What you’ll learn
The problem: A long list of tasks can make it hard to know where to start or whether everything will fit.
How AI can help: AI can organize tasks into a draft plan and show what may need to move. You decide your priorities and make any calendar changes yourself.
In this lesson: You’ll plan a short block of time and adjust it when a task takes longer.
What you’ll need: A phone, tablet, or computer with internet access and an AI chat. We’ll use ChatGPT as an example.
Before you start: Use the made-up example below. Don’t share passwords, account numbers, or sensitive personal or work information.
1. Open an AI chat
Open ChatGPT (opens in a new tab) or another AI chat you already use. If you’re new to AI chat, start with your first conversation with AI. If asked to sign in or create an account, follow the instructions. A free option is available; access and limits can vary.
2. Try the example
Copy or type this complete example into the message box, then send it. These are fictional tasks; there is no need to connect a calendar.
Your first message:
Help me plan one 90-minute block. I need 30 minutes to draft a note, 20 minutes to make a call, and 25 minutes for paperwork. Leave 15 minutes free for interruptions. Do not overlap tasks, shorten them, or create calendar events. Show the total and any time left.
Need help copying and pasting?
On a computer: Select the message above. Copy with Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on a Mac. Switch to the AI chat tab, click the message box, and paste with Ctrl+V or Command+V.
On a phone or tablet: Touch and hold the message, adjust the selection handles if needed, and choose Copy. Switch to the AI chat tab, touch and hold the message box, and choose Paste.
If the button doesn’t work, use these steps or type the message yourself. Remember to send it.
3. Ask for a change
In the same chat, send the message below. A second request in the same conversation is called a follow-up.
Your follow-up message:
The paperwork now needs 40 minutes. Keep every task’s stated duration, the 90-minute limit, and at least 15 minutes free. Suggest one task I could move to another time. Do not overlap tasks.
What a helpful answer might look like
This is an example we wrote for the lesson, not a recorded AI response. Your answer may use different words or ideas.
- Move the 20-minute call to another time.
- Keep 30 minutes for the note and 40 minutes for paperwork.
- Leave 15 minutes free. That uses 85 of the 90 minutes, leaving 5 more minutes unplanned.
The call is only a suggestion: you decide whether moving it is practical. The example does not change your calendar.
4. Check the answer
Look at the reply you received and ask yourself:
- Did AI keep the task times you gave it?
- Is at least 15 minutes free, with no overlapping tasks?
- Did it clearly say what would need to move?
The original tasks total 75 minutes; with the 15-minute buffer, they fill 90 minutes. With 40 minutes of paperwork, the original plan needs 105 minutes. Moving the 20-minute call reduces it to 85 minutes.
Try it with your own idea
Try a small part of your own week. Give AI a few non-sensitive tasks, their estimated times, and the time you have available. Ask it to leave a buffer and flag anything that doesn’t fit. Review the plan yourself before relying on it.
What if I get stuck?
The plan is too full. Ask, “What could I move or leave out?” Keep the decision yours.
AI changed my time estimates. Restate them and ask for a total. Check the arithmetic yourself.
You’ve finished when: You’ve tried the example, asked for a change, and checked whether the answer fits the facts you supplied.
Try the next lesson: Plan meals and a grocery list →
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