Here's the Secret to Actually Breaking the "Busy Trap"
Okay, so here's the thing: the people who need AI most are usually the ones saying "I'm too busy to learn AI right now."
See the trap? You're drowning in tasks, so you avoid the one thing that could actually give you time back. You're too busy WITHOUT AI to make time FOR it.
But here's what I want to give you right now: the actual tool that helps you escape.
Because here's what happens when you're stuck in the busy trap: you can't see which tasks actually matter. Everything feels urgent. Everything feels important. So you just keep doing ALL of it, and your real goal stays stuck in the same place week after week.
This is where AI becomes your clarity machine.
I'm going to give you a prompt that takes 5 minutes to run. That's it. Five minutes this Sunday or Monday, and suddenly you can see exactly what's moving you forward versus what's just keeping you busy.
I call it the Busy Trap Breaker.
Here's how it works:
You dump everything on your plate into ChatGPT. All the tasks. All the stuff you think you need to do. Then you tell it your actual goal (the thing you're trying to finish, not just "be productive").
ChatGPT becomes your external brain. It looks at everything objectively and tells you the truth: which 2-3 things actually create progress, and which things are just activity disguised as achievement.
The Prompt (copy this whole thing into ChatGPT):
---
I need your help cutting through the busy trap and focusing on real progress.
My main goal/project right now is: [DESCRIBE YOUR GOAL OR PROJECT IN ONE SENTENCE]
Here's everything on my plate this week: [LIST EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DO]
Now help me with this:
1. Identify the Progress Tasks: Which 2-3 tasks on my list actually move me closer to COMPLETING my goal? These are the high-impact actions that create real forward momentum.
2. Spot the Busy Work: Which tasks are keeping me busy but not really moving me forward? Be honest with me.
3. The One Thing: If I could ONLY do ONE thing this week that would make meaningful progress, what should it be?
4. Quick Wins: Are there any tasks I'm overcomplicating? Show me faster ways to handle them so I can focus on what matters.
5. The Reality Check: Based on my goal and this task list, am I actually on track to complete this, or am I just staying busy? Give it to me straight.
Help me see clearly. I want progress, not just productivity theater.
---
What happens when you run this:
ChatGPT doesn't care about your excuses or how busy you feel. It just looks at your goal and tells you what actually matters. Sometimes that answer stings a little (like when it points out that 80% of your list is busywork), but that sting is clarity.
And clarity is what gets you unstuck.
Here's what this might look like:
Say your goal is launching a new course. You list out 15 tasks you think you need to do this week. Update your website. Redesign your logo. Research competitors. Write social posts. Create a pricing page. Record welcome videos. Set up email sequences. The list goes on.
ChatGPT looks at it and says "only 3 of these actually get your course launched: finish the core modules, set up the payment system, and send the launch email to your list. Everything else is preparation theater."
That's the shift. Suddenly you can see what's real progress and what's just you being thorough to feel productive.
This is your 5-minute investment:
Run this prompt once this week. See what it shows you. I promise you'll be surprised by what's actually moving you forward versus what's just keeping you occupied.
Then come back and tell me what you discovered. Did it call you out? Did it surprise you? What showed up as your real progress tasks?
Let's stop being busy and start making progress. ChatGPT can help you see the difference.
21
19 comments
Titus Blair
8
Here's the Secret to Actually Breaking the "Busy Trap"
AI Automation Society
skool.com/ai-automation-society
A community built to master no-code AI automations. Join to learn, discuss, and build the systems that will shape the future of work.
Leaderboard (30-day)
Powered by