You ever just sit there looking at a empty screen? Like your whole brain just went somewhere else. Deadlines getting closer but I can’t think of nothing. That little line just keeps blinking, almost like its laughing at me.
Yep, I know that feeling way too good.
Lost count of how many times this happened. Usually late at night. Cold coffee sitting there. Had the document open forever and didn’t write a single word. Didn’t even name it sometimes.
So here’s what helped me. Its not some crazy trick or anything dishonest, just this one ChatGPT prompt that made my brain work better when everything felt stuck in there.
I’ve talked more about using ChatGPT the right way for school work in my guide on how to use ChatGPT for students.
You are not stupid if this happens to you. Everyone goes through it.
Section 1: The first step is not writing. It is thinking
Nobody really explains this part early enough. The hard thing isn’t actually the writing. Its getting your thoughts straight first.
I use to open ChatGPT and just type “write this essay for me” or “make a intro.” Sometimes it worked okay. I actually broke this mistake down properly in my post on how to write an essay with ChatGPT without it sounding fake. But then the words felt weird, like they wasn’t really from me at all.
Turns out I was approaching it wrong the whole time.
What you need is ChatGPT helping you think alongside you. Not doing it instead of you.
Here’s the prompt that basically changed everything:
“Help me think through this topic step by step. Ask me questions if needed.”
Simple as that.
First time I tried it felt kinda dumb? Why would I ask a computer to ask me stuff. But it actually worked way better then just staring at nothing by myself.
If your struggling right now just know your not the only one, most students are freaking out quietly in they rooms.
Section 2: Why this works when your brain feels fried
Your thoughts get all jumbled when your tired or stressed or just overwhelmed. Everything turns into this big confusing mess, ChatGPT helps you slow it down though.
It doesn’t just throw answers at you. Instead it breaks everything into smaller pieces, one thing at a time.
Like this one time I had to write about social media and mental health? Way too big of a topic and I completely froze up.
Used the prompt. Then ChatGPT started asking me stuff like:
What part do you wanna focus on?
You doing personal stories or research?
Should it be positive negative or somewhere in the middle?
Those questions was easier to handle. Wasn’t actually writing yet, just answering simple things without any pressure on me.
Before I would always skip this step and jump right into writing. Then later I’d wonder why nothing made sense in my paragraphs.
This same thinking-first approach is what I use when I’m planning longer content too, like I explained in how to write articles using ChatGPT.
Taking time to think first ended up saving me so much time after. Like a lot.
Section 3: How to use the chatgpt thinking prompt the right way
Just keep it casual, you don’t gotta sound all smart and formal. Type however you normally talk.
Here’s basically how to do it:
Put in your assignment question.
Add that thinking prompt.
Answer honestly even if your thoughts are messy.
You can literally say things like:
“I don’t really understand this part here.”
“The main point is confusing me.”
“I’m too tired and need help getting organized.”
Its totally fine to say that stuff.
One tip though, don’t copy everything ChatGPT gives you word for word. That lesson hit me again later when I was figuring out how to write a resume with ChatGPT without it sounding robotic.Treat it more like your brainstorming with someone. Write notes, then put it in your own words after.
Learned this the hard way when a teacher marked up half my paper in red pen once. That day sucked. But I learned from it.
Section 4: This makes assignments feel manageable
The biggest thing that changed for me wasn’t even about grades. It was how I felt.
Assignments stopped being so scary to me. They started feeling like something I could actually do.
Instead of “I got no clue where to even start” it turned into “Okay I just gotta answer this one question first.”
That shift in how you think about it really matters, especially when your dealing with multiple classes and life and days where you just have no energy.
You don’t need everything to be perfect, you just need to start moving forward.
This prompt gave me that first little push I needed. Everything else came naturally after that.
Conclusion: You are not bad at writing. You just needed help thinking.
If you remember anything from this let it be this thing, struggling don’t mean your failing at all. It means your learning something.
That fear of the blank page is real. Stress at night is real. Red marks hurt your feelings. But none of that stuff defines who you are as a person.
Use whatever tools help you. Ask people for help when you need it. Think out loud if that works.
This ChatGPT thinking prompt isn’t about taking shortcuts or nothing. Its really about getting clarity in your head.
And honestly?
Your gonna be fine.
Leave a Reply