Back in the starting months of 2023, I was drowning in work—deadlines looming, emails piling up, and my to-do list growing faster than I could handle. Then I discovered ChatGPT secrets, and everything changed. Instead of burning the midnight oil, I started finishing tasks in half the time. One week, it even helped me reclaim 3 hours a day—just by automating the small stuff.
At first, I used it like everyone else—asking basic questions, and getting quick answers. But then I realized: that ChatGPT isn’t just an answer machine; it’s like having an extra set of hands. Need a first draft of a report? Done. Struggling to organize a messy inbox? Sorted. Stuck on a creative block? It throws ideas at you like a brainstorming partner who never gets tired.
The real shift happened when I stopped treating it as a novelty and started using it strategically. Instead of typing vague requests, I gave clear, step-by-step instructions—and suddenly, it was handling research, drafting emails, and even summarizing long articles in seconds. My productivity didn’t just improve—it doubled.
Now, it’s been years of using it strategically every day for multiple tasks. If you’re tired of feeling like there’s never enough time, you’re in the right place. Here are 8 smart ways I (and other pros) use ChatGPT daily to save hours, hit deadlines, and actually enjoy free time again. Let’s get started.
8 best ways to strategically use ChatGPT
Here are the 8 best ways that personally helped me to save time while still delivering work that meets its standards. Yeah, I know there are few of you who know about AI Hallucinations, AI detection, and all, I’ll cover those points as well, don’t worry.
For now, let’s explore how you can use the quietly renowned LLM from OpenAI – ChatGPT to save a few hours on a daily basis or to boost productivity.
1. To create your own personal tutor
Imagine you have your own personal tutor that you can access anytime and anywhere. Ask any question and get the answer you want within seconds.
If you are a curious personality who is always eager to learn different things, concepts, or topics, ChatGPT can act as your personal tutor.
Ask any tricky concept, or unfamiliar code from your Jupyter Notebook or PyCharm, and ChatGPT will explain each and every detail related to it. If you still have some doubts left, you can requisition and ChatGPT will clarify.
This way you can save your money on personal tutors that are already so scarce in numbers.
If you follow this approach of getting things explained for yourself and if you do this in conjunction with a textbook or any help you can rely on, then, it’s like icing on the cake as you already have a primary source to compare with.
Don’t just take everything AI says at its face value, if you have a different perspective with solid proof then you can challenge its explanation.
2. Generate summaries of books or longer texts
There are times when we don’t have time to go through a long article or a research paper that is too complex. Sounds familiar?
Don’t worry, ChatGPT got you covered, you can generate a summary of such articles or research papers that are difficult to understand.
Several people (even Gen Zs) around the world are using ChatGPT to summarize their reading materials in easy-to-understand bullet points. This way they don’t have to go through the complete texts which helps in saving a lot of time that they can devote to something productive.
Developers and digital marketing teams are using this to make themselves aware of the new developments in their fields.
Last week, this saved me two hours on a client project—I skimmed 10 PDFs in minutes, focused only on the relevant parts, and finished early (for once). No more “TL;DR” guilt—just the good stuff, fast.
3. To rewrite text using different perspectives, viewpoints, and depth
Stuck with text that feels off but you can’t pinpoint why? You’re not alone. We’ve all faced this frustration.
ChatGPT can rewrite your content from different angles in seconds. Need it more persuasive? More casual? More technical? Just ask.
I used this trick on a client proposal last month. The original version was good but lacked energy. ChatGPT gave me three fresh versions – one friendly, one data-driven, and one story-focused.
The friendly version won the client over immediately. What normally takes me hours of tweaking took just 15 minutes.
This works for emails, reports, and even creative writing. Paste your text and say: “Rewrite this for [your audience] in a [desired tone] style.”
No more staring at blank screens. No more endless revisions. Just clear, effective versions of your message – ready to go.
4. Dialog with long documents
Faced with a 50-page report and no time to read it all? I’ve been there too. Here’s how ChatGPT saves the day.
Simply upload the document and ask questions like: “What were the key findings?” or “Explain the methodology in simple terms.” It’s like having an expert summarize it for you.
I used this to analyze a competitor’s whitepaper in minutes instead of hours. I asked targeted questions and got precise answers instantly.
