Quick Summary
Learn how to use ChatGPT (or Gemini) and a simple to-do list to organize your day with more clarity and confidence. By setting up your task list with eight basic columns and exporting it as a CSV file, you can ask an AI to suggest your “Best Action Now” based on your available time, energy level, and personal priorities.
Why AI Can Help You Decide What to Do Next
Most people use to-do lists as storage. They keep adding tasks, reminders, and ideas, but the list does not help them decide what to do right now. When everything looks important, choosing becomes hard.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini work best not as storage bins, but as decision helpers. They do not replace your judgment. Instead, they help you sort through options when you feel unsure, stuck, or overloaded.
AI does not automatically know how tired you are, where you are sitting, or how much time you have. But it is very good at weighing several factors at once—if you give it that information clearly. When you provide a structured task list along with real-world limits such as time and energy, the AI can help you cut through indecision and point you toward a sensible next step.
Think of it as asking a calm assistant, “Given everything on my plate and how I feel right now, what should I work on next?”
The “Decision Source” Method: Why Structure Matters
A simple to-do list tells an AI what tasks exist. It does not explain why they matter, how long they take, or whether they fit the current moment.
To get useful advice, your task list needs to be set up as a table, not just a list. Each task goes on its own row. Each column answers one practical question about that task. You can create this table in Notion, Excel, Google Sheets, or any similar tool.
The easiest way to share this table with an AI is through a CSV file. CSV stands for “comma-separated values.” In plain terms, it’s just a simple file format that keeps rows and columns lined up correctly. Most spreadsheet and database tools can export a table as a CSV file.
Using CSV helps prevent confusion. It makes sure the AI sees which information belongs with which task, instead of guessing.
The 8 Essential Columns for AI Task Decisions
To help an AI recommend your “Best Action Now,” your task table should include the following eight columns. Each one adds a piece of information people normally juggle in their heads.
To Do
This is the task itself. Each entry should describe one clear, startable action. For example, “Email the contractor” works better than “Fix house issues.” Clear actions are easier to choose and easier to start.
Priority
This shows how important the task is to you in the bigger picture. A simple scale such as High, Medium, or Low is enough. Priority helps protect meaningful work from being crowded out by small, easy tasks.
Urgency
This shows how soon the task needs attention. It can be a deadline or a simple label such as Today, This Week, or This Month. Urgency keeps you from missing time-sensitive responsibilities.
Area
This indicates which part of your life the task belongs to, such as Home, Work, Health, Writing, or Finances. Area helps you notice imbalance, such as spending all day on work while ignoring health or relationships.
Duration
This is the estimated time the task will take, in minutes. Duration keeps your plans realistic. It prevents you from choosing tasks that do not fit the time you actually have.
Dimension
This connects the task to your core values. You can define these any way you like, but examples include Mind, Body, Spirit, Relationships, Work, and Finances. This column helps ensure your day is not just busy, but meaningful.
Context
This describes where or how the task must be done. Examples include At Desk, Phone, Errand, or Quiet Focus. Context prevents the AI from suggesting tasks you cannot do in your current situation.
Energy
This shows how demanding the task is: Low, Medium, or High. Energy matters because a task that looks good on paper can feel impossible if you are tired. Matching tasks to energy reduces frustration and burnout.
Together, these columns give the AI a realistic picture of your options and constraints.
How to Get Your “Best Action Now”
Once your table is ready, export it as a CSV file or copy the rows and columns. Then provide the data to ChatGPT or Gemini along with a short description of your current situation.
Here is a simple example prompt you can reuse:
Best Action Now Prompt:
“I have uploaded my current task list. I have 90 minutes available, medium energy, and I am at my desk. Based on my Priority and Dimension columns, what is the one best action for me to take right now? Please explain briefly and include a clear stopping point.”
This works because you are not asking for general advice. You are asking for a decision that fits the moment you are in right now.
Why This Framework Improves Focus (Even Without AI)
Many people notice benefits as soon as they fill in the columns, even before asking an AI for help.
Duration makes you realistic about what fits.
Energy helps you respect your limits.
Dimension keeps your actions aligned with what matters most to you.
Instead of staring at a long list and feeling stuck, you see your options more clearly. The AI simply helps you choose among them faster.
Getting Started: The 10-Task Test
You do not need to rebuild your entire system at once. Start small.
Pick your top 10 tasks for the week. Fill in all eight columns for those tasks only. Export that table and ask the AI for your “Best Action Now” for the next one or two hours.
Clarity does not come from having fewer tasks. It comes from having better information about the tasks you already have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this with mobile task apps like Todoist or Apple Reminders?
Yes, with an extra step. Many apps allow you to export tasks or email them to yourself. You can also use tags or notes inside the app to capture the eight data points, then paste that information into ChatGPT or Gemini.
Do I really need eight columns?
It may sound like a lot, but each one answers a simple question you already ask mentally. Without Energy, the AI may suggest hard tasks when you are exhausted. Without Duration, it may suggest tasks that do not fit your time window. The columns prevent vague recommendations.
What if I don’t know how to export a CSV file?
You don’t have to. You can simply copy the rows and columns from Excel or Google Sheets and paste them into the chat. Most modern AI tools can recognize the table structure even without a file upload.
How often should I ask for my “Best Action Now”?
This works best during transition points—first thing in the morning, after lunch, or when you finish a task and feel unsure what to do next. Using it a few times a day can prevent drifting and reduce decision fatigue.