Well Wired · Cedric the AI Monk
Seven copy-paste prompts that interrupt a stuck mind, shift your state, and get you moving again — each under 5 minutes.
Free · Once-off · Keep foreverYour brain doesn’t need more information. It needs a pattern interrupt.
These seven AI prompts are the ones I use personally and with clients when the mind is circling, froze, or overwhelmed. They’re not journaling exercises. They’re quick cognitive resets — designed with NLP, behaviour design, and a touch of Zen. Copy the prompt, paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI, answer the follow-up questions it generates, and notice what shifts.
One per day for a week. Or reach for whichever one matches your state right now.
How to use this cheatsheet
01
Read the "when to use" note to find the right reset for your current state.
02
Copy the prompt exactly. Paste into any AI. Answer honestly — this is for you, not the AI.
03
Take one action from the output before you close the tab. Insight without action is just entertainment.
The 7 Resets
Mental fog usually means your working memory is overloaded with unfinished loops. This prompt externalises all of them at once, so your brain can let go.
The Prompt
"I feel mentally foggy and overwhelmed right now. Ask me 5 short questions to help me empty my mind onto the page. After I answer, organise what I said into: (1) things I need to do today, (2) things I’m worried about but can’t control, (3) things I can let go of entirely. Then give me one sentence that captures what I actually need right now."
Monday mornings, after a busy weekend, or any time you sit down to work and stare at the screen for 20 minutes doing nothing.
Self-criticism is just misdirected intelligence. This prompt doesn’t silence the inner critic — it puts it to work.
The Prompt
"I’m being very hard on myself about [describe the situation briefly]. Play the role of a wise, warm mentor who has seen thousands of people face this exact thing. Tell me: (1) what the self-criticism is actually trying to protect me from, (2) what the more useful version of this same energy looks like, and (3) one thing I can do in the next hour that my past self would be proud of."
You’ve made a mistake, missed a goal, or are comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel.
Most decision paralysis isn’t about lack of information. It’s about hidden values in conflict. This prompt names the conflict directly.
The Prompt
"I’m stuck trying to decide between [Option A] and [Option B]. I’ve been going back and forth without resolution. Help me by: (1) identifying what value or fear each option represents for me, (2) asking me three questions I haven’t thought to ask myself, (3) pointing out if there’s a hidden third option I might be missing. Don’t tell me what to do — help me see more clearly."
A decision has been circling in your head for more than 48 hours without moving forward.
Unexplained fatigue is almost always a signal, not a mystery. This prompt helps you read the signal.
The Prompt
"I’m feeling drained but I’m not sure why. Walk me through a quick energy audit. Ask me about: my sleep, my physical state, what I’ve been giving my attention to this week, and whether there’s anything unresolved sitting in the background. After I answer, give me: (1) your best guess at the real drain, (2) one thing to add to my day, and (3) one thing to remove or pause."
It’s 2pm and you feel like you’ve already run a marathon, or you wake up tired despite sleeping.
Procrastination is rarely laziness. It’s usually overwhelm or unclear next steps. This prompt shrinks the task until movement is unavoidable.
The Prompt
"I’ve been avoiding [task or project] and I’m not sure why. Help me: (1) identify the real reason I’m avoiding it — not the surface reason, the actual one, (2) break it down into a first step so small it would be embarrassing not to do it, and (3) give me an ‘if-then’ plan: if [trigger], then I will [action]. Keep it practical and direct."
A task has been on your to-do list for more than a week and you keep skipping it.
The Zen trick: zoom out until the problem looks the right size. AI is surprisingly good at this.
The Prompt
"I’m stressed about [brief description of problem]. Help me get perspective by doing three things: (1) ask me whether this will matter in 10 years — and if not, what might, (2) name one person who has faced something harder and what they did, (3) give me a reframe — what is this situation trying to teach me or build in me? Keep the tone warm but honest."
You’re catastrophising, spiralling, or a setback feels like a verdict on your worth.
Most people end their day by carrying everything into the evening and then bed. This prompt creates a clean cut — psychological closure is a skill, and AI makes it faster.
The Prompt
"Help me close out my day with a quick reset. Ask me: (1) what’s one thing I actually did well today, even if it seems small, (2) what’s the one thing still sitting unfinished in my mind — and do I need to do something about it tonight or can I set it aside, (3) what’s the single most important thing to do tomorrow? After I answer, give me a one-sentence intention to carry into my evening."
Any weekday evening. Build this into your shutdown routine and watch your mornings improve within a week.
AI prompts, tools, and wellbeing frameworks — written by Cedric the AI Monk.
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