Technique

One Thing at a Time

Big prompts with multiple tasks get mediocre results. Break it up.

See the Difference

Same goal. One asks for everything at once.

All at once
You: "I need to write a blog post about remote work. Brainstorm 10 topic ideas, pick the best one, create an outline, write the intro paragraph, and suggest 5 headlines."

Here are 10 topics... The best one is #3... Here's an outline... [shallow outline] Here's an intro... [generic intro] And here are 5 headlines... [bland headlines]

Everything gets rushed. Nothing gets the attention it deserves.

Step by step
Prompt 1: "Brainstorm 10 blog post ideas about remote work."

[10 thoughtful, varied ideas with brief descriptions]

Prompt 2: "I like #4. Create a detailed outline for that post."

[Thorough outline with sections, sub-points, key arguments]

Each step gets full attention. Quality improves at every stage.

Why This Works

When you ask AI to do five things in one prompt, it splits its focus. Each task gets a fraction of the effort. The result is shallow work across the board.

When you focus on one task at a time, AI can go deeper. You can also steer each step—picking the best brainstorm idea before moving on, refining the outline before writing.

How to Break It Up

The Technique

Don't cram multiple tasks into one prompt. Break big requests into smaller steps. Work through them one at a time.

When to Use This