I didn’t expect AI to help with the winter blues — but these 9 prompts actually work

Winter has a way of quietly draining motivation. By mid-January, even simple tasks can feel heavier — and no amount of productivity advice seems to help. I test AI tools for a living, but during the winter months, I’ve found myself using my favorite chatbots for something far less technical: staying emotionally steady when my energy dips and motivation feels unreliable.

My go-to prompts aren't typical productivity hacks. They’re the questions I turn to on low-energy days when I just need to feel a little more grounded. Here are nine prompts I use regularly during the winter months — and why they work.

1. The low-energy permission prompt

Prompt: I’m feeling low-energy today and don’t want to push myself too hard. Help me plan a realistic day that still feels like a win.

I use this one a lot on the weekends, especially because winter often turns nonactivity into guilt. If I relax on the weekends, I feel less productive. Bingeing my favorite shows on the couch isn't something I typically do when the weather is nice.

This prompt gives permission to meet myself where I am. Instead of an overwhelming to-do list, AI helps define what “enough” looks like today, not on an ideal day.

2. The one-thing momentum prompt

Prompt: If I can only accomplish one meaningful thing today, what should it be — and why does it matter?

When motivation is low, everything feels equally hard. This prompt cuts through paralysis and narrows the focus to one achievable action. Once that’s done, momentum often follows — but even if it doesn’t, the day still counts. This one is usually my go-to after work when I have those evening chores that stack up during the week.

3. The winter reframe prompt

Prompt: Help me reframe winter as a slower season instead of a failed one.

After using this prompt to help reframe my mindset, I've realized that it's okay for winter to have different rules.

This prompt is a gentle reminder that lower energy doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. It means you’re moving through a season designed for rest, reflection and recalibration.

4. The tomorrow anchor prompt

Prompt: Suggest one small thing I can look forward to tomorrow that fits a cold, dark winter day.

This one is probably my favorite. I use it as motivation to help achieve goals that feel more distant in winter. It's the small, immediate anchors — a favorite coffee, a cozy show a walk during daylight — that can be surprisingly stabilizing. This mindshift helps create something tangible to look forward to.

5. The motivation-without-pressure prompt

Prompt: Encourage me without telling me to grind harder, optimize my life or push through exhaustion.

I've checked out my fair share of self-help books and motivational podcasts, but much of the “motivation” content feels aggressive when I'm already depleted. This prompt filters out hustle culture language and replaces it with calm, supportive encouragement — the kind that actually lands when energy is low.

6. The “why I started” prompt

Prompt: Remind me why the things I care about still matter, even when I feel tired and unmotivated.

It's no secret that winter dulls enthusiasm. This prompt reconnects helps to reconnect with real purpose — not in a dramatic way, but in a steady, reassuring one. It’s especially useful for creative work or long-term projects that feel stalled.

7. The mental clutter dump prompt

Prompt: Help me unload everything that’s been weighing on my mind lately and organize it into things I can act on and things I can let go.

For me, winter stress often comes from accumulation — thoughts piling up with nowhere to go. This prompt works like a fast, guided brain dump, helping separate solvable problems from mental noise. I often use this one while journaling with ChatGPT.

8. The routine reset prompt

Prompt: Help me gently reset my daily routine for winter without waking up earlier, working harder, or cutting out comforts.

When I'm stuck in a rut or winter funk, this prompt helps pull me out of it. Most routines are designed for high-energy seasons, but by giving myself an opportunity to adapt to the reality of winter — shorter daylight, harder to get out of bed, the need for warmth and comfort, I've been able to rest without making drastic changes.

9. The future-me check-in prompt

Prompt: Write a short note from my future self reminding me that this low-energy season passed.

If you have memory enabled, this one is surprisingly realistic. ChatGPT gets the voice and tone right to offer perspective when days feel repetitive and heavy. This is the most emotional prompt on the list but it's the best for reminding you that winter is temporary, even when it doesn’t feel that way.

The takeaway

You can use these prompts in ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or any AI chatbot you’re comfortable with. Copy and paste them exactly as written, or tweak the wording to match how you think and speak.

What makes these prompts effective isn’t that they “fix” anything. They reduce decision fatigue, soften self-criticism and create structure without pressure — which is exactly what many people need during the darker months.

If you are struggling with seasonal depression, it's important to know that AI is not a replacement for a licensed therapist or doctor.

These prompts simply offer reflection, reassurance and clarity when motivation is hard to come by.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

• AI is quietly breaking the internet — and most people don’t even realize it yet
• AirPods killer? OpenAI’s massive hardware leak targets Apple’s earbuds
• I didn’t expect AI to be this useful — 9 ways I use chatbots every day