Let's get productive in the new year

A ChatGPT prompt that will transform how you plan your week

Many of you might relate to the experience of turning on your machine after the new year, only to stare at it and wonder: What am I supposed to do?

Between sending the kids back to school, having them sent back home due to wildfires, and managing a new annual plan to execute, my brain is fried.

Here’s how I solved it. Considering this post was my most popular of all time, I think you will like the prompt below.

Pull up ChatGPT and write:

This week i need to: Complete _____, x hours estimate, review _____, x hours estimated, complete ____, x hours estimated. I’m only free between 1-3 pm for the rest of the week and from 7-2 on Friday because i have meetings. Can you put milestones and a schedule together for me? And please put the schedule together in a list as well as a table that I can copy and paste into a gDoc.

Example prompt:

This week, I need to write a case study (3 hours), review a sales pipeline and re-engage contacts (2 hours), and write and schedule webinar emails (3 hours). I am only free between 1–3 PM for the rest of the week and all day Friday because I have meetings. Can you create milestones and a schedule for me? And please put the schedule together in a list as well as a table that I can copy and paste into a gDoc.

Without edits, this is what chatGPT spit out:

Here’s a realistic schedule and set of milestones to help you accomplish your tasks within your limited availability:

Overview of Tasks and Time Estimates

• Write a Case Study: 3 hours.

• Review Sales Pipeline and Re-engage Contacts: 2 hours.

• Write and Schedule Webinar Emails: 3 hours.

• Total Time Required: 8 hours.

Available Time

• Wednesday–Thursday: 2 hours/day (1–3 PM).

• Friday: Unlimited availability.

Milestones

Task 1: Write a Case Study

• Milestone 1: Outline the case study structure.

• Milestone 2: Draft the main sections (problem, solution, results).

• Milestone 3: Edit and finalize for submission.

Task 2: Review Sales Pipeline and Re-engage Contacts

• Milestone 1: Review the current pipeline and identify priority contacts.

• Milestone 2: Draft re-engagement messages.

• Milestone 3: Send messages and log follow-ups.

Task 3: Write and Schedule Webinar Emails

• Milestone 1: Plan the email sequence (topics, dates, and CTA).

• Milestone 2: Draft all emails.

• Milestone 3: Schedule emails in your email marketing platform.

Schedule

Wednesday (1–3 PM)

• 1:00–1:30 PM: Write the outline for the case study (Task 1, Milestone 1).

• 1:30–2:00 PM: Draft the “problem” and “solution” sections (Task 1, Milestone 2).

• 2:00–3:00 PM: Review the sales pipeline and identify priority contacts (Task 2, Milestone 1).

Thursday (1–3 PM)

• 1:00–1:30 PM: Draft the “results” section of the case study (Task 1, Milestone 2).

• 1:30–2:00 PM: Edit and finalize the case study (Task 1, Milestone 3).

• 2:00–3:00 PM: Draft re-engagement messages (Task 2, Milestone 2).

Friday (Flexible)

• 9:00–10:00 AM: Send re-engagement messages and log follow-ups (Task 2, Milestone 3).

• 10:00–11:00 AM: Plan the email sequence for the webinar (Task 3, Milestone 1).

• 11:00 AM–12:30 PM: Draft webinar emails (Task 3, Milestone 2).

• 12:30–1:00 PM: Take a break.

• 1:00–2:00 PM: Schedule webinar emails (Task 3, Milestone 3).

This schedule ensures you meet all deadlines without overloading any single day. Let me know if you need adjustments!

Here’s the table in a Google Docs-friendly format. You can copy and paste this directly into a Google Doc, and it will maintain a clean table format.

GPT provides a good starting point. Here’s the table, though I must admit I’ve never had much luck pasting it directly into Google Docs. I still like it anyway.

I love this prompt because it sets goals for me and gets the wheels turning when I’m stuck in analysis paralysis. More importantly, if you can’t fill it out — you probably do not know what your goals are. And without clarity, you will never get out of a mental rut.

What do you think? Do you like these prompts?

Happy 2025, folks.

---