Knowledge is power—especially in today’s world. But here’s the catch: You must apply your knowledge.
This is why I don’t want to spend too much time learning. I also want to have enough time to apply what I’ve learned.
In recent years, I’ve been reading more digital content. Before, I would probably spend 80% of my reading time on books. Now, it’s less than half. And I generally spend about two hours a day reading.
That’s because everything that’s related to technology changes so fast today.
But the problem is that we’re drowning in information. Keeping up with everything that’s interesting or useful is nearly impossible.
But a new feature of ChatGPT called Tasks has made my reading life a lot simpler. This feature is currently only available to paying ChatGPT users. So what I’m about to share only works if you have that.
I’m not affiliated with them. But I think this is worth the $20 a month price. Here’s what GPT Tasks does (from their website):
You can create scheduled tasks that enable ChatGPT to run automated prompts and proactively reach out to you on a schediuled basis. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to create scheduled tasks for the following:
– “Can you give me a briefing on AI news each afternoon?”
– “Practice French with me daily”
– “Remind me about my mom’s birthday”
When I read this for the first time, I thought, “What’s new here? I don’t need a reminder for my mom’s birthday. And if I do, my phone can do that.”
But I started using it, and it has shaved at least an hour off my daily reading routine. Here’s how I’m using it.
How AI is helping me to stay on top of the news
One of my biggest time sinks was scanning a bunch of websites for news updates. I wanted to keep track of the companies I invest in—like Tesla (TSLA) and Nvidia (NVDA)—to stay informed about market performance, announcements, or earnings calls.
Now, instead of manually searching through endless articles and on X, I use ChatGPT to:
- Get daily summaries: I ask for a concise update on “TSLA and NVDA news.”
- Skip irrelevant content: No more sifting through clickbait or switching between websites.
- Good reading experience: ChatGPT has an app for all platforms, whether it’s iOS, Android, or Mac, it all looks good. And I actually like reading in the app.
Here’s how to do it: Open ChatGPT, select the ChatGPT 4o with scheduled tasks model, and start chatting. This was my first chat:
And you can see your tasks in your settings.
This feels like having a personal assistant scanning the top news sites and delivering only the insights I care about. Here are other prompts you can use:
- Summarize economic news in (enter your country, city, region) every Saturday at 10 AM
- Give me a rundown of everything that happened in AI every morning at 9 AM
- Share a list of the latest personal development books every last Saturday of the month (at least 100 reviews)
What are you interested in that requires searching? ChatGPT can do it for you! Save yourself some time.
Other applications: Curated content from my favorite authors
Tasks is not only about summarizing the news.
I’m a fan of authors like Robert Greene, Paul Graham, and Derek Sivers. I like reading their work, but I often just don’t get around to reading them. You know, life.
Now, I’ve streamlined this process:
- Custom summaries: I ask ChatGPT for a “Weekly summary of new articles or ideas from Robert Greene, Paul Graham, and Derek Sivers.”
- Focus on actionable insights: If they’ve published something new or given an interview, I get a neat summary without spending time tracking it down.
It’s like having a personal curator who knows exactly what I’m interested in.
More applications: AI as your coach
AI isn’t just for news and articles—it’s surprisingly effective for daily habits.
Here’s another way you can use ChatGPT for.
Morning motivation: ChatGPT can give you a short motivational quote, a recommended exercise or variation, a relevant YouTube video, and even a high-energy song suggestion.
Prompt you can use:
“Give me a short motivational quote, a recommended exercise or variation for my [insert workout routine, e.g., push-pull-legs or full-body], a relevant YouTube video for workout guidance, and a high-energy song suggestion to start my day.”
You can adjust the routine or focus based on your needs, for example:
- “Focus on a quick 10-minute workout for beginners.”
- “Include exercises for strength building or cardio.”
- “Suggest a playlist for running or lifting weights.”
Endless possibilities: Tailor AI to your interests
You might think, “This is great for you, but I’m not into stocks or AI.” The beauty of AI is its versatility.
Here are just a few examples of what you could do:
- Cooking: Ask for “Three quick, healthy recipes to try this week” and get a custom meal plan in seconds.
- DIY projects: Request “Weekend DIY ideas for beginners with minimal tools” and jump into a new hobby without endless searching.
- Learning: Summarize books, articles, or YouTube videos to extract key lessons quickly.
- Language learning: Get daily words, sentences, grammar lessons, etc.
The possibilities are endless.
The overwhelming flow of information can feel intimidating. But with AI, you can filter and deliver exactly what you need.
To make the most of it:
- Be specific: Clearly define your needs when asking ChatGPT for help.
- Set schedules: For example: Mondays for big-picture trends. Wednesdays for curated articles or motivation Fridays for project ideas or weekly reviews
- Keep it minimal: I know, this is exciting! But don’t schedule 100 tasks for yourself! Just focus on things you’re already doing.
The goal isn’t to depend on AI for everything but to save time and energy for what really matters.
Incorporating AI into my workflow has been the most exciting thing I’ve done in recent years.
It’s given me a lot of new insights and energy. I’m excited about where this is going! And I hope you found this article helpful.
