Making AI Your Work Day Wingman: Practical Ways to Use Generative AI on the Job

You’ve likely started experimenting with generative AI—maybe even using it regularly. Like any new tool, it takes a little time and practice to build your skills. Once you do, it can become a powerful part of your everyday workflow. 

Below are practical ways to incorporate AI into your day, game-changing prompts to try, and a few simple best practices to help you get more value—faster. 

🛠️ Everyday Uses of Generative AI (That Actually Save You Time) 

You don’t need a big strategy or special training to start. Here are practical ways to use AI throughout your workday, even in a non-technical role: 

• Summarize long or complex info 
  → Get the key takeaways from reports, meeting notes, or technical docs—fast. 

• Plan your day or prioritize tasks 
  → Drop in your to-do list and get help organizing it realistically. 

• Brainstorm creative ideas 
  → Stuck naming a campaign, writing a subject line, or designing a team activity? Let AI spark ideas. 

• Prep for feedback conversations 
  → Ask it to help you phrase constructive feedback with clarity and care. 

• Learn something new quickly 
  → Use AI to explain a topic in plain English—like you’re new to it. 

🔑 Game-Changing Prompts to Try 

Here are 7 copy-and-paste prompts that can make your work easier starting today: 

• “Turn these bullet points into a professional email.” 
  Insert bullet points here. Ask for a friendly, clear tone. 

• “Summarize this text in plain language, like I’m explaining it to a coworker.” 
  Insert a paragraph or doc content you want distilled. 

• “Here’s what I need to do today—help me prioritize it into a schedule.” 
  Include your list and your working hours. 

• “Give me 5 creative ideas for [insert task: subject line, event name, team-building activity, etc.].” 

• “Rewrite this to sound more confident and concise.” 
  Paste in your draft and watch it level up. 

• “Explain this concept like I’m brand new to it. Use a simple example.” 
  Great for training prep or onboarding. 

• “Help me write supportive but direct feedback to a teammate about [insert situation].” 
  Ask for it to be constructive, not harsh. 

📌 Best Practices for Using Generative AI Effectively 

Just like any tool, how you use AI makes all the difference. These quick habits can take your results from “meh” to surprisingly useful. 

• Give context before asking for output 

• Set the scene: Who are you? Who’s the audience? What’s your goal? 

• Example: “I’m a project coordinator writing to a vendor about a delayed timeline. I want to be transparent but not burn a bridge.” 

• Assign the AI a role or persona 

• Ask it to “act like” a recruiter, coach, analyst, etc. It shifts the tone and depth of the response. 

• Example: “Act like a marketing manager. Help me brainstorm an internal campaign to boost engagement.” 

• Ask: ‘What do you need from me?’ 

• If you’re not sure where to start, try asking the AI what input it needs. This can help clarify your own thinking, too. 

• Prompt: “I want to create a presentation about our Q3 results. What do you need from me to help get started?” 

• Give an example or reference 

• Whether it’s a tone, a format, or a past success, AI learns fast from examples. 

• “Here’s a version of this I wrote last month that worked well. Use a similar tone for this new one.” 

• Refine with follow-up prompts 

• The first draft doesn’t have to be the last. Tweak it, rephrase it, or dig deeper—just like you would with a human collaborator. 

• “Now make this version more conversational.” 
  “Can you shorten this to 3 bullet points?” 

• Sense-check the final product 

• AI can be confident, even when it’s wrong. Always review for accuracy, tone, and relevance—especially for public-facing or sensitive topics. 

Final Thought: It’s a Tool, Not a Replacement 

AI won’t replace your judgment, empathy, or creativity—but it can amplify all three. 
Used well, it helps you spend less time spinning your wheels and more time doing meaningful work. 

The future of work isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about knowing which tools to bring into the room.