6 ChatGPT Prompts to Enhance your Productivity at Work

Time is one of our most valuable yet limited resources in the current professional landscape. Finding solutions to increase personal productivity amid a continuous influx of tasks and to-dos has become a priority. AI tools, particularly ChatGPT, have recently gained an important position in many organizations as invaluable assets in achieving this. This post lists six situations where ChatGPT can help you enhance your productivity in various work-related scenarios. All it takes is crafting accurate and effective prompts that guide ChatGPT toward generating the right response to address your needs.

Note: Prompt responses in the six examples below have been generated using ChatGPT free online version 3.5.

1. A Great Start to the Day: Planning and Prioritization

Starting the day with a ton of to-dos and unsure where to start? Initiating the day by asking ChatGPT for help organizing and prioritizing your daily schedule can help sort it out in no time. Here’s an example prompt and generated response that illustrated this:

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, help me create a to-do list for today based on the following tasks: finish the quarterly report, respond to client emails, prepare for the team meeting, and review project proposals. The quarterly report is due by end of day, the team meeting is at 2 PM, and I have about 15 client emails waiting since yesterday. The project proposals are for next week’s strategy session.”

 
Response:

“Sure! Here’s a prioritized to-do list for today:

Finish the quarterly report (High priority, due by end of day)
Deadline: Today
Reason: This is time-sensitive and requires immediate attention to ensure it is submitted on time.

Prepare for the team meeting (High priority, meeting at 2 PM)
Deadline: 2 PM today
Reason: Preparing for the meeting is crucial as it directly impacts your performance and contribution during the session.

Respond to client emails (Medium priority, ensure all queries are addressed)
Deadline: End of day, but started after higher-priority tasks
Reason: Responding to client emails is important for maintaining good client relationships, but it can be scheduled around more urgent tasks.

Review project proposals (Low priority, can be done in the afternoon if time permits)
Deadline: Next week’s strategy session
Reason: While important, these proposals are not urgent and can be reviewed once the more pressing tasks are completed.”

2. Effective E-mail Management and Response Crafting

The following example prompt shows how you can efficiently handle unread emails overload (especially on your first day back to work after a well-deserved vacation!), by getting a helping hand in crafting a response, particularly for challenging cases which might otherwise require careful thinking before typing:

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, how should I respond to a client who is inquiring about the status of their order and seems quite upset about the delay?”

 
Response:

“Dear [Client’s Name],

I sincerely apologize for the delay in processing your order. I understand how frustrating this must be for you. Your order is currently being expedited and we expect it to be shipped out by [specific date]. We appreciate your patience and understanding. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,
[Your Name]“

3 – Nailing Executive Presentations at Meetings: Summarizing Key Points and Action Items

 
You’ve been asked by your line manager to create two slides summarizing the key points and action items after an executive meeting where the whole conversation transcript has been recorded. Then why not ask ChatGPT for help to elevate your presentation skills and leave a lasting impression?

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, summarize the key points and action items from our last executive meeting.”

Attachment:
[Meeting_Minutes_2024_06_23.docx]

Note: As illustrated above, the prompt in this scenario would typically be supplied together with detailed information about the meeting, for instance, meeting minutes or a recording transcript, both of which could be attached as a text file, or pasted as part of the prompt is the text is not overly long.

 
Response:

“Key Points from Last Executive Meeting:

• Reviewed Q2 financial performance: exceeded targets by 10%
• Discussed new marketing strategies for product launch
• Evaluated progress on the ongoing merger negotiations

Action Items:

• Finance team to prepare a detailed report on Q2 performance by Friday.
• Marketing team to develop and present a new campaign strategy by next Monday.
• Legal team to finalize merger agreement terms and schedule a follow-up meeting next week.”

4. Getting a Better Understanding of Complex Information

Imagine you must talk about a highly technical concept or technology to a non-technical department in your organization to get approval for submitting a financial support application. A simple prompt like this could be incredibly effective in breaking down complex concepts into digestible insights for every type of audience.

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, can you explain the concept of blockchain in simple terms?”

 
Response:

“Certainly! Blockchain is a digital ledger that records transactions across many computers in a way that ensures the data cannot be altered retroactively. It’s like a chain of blocks where each block contains a list of transactions. This technology is secure and transparent, making it ideal for uses like cryptocurrency transactions and supply chain management.”

5. Turning Brainstorming Ideas into Creatively Generated Content

Team brainstorming sessions are popular and engaging ways to foster new ideas and initiatives. After collecting all ideas provided by your team, use this prompt to transform your scattered “post-it notes” into cohesive content that puts them all together.

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, here’s a list of brainstorming ideas for a blog post about the benefits of remote work. Can you help me turn these into a well-organized and engaging blog post?

• Flexibility in work schedule
• No commuting
• Better work-life balance
• Higher productivity
• Cost savings for both employers and employees
• Access to a global talent pool
• Reduced environmental impact
• Increased job satisfaction”

 
Response:

“Title: The Benefits of Remote Work: Why More Companies Are Embracing It

Introduction:
Remote work has become increasingly popular, offering numerous advantages to both employees and employers. This shift is transforming the traditional workplace and bringing about significant benefits.

Main Points:

1 –Flexibility in Work Schedule:
One of the most attractive benefits of remote work is the flexibility it offers. Employees can create a work schedule that fits their personal lives, leading to greater autonomy and control over their daily routines.

(…)

8 – Increased Job Satisfaction:
The flexibility and autonomy associated with remote work contribute to higher job satisfaction and employee morale, leading to lower turnover rates and a more committed workforce.

Conclusion:
The benefits of remote work are clear, and as more companies adopt this model, the future of work looks more flexible and efficient. Embracing remote work can lead to a happier, more productive, and environmentally conscious workforce.”

Note: part of the above response has been omitted for the sake of brevity in this post. In the full response, all eight brainstormed points supporting remote work would be similarly elaborated.

6. Polishing your writing

Last, ChatGPT can be a useful tool to refine your writing with precision, improving its clarity, and engagement level, or by simply asking for a grammar and vocabulary check.

 
Prompt:

“ChatGPT, can you help me edit and polish this paragraph for clarity and conciseness?
‘In today’s fast-paced business environment, having the ability to make quick, informed decisions is crucial. The implementation of AI tools can greatly enhance this ability by providing real-time data analysis and insights that can be acted upon immediately.'”

 
Response:

““In today’s fast-paced business environment, the ability to make quick, informed decisions is crucial. Implementing AI tools enhances this ability by providing real-time data analysis and actionable insights.”

Iván Palomares Carrascosa is a leader, writer, speaker, and adviser in AI, machine learning, deep learning & LLMs. He trains and guides others in harnessing AI in the real world.