From Brain Fog to Sorted List in 10 Seconds — The AI Trick I Wish I’d Known Sooner
You’ve got:
- A leaking tap,
- A dental appointment you keep forgetting,
- Four birthday cards to write,
- Something about pension paperwork,
- And a vague feeling you’ve promised someone you’d be somewhere on Thursday.
Now try writing that all down… and making sense of it.
I used to think the problem was memory. Turns out, it’s traffic.
Too many thoughts. Not enough lanes.
The Fog Rolls In
This happens to me at least twice a week. I sit down to “get organised,” only to end up staring into space, waiting for my brain to reboot like an old Dell laptop.
So I do what any sensible person does:
I make a list.
But the list — as usual — ends up looking like the inside of a tumble dryer. A mess of half-thoughts, scribbled reminders, and the occasional mystery item like “check about shed?”.
Then one day, almost by accident, I tried something new.
The 10-Second Fix (And No, It’s Not Mindfulness)
I opened ChatGPT — you know, the AI thing that’s either going to save the world or ruin it, depending who you ask — and typed:
“Here’s a messy list of things in my head. Can you sort it into Today, Tomorrow, and Someday categories?”
I pasted in my mental debris. No editing. No shame.
Just pure, unfiltered brain fog.
And what I got back?
A calm, clear, beautifully structured to-do list.
- Today: Sort tap. Call dentist. Write birthday cards.
- Tomorrow: Pension forms. Check Thursday plans.
- Someday: Look into the shed thing (still no idea what that was about).
Ten seconds. No judgement. No flapping.
It Was Like Talking to a Very Calm Friend
You know the sort. The kind of friend who doesn’t mock you for forgetting things, doesn’t tell you to “just get on with it,” and doesn’t launch into a TED Talk about productivity.
Just a friendly robot with decent organisational skills.
And unlike a real friend, it doesn’t mind if you show up slightly confused, mildly irritated, and halfway through a biscuit.
What This Taught Me
Sometimes the problem isn’t what you need to do — it’s how it’s arranged in your head.
Once it’s laid out properly, the panic fades.
Suddenly, you’ve got a plan. A rhythm. Breathing space.
And best of all — it’s still your list. Just tidied up.
Want to Try It?
Here’s your prompt:
“Here’s a jumbled list of things I need to do. Can you organise it into Today, Tomorrow, and Someday?”
Then let your thoughts spill out. You’ll be surprised how clear it all becomes when someone (or something) gives them shape.
Final Thought
We talk a lot about ageing and memory. About slowing down, forgetting things, losing sharpness.
But maybe what we need isn’t a miracle cure.
Maybe we just need a hand with the filing.
Like this? Don’t want to be nagged by an app? You’re in the right place.
I write weekly letters about surviving the digital age with your wit intact — for anyone who’s ever shouted at a Wi-Fi router.
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