Sort your to-do list
Rank your tasks against one goal: do, drop, automate or hand off.
Open prompt: Sort your to-do listEst. time saved: 2+ hours
Your know-how and processes
Think through a tricky problem
Break a problem down and question the assumptions.
- Best for
- Owners
- Est. time saved
- 1–2 hours
- Works with
- ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini
When to use it
- You're stuck on a problem and keep going round in circles.
- You want fresh options, not the usual answer.
When not to
- For legal, tax or medical questions. Ask a professional.
What to have ready
- The problem, in a few sentences
- The background: what you've tried and what's at stake
The prompt
Fill in the [BRACKETS], then paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini.
› the prompt
You're helping me think through a problem in my business from first principles. Be direct. The background: [YOUR BUSINESS, AND WHAT'S AT STAKE] The problem: [DESCRIBE IT IN A FEW SENTENCES] What I've tried: [OR "NOTHING YET"] Please: 1. List the assumptions I seem to be making, and question each one. 2. Break the problem down into its basic parts. 3. Suggest three to five ways to solve it, including at least one I probably haven't considered. 4. Say which you'd try first and why. 5. Give me the first small step, and how I'd know it's working. Rules: - Use only what I've told you. Don't invent facts, figures or examples from other businesses. - If you need more information, ask me before you answer. - Anything meant for a customer or my team is a draft for me to check first.
Example input
A made-up example of what the brackets might say.
Background: a small IT support business with 3 staff.
Problem: we're busy all the time but profit is flat. We think we need more clients.
Tried: raising prices 5% last year.
Tips
- Push back on its answers. Ask "why?" and "what if that's wrong?"
- Sleep on it before you act on anything big.
Related prompts
Make a 12-week plan
Turn one goal into a plan you can work through week by week.
Open prompt: Make a 12-week planEst. time saved: 1–2 hours
Fix a slow process
Find where a process gets stuck and how to simplify it.
Open prompt: Fix a slow processEst. time saved: 2+ hours
Want prompts built around your business?
Our AI Tool Audit finds the jobs worth handing to AI, and writes ready-to-use prompts for your top three.