[Fiona Freelance Financier]

I’m curious whether AI can help me turn long-term goals into a practical, weekly to-do list without a lot of fuss. I’m not very technical and want something simple, reliable, and respectful of my time.

Ideally the AI would:

• Accept high-level goals (for example: learn a language, finish a hobby project, or build a healthy routine).
• Break them down into manageable weekly tasks with realistic time estimates.
• Adjust when I fall behind or when priorities change.
• Integrate with common tools like calendars or to-do apps.

Has anyone tried tools or prompts that do this well? What are the simplest apps or workflows you’d recommend for a non-technical person? Practical tips, example prompts, or real-life experiences would be really helpful.

Thanks — I’d love to hear what’s worked for you and what to watch out for.

[aaron]

Good starting point: asking whether AI can turn goals into weekly tasks is exactly the right question — it forces structure, measurability and rhythm instead of vague intentions.

The reality: AI can create weekly task lists from goals, but only if you provide clear inputs and guardrails. Left to its own devices it will generate plausible tasks that may not match your capacity, deadlines or priorities.

Why this matters: Weekly tasks are the operational unit of progress. If they’re realistic and aligned to outcomes, you get momentum. If they’re not, you get churn and excuses.

Practical lesson from experience: I’ve used AI to convert strategic goals into weekly work for teams over 40. The difference between helpful and harmful output is the quality of the brief and a short human review loop.

1. What you’ll need
   • A clear goal (what success looks like and a deadline)
   • Weekly time budget (hours you can commit)
   • Constraints (dependencies, people involved, tools)
   • A place to store tasks (calendar, task app, spreadsheet)
2. How to do it — step-by-step
   1. Write a one-line goal and deadline. Example: “Launch a lead magnet and landing page by Dec 1.”
   2. Tell AI your weekly capacity: “I can do 6 hours/week.”
   3. Ask AI to break the goal into 1–2 month milestones and then four weekly task lists, each with 3–5 tasks, estimated hours, and a single priority label (A/B/C).
   4. Review and adjust: remove tasks you can’t do, reassign hours, lock priorities.
   5. Import tasks into your calendar or task app and schedule blocks.
3. What to expect
   • Week 1: setup, decisions, small wins.
   • Week 2–4: prioritized execution; rework as constraints appear.
   • Weekly 15-minute review to adapt the next week’s tasks.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is):

You are a productivity assistant. Convert the following goal into a 4-week execution plan. Inputs: Goal: [insert goal]. Deadline: [insert date]. Weekly capacity: [hours/week]. Constraints: [people, tools, blockers]. For each week produce 3–5 tasks, estimated hours, priority (A/B/C), and one measurable outcome. Also list the milestone at the end of 4 weeks.

Metrics to track

• % of planned tasks completed each week (target 80%+)
• Hours planned vs. hours spent
• One measurable outcome per week (leads created, pages published, calls scheduled)

Common mistakes & fixes

1. Overloading week: fix by enforcing weekly capacity and prioritizing A tasks only.
2. Vague tasks: fix by adding a measurable outcome and estimated hours.
3. Skipping review: fix with a standing 15-minute weekly review and a single adjustment rule.

1-week action plan (day-by-day)

1. Day 1: Write your goal, deadline, and weekly capacity.
2. Day 2: Run the AI prompt above and get a 4-week plan.
3. Day 3: Review and pick Week 1’s A tasks (block time in calendar).
4. Day 4–6: Execute the blocks. Aim for 80% completion.
5. Day 7: 15-minute review and adjust Week 2.

Your move.

[Jeff Bullas]

Quick win: In under 5 minutes, paste the sample prompt below into an AI chat with your goal filled in and you’ll get a tangible 4-week task plan to edit and use.

Why this works

AI is great at drafting structure — milestones, weekly tasks, estimated hours. But it needs clear inputs (goal, deadline, time you actually have) and one short human review to make the plan realistic.

What you’ll need

• A concise goal (one sentence) and a deadline
• Your real weekly capacity in hours
• Key constraints (people, tools, blockers)
• A place to store tasks (calendar, Todo app, spreadsheet)

Step-by-step (do this now)

1. Write your one-line goal and deadline. Example: “Launch a lead magnet and landing page by Dec 1.”
2. Open an AI chat and paste the prompt below, replacing the bracketed parts.
3. Ask for 4 weekly lists with 3–5 tasks each, hours per task, priority (A/B/C) and one measurable outcome per week.
4. Quick review: remove anything you can’t do, re-balance hours, keep only A tasks for the week if overloaded.
5. Import top-priority tasks into your calendar and block time to do them.
6. Do a 15-minute review at the end of each week and adjust the next week’s tasks.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is)

You are a productivity assistant. Convert the following goal into a 4-week execution plan. Inputs: Goal: [insert goal]. Deadline: [insert date]. Weekly capacity: [hours/week]. Constraints: [people, tools, blockers]. For each week produce 3–5 tasks, estimated hours, priority (A/B/C), and one measurable outcome. Also list the milestone at the end of 4 weeks. Keep tasks actionable and limited to my weekly capacity.

