If you keep telling ChatGPT the same things at the start of every conversation, there is a simpler place for them: Custom Instructions. Use them for preferences that should follow you across chats. For a business owner, that might be your usual audience, preferred tone, spelling style, how concise you like answers, or a reminder to ask a clarifying question when key information is missing. Keep them broad and stable. Do not put this week's offer, a client brief, or changing prices in there. Those belong in the specific chat, where you can give ChatGPT the latest context. A useful starting point could be: "Write in plain English. Keep recommendations practical. Use short sections and examples. If information is missing, ask up to three focused questions before making assumptions." Then test it on a real task you do regularly. If the output still feels too generic, change one instruction at a time rather than adding a giant rulebook. Small, clear preferences are easier to check and improve. What is the one thing you find yourself repeating to ChatGPT most often?

A question I keep seeing from business owners here: should I build a Custom GPT, or is a good saved prompt enough? The honest answer is that most people reach for a Custom GPT too early, when a saved prompt would do the same job with a lot less faff. Here is the simple way to decide. Use a saved prompt when the task is a one-off shape you repeat. Things like "turn these notes into a follow-up email" or "summarise this article in five bullets". You paste the prompt, drop in your content, and you are done. Keep these in a notes file or a doc so you are not rewriting them from scratch every time. Build a Custom GPT when you need the same instructions, tone, and reference material applied again and again, especially if other people on your team will use it too. A Custom GPT lets you bake in the role, the rules, and any files it should always refer to. Good examples: a support assistant that already knows your refund policy, or one that writes in your brand voice every single time. Rough rule of thumb: if you would have to paste the same background into the chat more than a few times a week, it is worth turning into a Custom GPT. If not, a saved prompt is faster to set up and easier to tweak when you change your mind. What are you leaning on more right now, Custom GPTs or a prompt library?

I have been paying close attention to AI, but not from the usual angle. I am less interested in shiny tools.More interested in what helps people move faster, think clearer, and remove friction from daily work. Based in Montreal, and curious to connect with people who are actually using this stuff for real. What are you using AI for right now?

Running a business or creating content can become overwhelming very quickly. There’s always something to do: content, emails, research, studying, appointments, editing, marketing, family responsibilities—and somehow everything feels urgent. This is where ChatGPT can become a practical planning tool. Give ChatGPT the information it needs: • Everything you need to accomplish • Your deadlines and priorities • Approximately how long each task takes • Your appointments and existing commitments • The hours you realistically have available • Personal and family responsibilities • The tasks that directly contribute to your business or income Then ask it to organize those responsibilities into a realistic daily or weekly schedule. You can even tell it when you’re most productive, when you need breaks and which tasks tend to drain the most energy. The goal isn’t to cram more into your day. The goal is to create structure so you know what needs your attention now, what comes next and what can wait. Sometimes productivity isn’t about working harder. It’s about getting everything out of your head and into a system you can actually follow.