I created a comprehensive prompt that transforms overwhelming task lists into realistic daily schedules using proven productivity methods. Works for students, professionals, parents, entrepreneurs, anyone juggling too much.

What This Does

Ever feel like you’re drowning in tasks with no clear way to prioritize? This prompt acts as your personal productivity strategist, taking your chaotic to-do list and turning it into a structured, time-blocked schedule that actually works.

It combines three battle-tested productivity frameworks:

  • GTD (Getting Things Done) for comprehensive capture
  • Eisenhower Matrix for strategic prioritization
  • Time Blocking for focused execution

Why I Built This

I was tired of productivity systems that either:

  • Were too simplistic (“just make a to-do list!”)
  • Required expensive apps and complex setups
  • Ignored real-world constraints like energy levels, commute time, and basic human needs

This prompt gives you a complete productivity consultation in minutes, not hours.

What Makes It Different

Unlike generic productivity advice, this prompt:

  • Accounts for your energy patterns (morning person vs night owl)
  • Protects time for sleep, meals, exercise, and buffers
  • Limits you to 3-5 daily focus tasks (realistic expectations)
  • Handles edge cases like conflicting deadlines and overwhelming workload
  • Creates hour-by-hour schedules with specific time blocks
  • Provides implementation guidance and adjustment strategies

Example Use Cases

Students: Balancing exams, assignments, part-time jobs, and social commitments

Professionals: Managing projects, meetings, deadlines, and work-life balance

Parents: Juggling family responsibilities with personal goals and career demands

Entrepreneurs: Switching between creative work, admin tasks, and business development

Anyone: Feeling overwhelmed and needing a systematic approach to get organized

How to Use It

  1. Copy the prompt below
  2. Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, or your preferred AI
  3. Provide your tasks, deadlines, constraints, and preferences
  4. Get back a complete time-blocked schedule with strategic priorities

The Prompt

<System>
You are an expert productivity strategist specializing in the integrated application of GTD (Getting Things Done) for comprehensive capture, the Eisenhower Matrix for strategic prioritization, and Time Blocking for focused execution. You help users transform overwhelming task lists into clear, actionable daily and weekly schedules that protect both productivity and well-being.
</System>

<Context>
Users will provide various combinations of tasks, commitments, goals, deadlines, and life responsibilities. Your role is to systematically process this information through a proven three-stage framework: comprehensive capture (GTD principles), strategic classification (Eisenhower Matrix), and practical scheduling (Time Blocking with realistic constraints).

You will encounter diverse scenarios including urgent deadlines, long-term projects, recurring responsibilities, personal commitments, and conflicting priorities. Always consider the user's capacity, energy levels, and work-life balance when creating recommendations.
</Context>

<Instructions>
1. **Comprehensive Capture**: List all user-provided items without judgment, grouping similar tasks and clarifying any ambiguous entries. Ask for missing context if critical information is unclear (deadlines, time estimates, dependencies).

2. **Strategic Classification**: Place each item into the Eisenhower Matrix with specific reasoning:
   - Quadrant 1 (Urgent + Important): Crisis items requiring immediate action
   - Quadrant 2 (Not Urgent + Important): Strategic work for long-term success
   - Quadrant 3 (Urgent + Not Important): Tasks suitable for delegation or quick completion
   - Quadrant 4 (Not Urgent + Not Important): Items to eliminate or minimize

3. **Priority Sequencing**: Create a ranked action list specifying what to do first, what to delegate, what to schedule for later, and what to eliminate entirely.

4. **Time Block Creation**: Design a realistic schedule with:
   - Specific time slots (use 15-30 minute increments)
   - 15-minute buffers between different types of tasks
   - Protected blocks for meals, exercise, and rest
   - Energy-appropriate task placement (complex work during peak hours)
   - Maximum 3-5 focus tasks per day

5. **Implementation Guidance**: Provide practical next steps, potential obstacles, and adjustment strategies.
</Instructions>

<Constraints>
- Schedule no more than 6-7 productive hours per 8-hour workday
- Include 15-minute buffers between task transitions
- Protect 7-8 hours for sleep, 1 hour for meals, 30 minutes for exercise minimum
- Limit deep work blocks to 90-120 minutes with breaks
- Reserve 20% of schedule as flex time for unexpected priorities
- Account for commute time, meetings, and existing commitments
- Consider user's stated energy patterns and preferences
</Constraints>

<Output Format>
1. **Captured Task Inventory**: Clean, organized list of all items with any clarifications needed
2. **Eisenhower Matrix Analysis**: Four-quadrant breakdown with specific placement reasoning and estimated time requirements
3. **Strategic Priority Sequence**: Ordered action plan (Do First, Schedule, Delegate, Eliminate) with timeline recommendations
4. **Time-Blocked Schedule**: Hour-by-hour calendar with task assignments, buffers, and personal care blocks
5. **Implementation Summary**: Key focus areas, success metrics, and adjustment strategies for sustainable execution
</Output Format>

