These 10 ChatGPT hacks will help take back your personal time

The hot keyword of the moment, especially after PM Wong’s Singapore Budget Speech in February, is artificial intelligence (AI). A lot has been said about the AI boom, from privacy concerns to environmental issues, but what we can’t do is run away from it. 

ChatGPT, released in November 2022, is perhaps the best-known and most accessible generative AI chatbot currently on the market. A powerful tool to those who know how to wield it, here’s how to use ChatGPT to make your everyday life easier.

Streamline your routine

A good place to start is by asking the chatbot how you can be more efficient in your routine. If you’re struggling to fit everything into your day, write down what you do on an average day and have ChatGPT help you make it more productive. 

More direct prompts can include “remove distractions” or “create a list of tasks starting from the easiest” to get you started. You could also use time-blocking to optimise your schedule, with however long breaks you’d like in between tasks.

Teach it your language

ChatGPT is a generative AI tool that relies on natural language processing (NLP). This means that it presents information as part of a conversation and can be trained to pick up on specific words or prompts personalised to each user. 

Use prompts to tell the chatbot how to best communicate with you. For example, tell it to teach you a new concept based on your level of understanding, such as “explain to me quantum physics as though I’m a primary school student”. You can also assign the chatbot specific tasks to do when you send it certain words, such as “summarise the conversation when I say the word ‘done’”.

Make it your personal chef and trainer

Use ChatGPT as your very own nutritionist and personal trainer. Do away with decision fatigue and get it to create a meal plan personalised to your needs. 

Get it to come up with a shopping list before you visit the supermarket. You can even take a photo of the ingredients in your fridge to prompt the chatbot to suggest a recipe. For workouts, share your goals with the chatbot and let it suggest a schedule based on your commitment levels.

Summarise long texts/videos or complex documents

Time is precious. Get the chatbot to give you the highlights instantly by pasting documents, articles, or video transcripts in the format you want, e.g. bullet points or in a short paragraph. This can be extremely helpful when dealing with formal documents such as contracts or insurance policies.

Journal for self-reflection

A great way to use the chatbot for self-reflection, unload your thoughts into it and ask for feedback.

Some call it “the brain dump analyser”, where you journal your thoughts on the day’s events, then ask it to point out any emotional themes/patterns it recognises, cognitive distortions, potential limiting beliefs or more questions to help you reflect even deeper. We neither confirm nor deny whether this should replace your actual therapist.

Rehearse difficult conversations for introverts

Not sure how to broach a sensitive topic with someone? Practice with ChatGPT by telling it to act as your boss, colleague, or friend to rehearse how the situation might go. It won’t be 100 per cent accurate, but at least you’d be equipped with some phrases you could say if the conversation takes a turn for the worse.

Draft your work emails for you

A great hack for professional emails: Give the chatbot your message in either bullet points or as you’d say it, then have it adjust the tone (if it’s reading a little too emotional), make it more formal or persuasive, or check the grammar.

Practice a language

If you’re learning or just learnt a new language, the best way to improve is simply to practice. Get ChatGPT to go through different scenarios for a leisure or work trip as you converse with it in a foreign language.

You could even learn the country’s colloquial language to impress the locals, at your own discretion, of course.

Create a travel itinerary

Take the stress out of travelling by letting ChatGPT do the planning for you. Just input your dates, budget, and interests for a rough itinerary you can tweak to your liking. For even more fuss-free planning, include transport times and options as well as back-up plans in case of bad weather.

Suggest gift and special occasion plans

Not all of us are good at gifting family and friends, and that’s alright. Have the chatbot trawl the internet for suggestions for even the trickiest person to gift to get inspiration. ChatGPT’s Memory feature can even help remember special dates so you don’t have to.

In addition to reminders, have it help plan outings, birthdays or dates while you’re at it. Remember to tell the chatbot your criteria and preferences so it can give you a plan specifically for you.