GPT at work: 7 prompts that replace an entire afternoon

We tested dozens of prompts. These seven are the ones that really save time — with ready-to-copy examples.

Everyone has used ChatGPT. Few use it well. The difference between saving 10 minutes and saving an entire afternoon lies in the prompt — not the model. We selected the seven that made the biggest difference here in the newsroom.

1. The executive meeting summary

Paste the call transcript and ask: ‘Summarize in 5 bullets, highlighting decisions, responsible parties, and deadlines. Ignore small talk.’ Simple, brutal, functional.

2. The ‘explain like I’m 12’

Great for unlocking technical topics. Ask for an everyday analogy before the formal explanation.

3. The cruel reviewer

Act as a senior editor. Point out the 3 weakest points of this text and suggest specific rewrites.

4. The checklist generator

Describe the task and ask for a checklist with prerequisites, steps, and completion criteria. Turns into an SOP in seconds.

5. The tone translator

Paste your text and say: ‘Rewrite in the tone of a direct friend, without corporate jargon, while keeping the facts.’

6. The structured comparison

Ask for a table comparing options by criteria that YOU define. Without this, the model chooses generic criteria.

7. The ‘what if I’m wrong?’

After any decision, ask: ‘What are the 3 scenarios where this choice proves to be bad?’ It’s the most underestimated prompt on the list.

A good prompt isn’t long. It’s specific. Start adjusting yours today.