But remember: Always double-check critical facts. While ChatGPT is great at finding information, it can sometimes misinterpret details.
Pro Tip: For complex documents, ask follow-up questions like: “What page is this on?” so you can verify easily.
This trick works wonders for:
- Research papers
- Legal documents
- Business reports
- Technical manuals
No more skimming – just ask exactly what you need to know.
5. To get rid of jargon and metaphors
Ever read something filled with technical terms that made your head spin? I hit this wall constantly in my early consulting days.
Here’s how ChatGPT helps: Paste the confusing text and say “Explain this in simple terms” or “Remove the jargon.” Watch how complex concepts transform into plain English instantly.
Last quarter, a client sent me a proposal packed with industry buzzwords. Instead of wasting time decoding it, I asked ChatGPT: “What does this actually mean for a small business owner?” The clear explanation helped me respond in half the usual time.
Important note: While ChatGPT simplifies well, always verify with experts for critical decisions.
Pro Tip: For best results, specify your audience: “Explain this to a [high school student/retiree/new entrepreneur].”
Works magic on:
- Legal documents
- Academic papers
- Technical manuals
- Corporate reports
No more pretending to understand – just crystal-clear explanations on demand.
6. To Create study plans and agendas
We’ve all been there – staring at a mountain of coursework with zero idea where to begin. Last semester, I procrastinated so long on my history thesis that I almost missed the deadline. Then I discovered ChatGPT’s secret weapon.
Just tell it: “Create a 2-week study plan for [topic] with 1-hour daily sessions” or “Break down my biology syllabus into 30-minute study chunks.” It will instantly give you a realistic roadmap that if followed can get you good grades.
When my friend was struggling with MCAT prep, we fed ChatGPT her work schedule and weak areas. In seconds, it generated a personalized 8-week plan with:
- Daily focus topics
- Built-in review days
- Even snack break reminders
Important: Always cross-check with your syllabus. While great for structure, ChatGPT might miss specific professor requirements.
Add your learning style: “Make a visual learner’s schedule for organic chemistry.”
7. Use it to organize your notes
Tired of digging through messy notebooks or endless digital files to find that one important idea? You’re not alone – most professionals and students waste valuable time searching for misplaced notes.
The solution? Let ChatGPT analyze and reorganize your content intelligently. Simply paste your scattered notes and ask it to categorize them by theme, create a table of contents, or even highlight key connections between ideas.
This approach works particularly well for research projects where information comes from multiple sources. ChatGPT can identify recurring concepts across your notes and group related points together, saving you hours of manual organization.
For digital notes, try prompts like “Create an outline from these research snippets” or “Find all arguments about climate change in these interview transcripts.”
While AI won’t replace your judgment for nuanced work, it excels at the heavy lifting of initial organization. The real power comes when you combine ChatGPT’s pattern recognition with your expertise, creating notes that are both comprehensive and easy to navigate.
Best For:
- Research paper organization
- Meeting note consolidation
- Lecture note structuring
- Project brainstorming sessions
Pro Tip: Start with smaller note collections to test the system before processing entire notebooks. As you refine your prompts, you’ll get increasingly accurate and useful organizational structures.
8. To draft a layout/blueprint for your article
Staring at a blank page? ChatGPT can transform your rough ideas into a structured blueprint instantly. Just share your topic and key points, and watch it generate a logical flow with sections, subheadings, and talking points.
I recently used this to outline a 3,000-word industry report. Instead of wasting time rearranging ideas, ChatGPT gave me a publication-ready skeleton in under 5 minutes. The best part? You can keep refining it: “Add statistics to the intro” or “Move the case study before the analysis.”
Pro Tip: Provide examples of styles you like: “Structure this like a Harvard Business Review article.” It adapts to your preferred format while keeping your unique voice intact.
Works Best For:
- Blog posts
- Research papers
- Business proposals
- Presentation scripts
No more false starts—just clear direction from the first draft to the final copy.
Don’t expect this from ChatGPT or any Gen AI tool
- Don’t expect AI to get the facts right – always recheck and compare with a valid source.
- Don’t expect AI to get the citations right so double-check the sources it does provide.
- Don’t expect AI to get the Maths right.
Follow the link to learn about the top AI trends that I’m looking out for in 2025.