AI Productivity for Busy Professionals

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Module 2 – Inbox & Email Productivity

Overview

Your inbox can easily consume hours every day. In this module, you’ll learn how to use AI to draft replies, summarise long threads, and turn scattered notes into clear emails, all while keeping your voice and judgement.

What you’ll learn

  • How to brief AI to write high-quality replies in your tone.
  • How to summarise long email threads into decisions and next steps.
  • How to build a small “email prompt library” for different scenarios.

1. Core patterns for email productivity

There are three high-impact patterns you’ll use repeatedly:

  1. Drafting – AI writes the first version; you edit.
  2. Summarising – AI condenses long threads into essentials.
  3. Transforming – AI turns bullets/notes into clear messages.

2. Real-life scenarios

Scenario A – Difficult client email

Before: A frustrated email from a client with multiple complaints.

Prompt:

You are my client communication assistant. I will paste an email from a client
who is unhappy.

Please write a calm, professional reply that:
- Acknowledges their concerns
- Clarifies any misunderstandings
- Outlines 2–3 concrete next steps we will take
- Keeps the tone empathetic but firm
- Uses UK English

First, summarise what the client is upset about in 3 bullet points.
Then, write the reply.

Here is the client email:
[PASTE EMAIL]

Scenario B – Confusing internal thread

You are my summarising assistant. I will paste a long internal email thread.

Please:
1) Summarise the thread in 5–7 bullet points.
2) List the decisions that have already been made.
3) List any open questions.
4) Suggest what you think my next action should be.

Here is the thread:
[PASTE THREAD]

Scenario C – Turning rough notes into a clear email

You are my email drafting assistant. I will paste rough notes and bullet points.

Please turn them into a clear email:
- Audience: <COLLEAGUE / CLIENT / MANAGER>
- Tone: <friendly / formal / neutral>
- Length: <short / moderate>
- Use UK English

Here are my notes:
[PASTE NOTES]

3. Prompt variants library

Use these variants to create your own email prompt library.

Reply quickly but clearly

Act as my email assistant. I will paste an email and my rough response.

Please rewrite my response so it is:
- Polite and clear
- Brief (max 150 words)
- In UK English

Email:
[PASTE ORIGINAL EMAIL]

My rough response:
[PASTE ROUGH RESPONSE]

Polish my draft

You are an editor. Please improve the email below for clarity, tone, and flow.
Keep my meaning and do not add new promises or information.

[PASTE DRAFT EMAIL]

Convert decisions into follow-up emails

You are my follow-up assistant. I will paste a list of decisions and actions.

Please write:
- One short follow-up email per stakeholder group
- Each email should recap the relevant decisions
- Include clear next steps and deadlines

Here is the decisions list:
[PASTE DECISIONS]

4. Mini exercises

  1. Choose one real email you’ve been putting off. Use the “client communication” or “rough notes to email” prompt to draft a reply.
  2. Take a long email thread and run it through the summarising prompt. Copy the bullet-point summary into your notes.
  3. Create a small “Email” section in your AI Playbook and store at least three prompts: drafting, summarising, and polishing.

5. Advanced techniques

  • Teach your tone: paste an example of an email you’ve written and ask AI to “match this style” in future drafts.
  • Guard rails: ask AI explicitly not to apologise unnecessarily or not to make promises you haven’t approved.
  • Batching: paste several short emails at once and ask AI to draft responses for each, labelled clearly.

Today’s action

  1. Clear at least three emails from your inbox using AI-assisted prompts.
  2. Save your best-performing prompts in your AI Playbook under “Email”.
  3. Decide which types of email you will always use AI for (e.g. summaries, routine updates).