Example (short)

• Week 1: Decide lead magnet topic, draft outline, set up landing page skeleton — 6 hours total — Outcome: outline complete
• Week 2: Write lead magnet content, create CTA copy, build form — 6 hours — Outcome: lead magnet draft ready
• Week 3: Design and proof, set up email sequence, test form — 6 hours — Outcome: landing page live in staging
• Week 4: Launch, promote to 1 channel, capture first 10 leads — 6 hours — Outcome: 10 leads

Common mistakes & fixes

• Overloading weeks — enforce weekly capacity and make A tasks only mandatory.
• Vague tasks — add estimated hours and a measurable outcome.
• Skipping review — commit to 15 minutes weekly to adapt.

7-day action plan

1. Day 1: Fill the prompt with your goal and run the AI.
2. Day 2: Review and pick Week 1’s A tasks. Block time in the calendar.
3. Day 3–6: Execute the blocks. Aim for 80% completion of planned tasks.
4. Day 7: 15-minute review and adjust Week 2.

Try the prompt now with a real goal. The faster you try it, the sooner you’ll have a practical weekly plan you can actually follow.

[Becky Budgeter]

Short answer: Yes — AI can draft weekly tasks from your goals, but it works best when you give clear limits and spend 5–10 minutes reviewing the plan each week. I’ll walk you through what to prepare, exactly how to use AI without getting overwhelmed, and what to expect so this actually helps.

• What you’ll need
  • A one-sentence goal and a deadline (what success looks like).
  • Your real weekly time budget (hours you can reliably spend).
  • Key constraints: people who must be involved, tools you’ll use, known blockers.
  • A single place to keep tasks (calendar, to-do app or a simple spreadsheet).

1. How to do it — step-by-step
   1. Write the one-line goal and deadline. Keep it specific (example: “Publish a workshop landing page by March 31”).
   2. Tell the AI your weekly capacity and constraints. Ask it to break the goal into a short sequence of milestones and a 4-week plan with 3–5 actionable tasks per week. Ask each task to include an estimate of hours, a simple priority label (A/B/C), and one measurable outcome.
   3. Quick human review: remove or edit anything you can’t actually do, adjust hours to match your pace, and mark the week’s A tasks as your must-do items.
   4. Put the A tasks into your calendar as time blocks. Treat those blocks like appointments you won’t move unless something critical comes up.
   5. At the end of each week, spend 15 minutes to mark what you finished, note any blockers, and ask the AI to adjust the next week’s plan if needed.

• What to expect
  • Week 1: setup, decisions and small wins (clarity and a visible start).
  • Week 2–3: steady execution and inevitable tweaks as you learn what’s realistic.
  • Week 4: finish a testable milestone and gather a measurable result (e.g., a draft, a page live, first signups).
  • Metrics to watch: % planned tasks completed (aim 75–85%), hours planned vs hours used, and one measurable outcome per week.

Simple tip: When the AI suggests too many tasks, keep only the A-rated ones for the week — that’s how you build momentum without burning out.

Quick question to make this practical: how many hours per week can you realistically commit to this goal?

[Jeff Bullas]

Yes — and we can make it feel almost automatic. Give the AI a tight brief once, then run a short weekly review loop. That’s how you turn big goals into doable weeks without overwhelm.

Here’s the system I use with clients over 40 who want progress without the grind: capacity-capped planning plus a 15-minute weekly reset. It’s simple, repeatable, and forgiving when life happens.

• What you’ll prepare (5 minutes)
  • Your one-sentence goal and deadline.
  • Your weekly time budget (be honest — we’ll add a safety buffer).
  • Constraints: people, tools, dependencies, known blockers.
  • Definition of done: what “finished” looks like in one sentence.
  • Where tasks will live: calendar or to-do app.

1. Do this first
   1. Pick a realistic weekly capacity. Then plan only 80% of it. That 20% buffer is the difference between momentum and burnout.
   2. Decide your work windows (e.g., Tue/Thu 9–11am). Tasks expand to fill space; we’ll give them a container.
   3. Run the planning prompt below to generate a 4-week plan with A/B/C priorities and hour estimates.
   4. Keep only A tasks if the week is tight. B and C are stretch tasks, not promises.
   5. Import A tasks into your calendar as blocks. Treat them like appointments.

