A good AI prompt can turn a vague, nagging task into something you can actually finish. This week, I’m focusing on two very ordinary but very useful jobs: **spring cleaning with a checklist AI creates** and **giving feedback to a team member**. Both matter because they save time, but more importantly, they reduce the mental clutter that makes people avoid the task in the first place.

Try at least one before Sunday. That is the whole assignment.

Use Case 1 of 2

Use Case 1: Spring cleaning using a checklist AI creates

On a Saturday morning in late April, Linda, 58, is standing in her kitchen with a mug of coffee gone cold. She has been meaning to “do the spring cleaning” for two weeks, but the job is too big to hold in her head. She keeps starting in one room, getting distracted by something in another room, then stopping halfway because she is not sure what to do next. What she needs is not motivation. She needs a sensible checklist that matches her actual house, her actual energy, and the time she actually has. AI is useful here because it can turn a broad, stressful idea into a room-by-room plan with order and priorities, instead of a random list that feels like punishment.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

```text Create a spring cleaning checklist for my home.

My home has: 2 bedrooms, 1 office, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, and a small entryway. I live with one spouse and no children. I have 3 hours on Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday. I want a realistic plan, not an overwhelming one.

Please do all of the following: 1. Break the work into a room-by-room checklist. 2. Put the tasks in the best order so I can clean efficiently. 3. Start with decluttering before deep cleaning. 4. Include quick wins first, then harder tasks. 5. Mark anything that is optional if I run out of time. 6. Keep the language simple and practical. 7. End with a short “what to do if I only have 60 minutes” version.

Also include anything people often forget, such as baseboards, light switches, vents, inside the microwave, under furniture, and trash/recycling bins. ```

Why this prompt works: It gives AI the facts it needs, including the size of the home, the people in it, and the amount of time available. That matters because a spring-cleaning list for a one-bedroom apartment should not look like a checklist for a family house. It also tells AI how to think: declutter first, quick wins first, optional tasks clearly marked, and forgotten spots included. Good prompts do not just ask for “a checklist”; they define the shape of the checklist.

Use Case 2 of 2

Use Case 2: Giving feedback to a team member

On Tuesday at 4:15 p.m., Marcus, 64, has to talk to a team member who missed a deadline and left a client update vague enough to cause confusion. Marcus does not want a lecture. He wants to be clear, fair, and specific without sounding harsh or vague. This is exactly where AI can help, because it can help you organize your thoughts before you speak. The point is not to let AI “manage” the person. The point is to help you say what you mean in a way that is calm, direct, and useful.

Here is the exact prompt to use:

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT or Claude:

```text Help me write feedback for a team member.

Situation: - The person is competent and generally reliable. - They missed a deadline on a client update. - The update they sent was too vague, which created confusion for the rest of the team. - I want to keep the tone respectful and constructive. - I do not want to sound angry, dramatic, or passive-aggressive.

Please give me: 1. A short opening sentence. 2. A clear description of the issue using plain language. 3. A sentence that explains the impact of the problem. 4. A request for what I want them to do differently next time. 5. Three versions of the feedback: - very direct - warm and firm - short and conversational

Use simple workplace language. Do not make it sound like a corporate template. I want something I could actually say out loud in a meeting or write in an email. ```

Why this prompt works: It gives AI the context that matters most in feedback: the behavior, the impact, and the tone. That is the difference between a useful draft and generic corporate soup. It also asks for multiple versions, which helps because people often think they need one “perfect” script when what they really need is a few good options they can adapt to the moment. The prompt also tells AI not to over-polish the language, which is important if you want something that sounds like a real manager, not a brochure.