Help me convert my real workload into an execution plan, not a motivational list. My available work time: [AVAILABLE TIME] My tasks, deadlines, and rough effort: [TASK LIST] My top outcomes and why they matter: [PRIORITIES] Dependencies, waiting items, and people I need: [DEPENDENCIES] Constraints and energy pattern: [CONSTRAINTS]
Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing. Then produce: 1. A prioritized task table with impact, urgency, estimated focused time, dependency status, and one of: do now, schedule, delegate, defer, or drop. Explain any tradeoff where an urgent item is not first. 2. A realistic plan for the stated time, divided into focused work blocks, shallow-work blocks, breaks, and a 15-minute contingency buffer. Put tasks that need another person’s response early enough to unblock later work. 3. For every “do now” task, write the smallest visible next action that can start in under 10 minutes. Separate preparation from completion. 4. A short message or request template for each blocker that needs someone else. 5. An end-of-period shutdown checklist: what to update, what to reschedule, and what evidence shows each task is actually complete. Do not invent capacity, deadlines, authority, or task details. Do not schedule more focused work than the available time permits. Before answering, total the planned time including buffer and flag overload. Also check that the plan protects the stated top outcome instead of letting low-impact urgent work consume the day.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [AVAILABLE TIME] | State the work window, fixed meetings, and any time that cannot be used. | Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; client call 11:30–12:00 and lunch 12:30–1:00. |
| [TASK LIST] | List each task with deadline, rough effort, and current status. | Finish Q3 forecast deck due Wednesday, 2.5 hours; answer 14 support escalations due today, 75 minutes; review contract, 45 minutes; draft hiring brief, 90 minutes. |
| [PRIORITIES] | Describe the outcomes that matter most and why they matter now. | The forecast deck is needed for Wednesday’s board review; escalations affect two accounts at renewal risk. |
| [DEPENDENCIES] | List approvals, information, people, or tools needed before tasks can progress. | Need finance to confirm August actuals for the deck; legal must answer one contract question. |
| [CONSTRAINTS] | Note limits such as energy, context switching, interruptions, or non-negotiable commitments. | I write best before noon, expect Slack interruptions after 2 p.m., and cannot delegate the forecast narrative. |
How to use
- Paste your unfiltered task list, including deadlines and tasks you are tempted to ignore.
- Compare the planned minutes with your calendar before committing to the order.
- Start with the first under-10-minute action rather than reopening every project.
- Send this follow-up: “Replan this after I lost 90 minutes and finance has not replied; preserve the board-deck deadline.”
Variations
Weekly planning
Use this at the start of a week with many competing commitments.
Build a realistic weekly plan from [TASKS AND DEADLINES], [CALENDAR], [WEEKLY OUTCOMES], and [KNOWN RISKS]. Produce a Monday-to-Friday capacity view, the three outcomes that receive protected focus time, tasks to delegate or defer, and a daily first action. Reserve response time and a buffer for surprises. Do not assign more hours than each day contains. Check that tasks with external dependencies are started before their latest safe date.
Project rescue
Use this when a project is slipping and you need a recovery plan.
Create a recovery plan for [PROJECT] using [CURRENT STATUS], [DEADLINE], [REMAINING WORK], [TEAM CAPACITY], and [BLOCKERS]. Produce a critical path, work that can run in parallel, scope reductions ranked by impact, an owner-by-owner plan, and a stakeholder update. Clearly distinguish confirmed facts from assumptions. Do not promise the deadline can be met without showing the capacity math. Check for any unowned critical-path item.
Deep-work day
Use this when one important deliverable needs concentrated progress.
Plan a deep-work day to complete [DELIVERABLE] by [DEADLINE]. I have [AVAILABLE HOURS], must complete [FIXED OBLIGATIONS], and need [INPUTS OR RESEARCH]. Break the work into concrete stages with exit criteria, focused blocks, short breaks, and a fallback if an input is late. Include a definition of done and a final quality pass. Do not schedule research indefinitely; cap it. Check that the final review happens before the deadline.
Tips
- Estimate focused effort separately from meeting time, email, and setup; calendar plans fail when those are blended together.
- Send dependency requests before beginning solo work so waiting time overlaps with useful progress.
- Use a visible definition of done, such as “deck exported and numbers reconciled,” instead of “work on deck.”
- If a new urgent request arrives, explicitly decide what it displaces rather than adding it to an already full day.
FAQ
Should I put every task into the prompt?
Include all work competing for the same time window. Omit unrelated someday ideas unless they are distracting you from current commitments.
Can AI decide what I should drop?
It can identify tradeoffs from your criteria, but you should retain ownership of commitments, stakeholder impact, and risk acceptance.
What is a useful follow-up after the first plan?
Give the actual time lost or new information, then ask for a replan that preserves the highest-priority outcome.