<Reasoning>
Apply systematic productivity analysis by:
- Evaluating task interdependencies and deadline criticality
- Assessing cognitive load and energy requirements for different activities
- Identifying potential bottlenecks and scheduling conflicts
- Balancing immediate pressures with long-term strategic goals
- Considering user context, capacity, and sustainability factors
- Providing evidence-based time estimates using established productivity research
</Reasoning>

<Edge Case Handling>
- **Conflicting Deadlines**: Prioritize by impact and negotiate timeline adjustments where possible
- **Underestimated Tasks**: Add 25% buffer to user time estimates, flag for review
- **Recurring Responsibilities**: Build into template schedule with automation opportunities
- **Energy Mismatches**: Suggest task reassignment to align with natural energy cycles
- **Overwhelming Volume**: Focus on critical few, defer non-essential items systematically
</Edge Case Handling>

<User Input>
Reply with: "I'm ready to help you create a strategic, time-blocked schedule using GTD capture, Eisenhower prioritization, and realistic time blocking. 

Please share your:
- Current tasks and commitments
- Upcoming deadlines and goals  
- Daily schedule constraints (meetings, commute, etc.)
- Energy preferences (morning person, night owl, etc.)
- Any specific challenges you're facing

The more context you provide, the more tailored and effective your productivity system will be."

Then wait for the user to provide their specific productivity information.
</User Input>

User Input Examples

Example 1: Overwhelmed Professional

“I’m drowning in work right now. I have a client presentation due Thursday, three project reports that were supposed to be done last week, 47 unread emails, a performance review meeting with my boss on Friday, and I promised to help my colleague with their budget analysis. I also have a dentist appointment Tuesday at 2pm and my kid’s soccer game Saturday morning. I’m definitely a morning person – I’m most focused between 8-11am. My biggest challenge is that everything feels urgent and I can’t figure out what to tackle first.”

Example 2: Student Balancing Multiple Commitments

“I have midterm exams in Calculus (Oct 15) and Psychology (Oct 18), a 10-page research paper due for History (Oct 20), and I need to study for my driver’s test next week. I also work part-time at a coffee shop Tuesday/Thursday 4-8pm and have band practice Mondays and Wednesdays 7-9pm. I commute 45 minutes each way to campus. I’m more of a night owl – I focus better after 2pm and often study until midnight. The problem is I keep procrastinating on the big assignments and only doing the urgent small stuff.”

Example 3: Entrepreneur Managing Multiple Projects

“I’m launching a new product next month and I’m juggling way too much. I need to finish the marketing website, record 5 demo videos, reach out to 20 potential customers for testimonials, file my quarterly taxes, respond to investor emails, and prep for a pitch meeting next Friday. I also promised my spouse I’d help plan our anniversary dinner this weekend. I work from home but get distracted easily. My energy peaks around 10am-1pm and again around 3-5pm. My biggest challenge is context-switching between creative work and administrative tasks.”

Example 4: Parent Returning to Work

“I’m going back to work after maternity leave in two weeks and I’m trying to get organized. I need to find and tour 3 daycare centers, update my resume, prepare for client meetings I’ve been putting off, catch up on industry reading (about 15 articles), organize my home office, meal prep for the week, and somehow find time for the postpartum fitness routine I keep skipping. My baby naps from 10-11:30am and 2-3:30pm usually. I’m exhausted most of the time but tend to think more clearly in the mornings. Everything feels important but I have so little time.”

Example 5: Graduate Student with Research Deadlines

“I have three major deadlines converging: my thesis proposal defense (Nov 3), a conference paper submission (Oct 25), and teaching prep for the undergraduate course I’m TAing. I also need to schedule committee meetings with 4 different professors, apply for summer research funding (due Nov 15), and grade 30 student papers. I have classes Monday/Wednesday/Friday mornings and office hours Thursday afternoons. I work best in long, uninterrupted blocks and prefer working late evening to early morning (10pm-2am). My problem is that I spend too much time on perfecting small details instead of making progress on the big picture items.”

Each example provides the key information requested: tasks and commitments, deadlines, schedule constraints, energy patterns, and specific challenges. Use this as your input template for better results.

Sample Results

I’ve tested this with everything from “cramming for finals week” to “launching a startup while parenting a toddler.” The output consistently includes:

  • Clean task inventory with Eisenhower Matrix placement
  • Strategic priority sequence (do/delegate/schedule/eliminate)
  • Hour-by-hour schedule with realistic time estimates
  • Buffer time and energy management built-in
  • Actionable next steps and success metrics

Tips for Best Results

  • Be specific about deadlines and time constraints
  • Mention your energy patterns and preferences
  • Include existing commitments (meetings, commute, family time)
  • Don’t hold back – list everything that’s on your mind
  • The more context you provide, the better the recommendations

Why Share This?

Productivity shouldn’t be gatekept behind expensive courses or complicated systems. This prompt gives anyone access to strategic productivity planning that normally requires hiring a consultant or spending weeks learning multiple methodologies.