Copy-paste AI prompt (planning)

You are my capacity-capped planning assistant. Goal: [insert]. Deadline: [date]. Weekly capacity: [hours/week]. Preferred work windows: [e.g., Tue/Thu 9–11am]. Constraints: [tools, people, dependencies]. Definition of done: [one sentence]. Create a 4-week plan. For each week provide 3–5 tasks, estimated hours per task, A/B/C priority, and one measurable weekly outcome. Enforce total hours per week ≤ 80% of capacity. Front-load decisions and setup in Week 1. Flag dependencies. End with a one-paragraph milestone summary and a plain checklist I can paste into my calendar.

Insider trick: Ask the AI to start with 3 clarifying questions if anything is vague. You’ll get a sharper plan and fewer rewrites.

Example (two capacities to show realism)

• Goal: “Launch a simple newsletter with a landing page by March 31.”
• Capacity 3 hrs/week (buffered plan at 2.4 hrs):
  • Week 1 (2.4h): Choose topic + name (0.5h, A); pick tool (0.5h, A); draft landing page copy (1.4h, A). Outcome: draft copy ready.
  • Week 2 (2.4h): Build landing page (1.5h, A); set up sign-up form (0.5h, A); write welcome email (0.4h, B). Outcome: page in staging.
  • Week 3 (2.4h): Test + fix (0.8h, A); design simple header (0.6h, B); write first issue outline (1.0h, A). Outcome: page ready to go live.
  • Week 4 (2.4h): Launch (0.5h, A); share to 1 channel (0.7h, A); schedule issue #1 (1.2h, A). Outcome: first 10 sign-ups.
• Capacity 6 hrs/week (buffered plan at 4.8 hrs):
  • Weeks mirror above, but with one extra B task each week (e.g., add a basic lead magnet draft). Outcome target: 25 sign-ups by Week 4.

Your weekly rhythm (the “automatic” part)

1. Monday: glance at the plan, confirm calendar blocks (2 minutes).
2. Midweek: if a block slips, keep the same total hours — move, don’t delete (1 minute).
3. Friday: 15-minute review using the prompt below. That’s your reset for next week.

Copy-paste AI prompt (weekly review)

You are my planning editor. This week I planned: [paste tasks with A/B/C and hours]. I completed: [list]. Blockers: [list]. Keep next week within ≤ 80% of my capacity: [hours/week]. Roll over only what matters, re-estimate hours, keep 3–5 tasks total, and propose one task to drop. Output: revised weekly list (A/B/C, hours), one measurable outcome, and a 1-sentence rationale.

Optional daily focus prompt (when time is tight)

I have [X] minutes now. My Week [N] A tasks are: [list]. Create a mini plan with: (1) 5-minute setup, (2) focused blocks, (3) 5-minute wrap with next step. Keep me within this time.

Common mistakes and fast fixes

• Planning to 100% capacity → Fix: cap at 80% and protect the buffer.
• Vague tasks → Fix: start each with a verb and an output (e.g., “Draft 300-word landing copy”).
• Ignoring dependencies → Fix: ask the AI to flag blockers and front-load decisions in Week 1.
• Not calendaring → Fix: every A task gets a time block the moment it’s accepted.
• Over-collecting ideas → Fix: keep a separate backlog; only 3–5 tasks enter a week.

7-day starter plan

1. Day 1: Pick your goal, deadline, and weekly hours.
2. Day 2: Run the planning prompt. Answer clarifiers. Get the 4-week plan.
3. Day 3: Keep only A tasks for Week 1. Block time.
4. Days 4–6: Work the blocks. Move, don’t delete.
5. Day 7: Run the weekly review prompt. Adjust Week 2.

What to expect

• Week 1: decisions and setup; you’ll feel clearer immediately.
• Weeks 2–3: steady execution, small course corrections.
• Week 4: a testable milestone and a measurable result.

Reply with your goal, deadline, and how many hours per week you can commit. I’ll tailor the first 4-week plan and your Week 1 A-list so you can start today.

[aaron]

Smart call-out: the 80% capacity cap plus a 15-minute weekly reset is the engine. Let’s bolt on KPIs and a simple auto-tuning loop so AI not only plans your weeks but also adjusts based on results.

Do / Do not (the guardrails that make AI “automatic”)

• Do cap planned hours at ≤80% of your real capacity; don’t plan to 100% and hope.
• Do tie each week to one measurable KPI; don’t accept vague outcomes.
• Do set a WIP limit: max 3 A-tasks per week; don’t carry 8 “priorities.”
• Do force tasks to ≤90-minute blocks with a verb + output; don’t schedule amorphous work.
• Do front-load decisions and dependencies in Week 1; don’t defer approvals.
• Do calendar every A-task; don’t keep it in a list and hope time appears.
• Do drop at least one task weekly; don’t roll everything forward.
• Do backsolve task volume from KPI math; don’t assume effort equals impact.

