Course 3 - Module 2 - Lesson 2
Build reusable prompts, templates, and checklists you will not forget to use
Personal Productivity Helpers
Separate the reusable structure from today's details
A reusable prompt stores instructions that stay useful across tasks. A template stores a document's shape. A checklist stores the conditions you inspect before using it. Combining these three helps you repeat a good process without remembering every step each time.
For a reading-note routine, the prompt might ask for the main claim, supporting evidence, and open questions. The template gives those headings a place. The checklist asks whether quotations are exact and whether your own interpretation is clearly separated from the author's statements.
Use placeholders that reveal missing input
Write fields such as [article text], [purpose of reading], and [maximum length]. Replace them before running the prompt. Tell the assistant to ask for a missing article rather than generating plausible notes about a title. A visible blank is easier to fix than invented detail.
Store one good example beside the template. A classmate or your future self can then see what useful output looks like. Avoid putting real private records into the example when fictional or public material demonstrates the same structure.
Put the routine where the work starts
A saved prompt is only useful if you can find it at the right moment. Place the reading-note template next to your reading list, and link the checklist from the document you create. Give the file a name that describes the task rather than the model.
Add a date and a short change note when you improve the routine. Test the revision on a short article you know. Keep instructions concise enough to review; a growing collection of conflicting rules can make a once-simple task harder.
Tiny experiment
Build a reading-note template with three placeholders, three output headings, and two review checks. Choose an exact place to store it beside your reading workflow.
Confidence check
What cue in your normal routine would remind you to open the template before starting from scratch?