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Forcing a draft when tired is counterproductive. Instead, do all research and outlining, then go to sleep. Writing the full draft first thing in the morning leverages the brain's clarity after rest for a much higher quality output, much like starting a new context window with an LLM.
Before bed, verbally unload all current business and personal challenges into ChatGPT and ask for your top three objectives for the next day. This organizes your mind, provides clarity, and leverages your subconscious overnight.
Writing collaboratively with an AI can prevent the common habit of getting distracted between creative bursts. After reviewing a section, the AI's immediate prompt to start the next part acts as a psychological nudge, helping you maintain focus and momentum throughout a long project.
Time is fixed, but energy is variable. True productivity stems from identifying your personal peak energy windows and dedicating them to your most demanding, creative tasks. Scheduling difficult work during low-energy periods is ineffective, no matter how much time is allocated.
The best creative solutions often surface when you're not actively working. After absorbing project information, stepping away for days or weeks allows the subconscious to process and connect ideas, leading to stronger, more innovative outcomes than forced brainstorming.
The "Fool's Cap Method" combats the paralysis of starting a big project. Forcing yourself to outline the entire arc—beginning, middle, and end—on one page eliminates complexity and builds confidence. It distills the project to its essentials before you get lost in details.
To combat a racing mind at night, spend five minutes writing down all thoughts and to-dos. This routine signals to your brain that it can 'forget' these items until morning, as they are safely recorded. It improves sleep quality and provides a clear, pre-made task list upon waking.
Structure habits around your biology. Phase 1 (0-8 hrs awake): High dopamine/adrenaline; ideal for high-friction habits requiring focus and effort. Phase 2 (9-15 hrs): Rising serotonin; better for calmer, low-friction activities. Phase 3 (16-24 hrs): Sleep; crucial for habit consolidation.
Instead of aiming for a perfect AI-generated first draft, use it as a tool to overcome writer's block. When feeling unmotivated, ask an AI to produce an initial version. The often-flawed or "terrible" output can provide the necessary energy and motivation for a human writer to jump in and improve it.
Shift away from the traditional model of drafting content yourself and asking AI for edits. Instead, leverage the AI's near-infinite output capacity to generate a wide range of initial ideas or drafts. This allows you to quickly identify patterns, discard unworkable concepts, and focus your energy on high-level refinement rather than initial creation.
Writer Ernest Hemingway would stop writing mid-paragraph to create momentum for the next day. This ensures you begin with an easy win and apply your freshest, most creative energy to the most important parts of a project, like the conclusion, rather than wasting it on getting started.