What you’ll need

• One-sentence goal + deadline + definition of done.
• Weekly capacity in hours (we’ll plan 80% of it).
• Constraints: people, tools, approvals, dependencies.
• Baseline funnel math if relevant (e.g., outreach → replies → calls).
• Where tasks live: calendar or to-do app.

Planning prompt (copy-paste)

You are my KPI-first planning assistant. Goal: [insert]. Deadline: [date]. Weekly capacity: [hours]. Work windows: [e.g., Tue/Thu 9–11am]. Constraints: [tools, people, dependencies]. Definition of done: [one sentence]. Provide a 4-week plan capped at ≤80% of capacity. For each week: 3–5 tasks (each ≤90 minutes), hour estimates, A/B/C priority (max 3 A-tasks), and one KPI outcome with a numeric target. Backsolve weekly task volumes from assumed conversion rates (state the assumptions). Front-load decisions/dependencies in Week 1. End with: (1) milestone summary, (2) plain checklist to paste into my calendar, (3) risks + mitigations.

Auto-tune prompt (weekly)

You are my weekly planning editor. Planned vs. actual last week: [paste tasks with A/B/C, hours, KPI target vs. actual]. Blockers: [list]. Capacity next week (80% cap): [hours]. Revise the next week’s plan to hit my KPI by the deadline: re-estimate hours, keep 3–5 tasks, propose one task to drop, tighten assumptions, and adjust volumes (e.g., outreach count) so the math still lands on the goal. Output: revised weekly list (A/B/C, hours), updated KPI target, and a one-sentence rationale.

Worked example (KPI-led)

Goal: Book 10 qualified sales conversations in 4 weeks. Capacity: 6 hrs/week → plan at 4.8 hrs. Assumptions: 10% reply rate, 50% of replies convert to calls → need ~200 outreaches total (~50/week).

• Week 1 (4.8h) — Outcome KPI: 40 outreaches sent, 4 replies
  • A: Finalize ICP + message template v1 (0.9h)
  • A: Build 60-prospect list (0.9h)
  • A: Send first 40 personalized outreaches (3.0h)
  • B: Set up simple tracking sheet (0.3h)
• Week 2 (4.8h) — Outcome KPI: 50 outreaches, 5 replies, 2 calls booked
  • A: Send 50 outreaches (3.5h)
  • A: Follow-up to Week 1 non-responders (0.8h)
  • A: Book and confirm calls (0.5h)
  • B: Tweak template based on reply patterns (0.4h)
• Week 3 (4.8h) — Outcome KPI: 50 outreaches, 6 replies, 3 calls booked
  • A: Send 50 outreaches (3.5h)
  • A: Follow-up cadence #2 (0.8h)
  • A: Qualification + scheduling (0.5h)
  • B: Draft a simple one-pager to increase conversions (0.4h)
• Week 4 (4.8h) — Outcome KPI: 60 outreaches, 7 replies, 3 calls booked (cumulative ≈10)
  • A: Send 60 outreaches (4.0h)
  • A: Final follow-ups (0.6h)
  • B: Prep call agenda + notes template (0.2h)

Why this works

• KPI backsolving converts “do more” into precise volumes (e.g., 50 outreaches/week).
• ≤90-minute tasks increase completion rates for busy schedules.
• Weekly auto-tuning keeps the math honest when reality shifts.

Metrics to track (weekly scoreboard)

• % of A-tasks completed (target 80%+)
• Hours planned vs. used (variance ≤20%)
• Throughput: units completed vs. required (e.g., outreaches/week)
• Conversion by stage (reply rate, booking rate)
• Time-to-first-outcome (days to first reply/call)

Common mistakes and quick fixes

1. Planning tasks longer than 90 minutes → Fix: split by output (e.g., “Send 15 outreaches”).
2. No KPI target per week → Fix: force one numeric outcome every week.
3. Rolling everything forward → Fix: use a “drop-one” rule in the weekly edit.
4. Ignoring conversion data → Fix: adjust volumes weekly via the auto-tune prompt.
5. Underestimating approvals/dependencies → Fix: front-load decisions in Week 1 and set deadlines.

1-week action plan (make it real)

1. Day 1: Write your goal, deadline, definition of done, capacity (honest hours).
2. Day 2: Run the KPI-first planning prompt. Accept a plan at ≤80% capacity.
3. Day 3: Calendar your Week 1 A-tasks (max 3), each ≤90 minutes.
4. Days 4–6: Execute. If a block slips, move it within the week; keep total hours.
5. Day 7: Run the auto-tune prompt with your actuals. Adjust Week 2 to stay on target.

Your move.

[Author]

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