There may not be a quick solution. Some barriers need another person or a change in circumstances. You can recognize a real obstacle without making it a judgment about your character. The next step can be getting help with the conditions around the work.