I use AI every day testing prompts and comparing models to figure out what actually works. It’s literally my job. So when something feels off in my workflow, I usually assume I already know why. But recently, I didn’t, so instead of guessing, I tried something different.
So I gave ChatGPT a single frustration and asked it to walk me through the “5 Whys” — a root-cause analysis method pioneered by Toyota’s Sakichi Toyoda and later formalized by industrial engineer Taiichi Ohno. What came out of that conversation wasn’t what I expected. And honestly, it wasn’t entirely comfortable either.
The prompt I used
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I kept it simple: “I’m going to describe something that’s not working the way I want it to. Ask me ‘why’ five times in a row to help me uncover the root cause. Don’t jump ahead — just guide me one step at a time.”
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Then I gave it this: “I spend a lot of time researching and creating prompts, but when it comes time to write, I sometimes run out of time in the day.”
To be fair, I’m a stickler for time management and often get a head start before my day begins and over the weekend. I live and breathe AI news, but some days are far busier than others. As an AI editor, I know this isn’t just a “me problem” as many industries are just as busy as mine. I figured giving this prompt a go might help others with a lot on their plate.
Here’s how it unfolded.
Answering the ‘5 whys’
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Why #1: Why do you think you run out of time when it’s time to write?
My response: Because I’m constantly switching between tasks and discovering new ideas.
Why #2: Why are you constantly switching between tasks and chasing new ideas instead of staying focused on writing?
My response: Because I’m reacting to Slack, email and new ideas as they come in.
Why #3: Why do you feel the need to immediately respond to Slack, email, and new ideas as they come in?
My response: Because I feel like I need to stay responsive and not miss anything important.
Why #4: Why do you feel like missing something would have negative consequences for your work or reputation?
My response: Because I associate responsiveness with being on top of things — like I’m doing a good job.
Why #5: Why do you equate being constantly responsive with doing a good job, rather than completing your most important work?
My response: Because it’s visible. It feels productive, even if it’s not actually moving anything forward.
What to read next
The moment it clicked. By the third “why,” I realized this wasn’t a time management issue. I wasn’t stuck because I had too much to do — I was stuck because I kept choosing what was perceived more productive over what actually moved things forward. That’s not something I would’ve written down on my own. But seeing it broken down step by step made it hard to ignore.
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This was one of those “ah ha” moments for me. I really didn’t need to overhaul my entire workflow. Like I said, I am really good at hitting deadlines but the anxiety of not getting something done or feeling like everything was urgent had begun to take a toll.
So, I made one shift: I started finishing one task before checking anything else. I set two specific windows to respond to messages instead of reacting all day. I also set up more “focus time,” so others knew when I was head down writing.
I asked myself one question before switching tasks: “Is this actually more important, or just more immediate?”
That alone changed how my day felt. My stress level has gone down significantly and my husband and kids noticed the other day. And ironically, I still got back to people — just not instantly. I finally convinced myself that not everything was urgent, and this has helped me relax more in my personal life too.
Why this worked (and why it’s different from most prompts)
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When my kids go on a “why?” spree with one “why?” after another, it gets annoying. But it led me to the conclusion that asking a question more than once and in different ways can help me slow down and interrogate my own thinking.
I normally wouldn’t do this on my own, but using this prompt with AI helps me come to a conclusion right away. In other words, the “5 Whys” works because it removes surface-level excuses, reveals patterns I may have missed or don’t see in real time and turns my vague frustrations into something specific and actionable.
When you pair it with AI, you get something even better: a neutral guide that keeps you honest without jumping to conclusions.
You can try it yourself for just about anything. I use it now for personal, professional or parenting issues I’m struggling with. Other examples could be: “Why do I keep overspending?” “Why can’t I stay focused?” or “Why does this task always take longer than it should?”
Just start with: “Ask me why five times to help me get to the root cause of this.”
The more honest you are with your answers, the better the outcome.
The takeaway
You can use this prompt with any chatbot or AI assistant because it explicitly tells the AI what to do. In other words, you won’t end up with excess follow up questions beyond the feedback of your “whys.”
What I found from using theis prompt is a pattern that I didn’t even realize I had — one that was quietly slowing me down every day. While this particular sitatuation wasn’t groundbreaking, this prompt could be used at any time. Just be ready for what the AI reveals. It may sting a bit, but it helps get to the bottom of the problem.
Give it a try and let me know in the comments what you think. Also, let me know what chatbot you prefer to use this prompt with — I’m curious which one you think is best.
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