5 things to use AI for this week
Five everyday jobs AI handles well, each with a prompt you can paste in today: from a messy to-do list to a confusing bill.
Video transcript
Want AI to make a real difference to your week? Here are five everyday jobs it handles well, and exactly how to ask.
One. Turn your brain-dump into a to-do list. Type everything on your mind, in any order, and ask it to sort it by deadline, with a small first step for each.
Two. Decode a confusing letter or bill. Ask what it means, what you need to do and by when. Just cover your account numbers and address first.
Three. Plan the week’s meals. Tell it who’s eating, what’s already in the cupboard and what nobody will touch, then ask for one shopping list.
Four. Rehearse a tricky conversation, like asking for a pay rise. Ask it to play the other person and push back a little, then ask for feedback.
Five. Learn something new in ten minutes. Get a plain-English explanation, ask about anything fuzzy, then have it quiz you. The quiz is what makes it stick.
Pick one today. Paste in the prompt, fill in your details and see what comes back. You stay in charge, so check anything that matters.
All five prompts are in the full guide below, ready to copy and paste.
In 30 seconds
- AI is most useful on real jobs from your week, not test questions.
- Each idea comes with a Jargon busterPrompt: What you type or say to an AI to tell it what you want. to paste in: just fill in the bits in square brackets.
- Cover account numbers and personal details before you share any letter or bill.
The letter you haven’t quite understood. The to-do list that lives in your head. The conversation you keep putting off. These are just the jobs AI is good at. Here are five to try this week, each with a prompt you can paste straight in.
1. Tame your to-do list
Type everything on your mind, in any order, without tidying it up. AI is good at sorting a jumble: deadlines first, the rest grouped, and big jobs broken into a small first step.
Here’s everything on my mind, in no particular order: [type or paste your brain-dump]. Turn it into a prioritised to-do list. Put anything with a deadline first, then group the rest into today, this week and later. Break any big job into a first step I could do in ten minutes.
2. Decode a letter or bill
Energy bills, council tax letters, insurance renewals: AI can explain what they say, what you need to do and by when. Most assistants are Jargon busterMultimodal: An AI that understands more than one kind of input, such as text, pictures, sound and video., so you can simply upload a photo.
I’ve shared a letter I’ve received, with my personal details removed. Explain in plain English: what is it about, do I need to do anything, and by when? Point out anything unusual or urgent, and list questions I should ask the sender if I’m unsure.
3. Plan the week’s meals
Tell it who’s eating, what’s already in the cupboard and what nobody will touch. You get a week of meals and one shopping list, planned around what needs using up.
Plan [five] evening meals for [who’s eating, e.g. two adults and a nine-year-old who won’t eat mushrooms]. We already have [what’s in the fridge and cupboards]. Weeknight meals should take [30 minutes] or less. Use up leftovers where you can, then give me one shopping list grouped by supermarket aisle.
4. Rehearse a tricky conversation
Asking for a pay rise, making a complaint call, telling a friend something they won’t want to hear: practise first. Ask AI to play the other person, and tell it how tough to be.
You: Play my manager. I’m asking for a pay rise after two years with no increase. Be realistic, not easy.
AI: Okay, I’m your manager: “Thanks for raising this. Budgets are tight this year. What makes now the right time?”
You: I’ve taken on training new starters, and similar jobs locally pay more.
AI: “That’s fair. Can you send me those examples before your review?” Want feedback on how you did?
I want to practise [the conversation, e.g. asking my manager for a pay rise]. You play [the other person]. Be realistic and push back a little. Reply one message at a time and wait for my answer. When I type “done”, tell me what worked, what to change and a stronger opening line.
5. Learn something in ten minutes
Pick something you’ve always half-understood, such as how mortgages work or why the sky is blue. Get a short explanation at your level, then a quick quiz: testing yourself is what makes it stick.
Your ten minutes
- Pick a topicSomething you’re curious about, or keep nodding along to.
- Get the short versionA plain-English explanation with one everyday example.
- Ask about the fuzzy bitsAsk it to explain anything unclear in a different way.
- Take the quizFive quick questions, then an explanation of any you got wrong.
Teach me about [topic] in about five minutes of reading. I’m a complete beginner, so use plain English and one everyday example. Then give me a five-question multiple-choice quiz, one question at a time, and explain why each answer is right or wrong.
Found one that works? Do it again next week and it becomes a habit. For more ideas, see the ten most common ways people use AI, or learn to write your own prompts.
Check yourself
3 quick questions nothing is savedTools in this guide
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