How I Actually Use ChatGPT Day to Day

I get asked a lot about how I use ChatGPT in my work. Not in the abstract, but in practice. Since I spend most of my time in the middle of multiple projects—running client strategy, building software, documenting ideas, and spinning up experiments—I’ve built a workflow where ChatGPT is basically a thought partner, editor, and assistant rolled into one.

Here’s what that looks like in my day to day.

Code and Technical Workflows

A lot of my usage is deeply technical. I’ll drop a code.txt file into a chat and ask:

• “Where are we right now with this?”
• “Where is this heading?”

ChatGPT helps me summarize the current state of a repo and gives me clarity on the next logical moves. This is especially useful when I’ve been away from a repo for a few days and need to quickly reload my mental model.

I also use it as a guide for my VS Code agents—writing structured “agent instructions” that it can execute against the repo. This creates consistency across my projects and keeps me from reinventing the wheel every time I spin up a new one.

Day-to-Day Reflections

I use ChatGPT almost like a journal and reflection tool. I’ll record audio throughout the day (voice notes, meeting recaps, random thoughts), transcribe it, and then ask:

• “What are the key themes in what I just said?”
• “Turn this into a summary I can build on.”

This gives me a clear picture of my own thinking, beyond the noise. It’s like having an outside observer reflect back patterns that I might miss.

Client and Agency Work

When working with clients, I’ll often paste in emails, decks, or transcripts and ask ChatGPT to:

• Clarify the core themes.
• Suggest talking points or scope outlines.
• Draft responses in my own voice.

This keeps me fast and consistent while maintaining my personal tone. Clients often assume I just “know” how to respond clearly under pressure—but in reality, I’m co-writing with AI to reduce the cognitive load.

Knowledge Management

Over time, I’ve come to treat ChatGPT as a bridge between my knowledge sources. I’ll paste in:

• Google Analytics exports
• Internal strategy docs
• Random notes from Obsidian or Notion

And then ask it to stitch connections between them. It helps me spot patterns across projects and recognize when something I learned in one domain can be applied to another.

Context Switching with Ease

This is where ChatGPT is the biggest lifesaver. When I move from one project to another, I don’t carry everything in my head. Instead:

• I leave a breadcrumb in ChatGPT about what I was doing.
• I ask it to generate a snapshot for my return.
• It gives me entry prompts that help me restart quickly.

This turns context switching from something I used to dread into something I can handle gracefully.

Co-Creation

Finally, a lot of my Labs content—including this very piece—starts in ChatGPT. I’ll outline an idea, get a first draft, then shape it into something publishable. It’s not about outsourcing creativity; it’s about having a sparring partner that lets me move from thought → draft → artifact with far less friction.

A Day in the Life with ChatGPT

Here’s a real example of how I use ChatGPT across a typical day:

• 9:00 AM – Repo Check-In
  I paste in yesterday’s code changes and ask: “Where are we, and what’s next?” ChatGPT highlights unfinished tests and suggests the next logical sprint item.

• 11:00 AM – Client Prep
  I drop in notes from a previous call and ask for talking points. It generates a clean scope narrative that I can use for today’s meeting.

• 12:30 PM – Audio Debrief
  I record a quick lunch-time reflection, transcribe it, and ask for key themes. This helps me notice where my attention is going across projects.

• 2:00 PM – Context Switch
  Moving from agency work to my own platform builds, I ask ChatGPT to reload a snapshot of the MODAL or Labs repo. It hands me a ready-to-go entry point.

• 4:00 PM – Research Thread
  I’ve been digging into Stripe Connect patterns. Instead of juggling tabs, I ask ChatGPT to summarize the patterns and hold the thread so I can return later.

• 6:00 PM – Content Co-Creation
  I spin up a Labs draft by bouncing an idea off ChatGPT. It gives me a conversational first pass, which I refine into something more polished.

• 8:30 PM – Daily Wrap-Up
  Before closing my laptop, I drop in the day’s notes and ask for a summary and tomorrow’s jump-start prompts. That way I can start fresh the next morning.

The Real Picture

If I zoom out, ChatGPT is woven through everything:

• It’s the first place I go when I need clarity.
• It’s where I leave notes for my future self.
• It’s the scaffolding that supports my coding, writing, and client conversations.

I don’t treat it as a “tool” I occasionally use. It’s become part of my workflow DNA—always present, always shaping how I can work faster and think clearer.