Chapter 1: Reflections on My Disorganized Workspace

This morning, I came across an article claiming that ChatGPT is assisting individuals with daily challenges. The New York Times highlighted 35 different applications, ranging from planning gardens to crafting wedding speeches. While reading this at my chaotic desk, I decided to ask a few questions of my own.

Admittedly, my desk is a sight to behold. The state of my hair isn't much better, but let's address the desk first. ChatGPT advised that although tidying up might feel overwhelming, with some motivation and planning, I could manage it efficiently.

Overwhelming is an understatement—if only they could see the picture! Still, I'm unsure about how motivated I truly am to tackle this mess. So, I asked ChatGPT for guidance on where to begin.

“Start by removing everything from your desk and placing it on the floor. This will create a blank canvas for you to work with. Next, assess each item. Keep what you need, and discard or donate what you don’t.”

Really? Everything off my desk onto the floor? I attempted this a month ago in my pantry, and everything remains sprawled out. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve stumbled over cans of corn and diced tomatoes. I keep promising myself to return everything to its proper spot, but then something more engaging catches my attention—almost anything is more interesting than cleaning!

And sorting through items one by one? I’m not sure what an empty Spanish anchovy box is doing alongside my guidebook on the South of France, but it might have a purpose, so I'm hesitant to toss it.

Chapter 2: Understanding My Lack of Motivation

Moving on to my next query: Why do I feel lazy? ChatGPT offered several possible explanations, from boredom to being overwhelmed. Both resonate with my feelings about cleaning the desk, clearly indicating a lack of motivation to act. Last year, in response to a piece by Michelle Scorziello titled “What do the Contents of Your Desk Reveal?” I expressed my reluctance to consider what mine might indicate. Just yesterday, I uncovered a carton of Bouillon De Poulet that had somehow migrated from the kitchen and hidden under an overdue bill and a stray sock. As I attempted to tidy up, I envisioned Michelle flying over from France to help me achieve the orderly desk she maintains.

Since Michelle didn’t materialize, my desk remains as chaotic as ever. I suspect it will continue to look the same a year from now. But enough about my desk; let’s shift focus.

Chapter 3: Hair Woes and Lifestyle Considerations

If only I could send ChatGPT a picture of my hair along with my inquiry! It might have suggested staying out of the wind. Instead, it encouraged me to reflect on my lifestyle. If I frequently attend formal events, I might want a look that's more refined and elegant.

I had to ponder that for a moment.

Was a polished look suitable for last Saturday's village soirée? It was quite the event, featuring vibrant strobe lights and Monsieur Le Mayor belting out a few tunes, as he often does, with my French friend Helene in a stunning white dress with a red sash dancing the tango. However, “sophisticated”? Perhaps not.

ChatGPT also suggested consulting a hairstylist. A professional can help identify the best style for my hair type and face shape, offering insights based on my preferences.

Yet, I should mention that I live in France and my French isn't exactly fluent. Past experiences have taught me to tread carefully in salons where English is not spoken. I recall a time when I merely wanted a trim.

Not knowing the terminology, I mimed cutting the ends of my hair. The stylist smiled, nodded, and led me to a chair—I suspect she told me to sit, but I didn’t comprehend, which is why I needed guidance.

In the U.S., stylists often warned me about my hair being fragile and dry, upselling treatments as a result. So when the French stylist lifted a strand and said “dégradé,” I mistakenly understood it as “degraded,” thinking she was recommending a treatment.

An innocent abroad, just wanting to please, I smiled and nodded.

My first blunder.

Instead of a conditioning treatment, I ended up with numerous layers haphazardly cut into my hair, which I had been trying to grow out. And let’s not even mention the bangs.

After that experience, I vowed to keep French scissors away from my hair. Even if I declined “dégradé,” I was bound to encounter other terms I wouldn’t grasp, and I didn’t want to deal with the consequences. Long and unruly became my new norm.

Chapter 4: A Wish for Simplicity

Now here I am, seated at my disordered desk, grappling with unmanageable hair and feeling utterly unmotivated. ChatGPT didn’t provide much insight on hair care.

Perhaps I simply posed the wrong questions. In that same New York Times article, someone mentioned that ChatGPT helped him learn Chinese. Perhaps I should seek assistance with my ongoing attempts to master the language of Molière.

For now, however, I just want to wander down to the garden and tinker. Speaking of which, we bought a lime tree a few years ago, but it now seems to be producing lemons. We’re quite baffled and a bit disappointed—we needed limes for our gin and tonics!

Any thoughts, ChatGPT?

If the tree was labeled “citron vert,” which means “green lemon” in English, but the fruit it bears is “citron,” resembling a lemon but with a thicker rind and less juice, then there may have been a labeling error.

Right, thanks ChatGPT. For now, I have no more questions.

Thanks for reading! I love hearing from my readers, so feel free to share your thoughts. Claps are appreciated too—whether five, ten, or even fifty! If you hold your finger down, you can make it 50. It'll make me happy and give you a little exercise. Win-win. Stay tuned for more stories!

Chapter 5: Practical Solutions for Desk Organization

In the first video, titled “When ChatGPT is LAZY... Do THIS! (2 methods),” the presenter discusses two practical methods for overcoming procrastination and enhancing productivity.

The second video, “Why ChatGPT Seems Lazy & How to Fix It (Token Override Hack!),” explores the reasons behind perceived laziness in AI interactions and offers insightful hacks to improve engagement.