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After spending the past year testing AI tools across productivity, creativity and daily decision-making, I’ve learned that the best ChatGPT prompts don’t just generate better answers. They create better filters.I’ve used ChatGPT to pressure-test routines, rethink my schedule and turn abstract productivity advice into practical systems I can actually use. Some prompts have helped me organize my mornings. Others have sharpened how I prioritize work, manage distractions and decide what deserves my attention.For this experiment, I wanted to go beyond another generic productivity hack. I used ChatGPT to apply high-performance coach Brendon Burchard’s “empty calories” mindset to my own life, a framework built around identifying the habits, obligations and distractions that consume energy without giving much back.The result wasn’t a basic to-do list or a recycled motivational pep talk. It gave me a clearer way to separate what looks productive from what actually moves my life forward. Here’s the prompt I used and how it helped me rethink where my time, attention and energy are really going.Defining “empty-calorie activities”
(Image credit: Getty Images)Burchard’s “empty calories” concept works as a productivity metaphor: just as empty-calorie foods can fill you up without giving your body much nourishment, empty-calorie activities can fill your day without giving your life or work much momentum.These are the tasks, habits and distractions that create the feeling of progress without producing much value. They keep you occupied, but they don’t necessarily move you closer to your goals, sharpen your thinking or support your best work. In Burchard’s framework, that can include busywork, low-leverage tasks, constant context-switching or anything that drains time and energy without a meaningful return.The simplest way to think about it is this: empty calories are the things that make you feel active without making you more effective.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.With that in mind, I asked ChatGPT to apply Burchard’s empty calories concept to my own life. I wanted it to help me identify what was taking up too much space, what needed to go and which activities were actually worth protecting because they made me feel productive, focused and fulfilled.Eliminating unfulfilling activities and refocusing on the crucial ones
