Designing your garden, counselling, finding a Traitors-style kilt, planning your holiday... and even writing your weekly shopping lists. There are myriad ways that we use ChatGPT to streamline our lives and do our admin. And yet... are we really using the AI tool in the right way? Do you find the tone annoying? We asked insiders to share the more ways they use it, from using it to get on top of your groaning inbox, to making spreadsheets for you, to speaking in a different tone. Here’s how to make the most out of it.
1 Show it, don’t tell it
ChatGPT can understand what it sees — from a photo, screenshot, or live video. Instead of typing long explanations or trying to describe something, just show it. Whether it’s a cluttered shelf, a confusing recipe step, or a tricky homework question, it can explain, identify or offer advice in real time.
💬 Prompt: “Here’s a photo of my wardrobe — can you suggest three outfit combinations for spring?”
2 Tame your inbox in minutes
‘Connectors’ are basically connected apps. Think of them as a bridge between your files and ChatGPT. They securely link ChatGPT to your everyday apps — like Gmail — so it can pull in real information (with your permission) and help you manage it. That means it can scan your inbox, sort what matters, and even draft quick replies — no more endless scrolling and flagging..
💬 Prompt: “Summarise today’s unread emails into: Urgent / Needs reply / FYI. Draft 3 short replies in my friendly-professional tone.”
3 Choose your own ChatGPT personality
You can change the way ChatGPT sounds and interacts by picking one of four built-in personalities. These don’t change what it can do — just how it talks to you. Switching between them is a smart way to brainstorm, critique, or soften your tone.
Choose from:
Nerd: enthusiastic, curious and full of facts (great for expanding ideas).
Cynic: dry, sceptical, and sharp (perfect for stress-testing plans).
Robot: ultra-precise, structured and concise (ideal for instructions or technical writing).
Listener: warm, gentle and thoughtful (great for friendly rewrites or sensitive topics).
💬 Prompt: Settings → Personalisation → Select personality “Nerd: expand these 3 campaign ideas into 10. Cynic: critique them. Listener: produce a friendly, consumer-ready version of the top 2.”
4 Teach Chat your preferences once and save time forever
ChatGPT can remember the things that matter to you — like your writing style, dietary needs, or preferred tone — so you don’t have to repeat yourself. You can also use Custom Instructions to tell it how you’d like it to talk and what it should know about you every time you chat.
💬 Prompt: “Remember: my writing voice = crisp, warm, UK English, no exclamation marks. Use this by default in new drafts.”
💬 Settings → Custom Instructions example: “I work in communications, so be concise, clear and friendly. Use UK English and avoid buzzwords.”
5 Get deeper research, faster (Deep Research)
When a question’s too big for a quick search — like planning a move, understanding a topic, or weighing a big decision, ‘Deep Research’ lets ChatGPT do the digging for you and saves you sifting through random links. It explores multiple sources, pulls out the most relevant details, and gives you a clear summary so you can skip the internet rabbit holes.
💬 Prompt → Select Deep Research from the prompt box : “I’m thinking of moving to Lisbon. Research the cost of living, average rents, best areas for young professionals, and visa basics.” 💬 Other ideas: Compare mobile plans before switching. Research weekend getaway options. Break down the pros and cons of electric vs petrol cars.
6 Shop smarter with conversational shopping
Think of ChatGPT as your personal shopper, turning online shopping into a quick, focused conversation. No more endless scrolling or 20 open tabs, just ask for recommendations, compare products, refine your search based on your budget, taste, or specific needs — all through a simple chat.
💬 Prompt: “I’m looking for a stylish, waterproof trench coat under £150. Show me 3 good options, then help me pick the best one.”
7 Let ChatGPT get things done for you, using a ChatGPT agent
Agent Mode turns ChatGPT into a doer, not just a helper. It can plan, search, compare options, keep track of progress — and even take actions like booking or buying things (with your approval), or even creating spreadsheets or decks.
💬 Prompt - Select agent mode: “Help me plan my house move — make a packing list, find removal companies, and keep track of what’s done.”
💬 Prompt: “Plan a long weekend in Barcelona — find flights, hotel options, and make a simple itinerary.”
8 Switch on ChatGPT’s extra brainpower
Some questions need deeper thought — not just a quick reply. Turning on Thinking lets ChatGPT spend a bit more time reasoning through your request, step by step, so the answer is smarter and more useful.
💬 Prompt: Select GPT-5 with Thinking → you’ll see a thinking time toggle in the chat → select ‘extended’ for deeper thinking
💬 Prompt: “Think carefully — I need a realistic timeline for moving to Berlin, including visa, job search, and flat hunting.”
💬 Prompt: “Work through this like a puzzle: how can I fit a new gym routine around my current schedule?”
9 Talk to ChatGPT like a real person (Voice Mode)
With Voice Mode, you can speak to ChatGPT out loud — it listens, responds naturally, and even lets you interrupt.. Perfect for when your hands are busy or you just don’t feel like typing. People use it as a guide as they cook, as a coach as they work out, or a way to practise presentations aloud.
💬 Prompt: Select the voice icon on the bottom right of the screen.“Talk me through this 20-minute dinner recipe while I cook.”; “Help me practise Spanish while I’m walking to work.”; “Be my running buddy and keep me on pace for 5K.”
10 Create your own GPTs
With Custom GPTs, you can build a version of ChatGPT tailored to you - like having your own specialist assistant for a specific task. You give it instructions once (how it should behave, what it should know), and it keeps that personality, knowledge, and focus every time you use it.
💬 Prompt: Sidebar → Explore GPTs → +Create. Tell ChatGPT what you want to make and it’ll guide you through it. Prompt: “Create a Custom GPT that plans weekly meals for a vegetarian family of four and gives me a Sunday shopping list.
