5 AI habits that feel like cheating

Intro: 5 AI habits that make using ChatGPT feel like cheating

There are 5 ChatGPT habits I use every day that make AI feel like a cheat code. Here’s one right away: I set up a Mac shortcut so that anytime I hit option + spacebar, ChatGPT pops up instantly, just like Spotlight. That one tweak alone turns AI into a sidekick I can summon anytime.

And that’s just the start. I’m talking about having it push back on your thinking, and even building templates that save hours of work.

I’m Bal Sieber, I work in product and use GPT daily to design, build, and ship faster. Stick with me, because each habit levels up from the last, and by the end you’ll see why I call them unfair.

1. Make GPT one keystroke away

One of my favorite habits for using ChatGPT, and the first one I recommend, is ridiculously simple, but it changes everything: make it as easy to summon as Spotlight.

Here’s why that matters: accessibility is everything. If you have to dig through browser tabs or log in, you’ll use it less. But when it’s one keystroke away, it becomes your daily driver. Every stray thought, question, or challenge can go straight into GPT in seconds. Do this for a week and you’ll start to notice patterns: what GPT is great at, what it’s not, and how to lean on it as a real sidekick. It’s addictive in the best way.

Now the setup: it’s built right into the ChatGPT app. Just download it, enable the launcher, and assign a shortcut,mine is option + spacebar. From that moment on, GPT is as close as Spotlight.

And here’s the payoff: once you start doing this, you’ll find yourself putting everything into GPT, notes, brainstorms, even half-baked questions. That’s when it stops being ‘just another tool’ and starts feeling like Jarvis in Iron Man’s lab. You don’t hesitate to ask, because it’s always right there. This one habit is the gateway to all the others.

2. Talk to GPT, don’t just type

One of the most powerful ways to use ChatGPT is to dictate instead of type. Just talk to it.

Here’s why this matters: when you speak, you naturally give it more context than you would if you were typing. You overshare. You ramble a little. And that’s a good thing, because GPT is smart enough to pick out what it needs. The result: better, more precise responses.

It also changes how you give feedback. Instead of only pointing out what you didn’t like about its answer, you end up talking through what you did like, what you want more of, and how to refine the idea. That back-and-forth feels way closer to working with a colleague or a business partner than a machine.

On a Mac it’s dead simple: I just double-tap the Control key to start dictating, and tap it once to stop. It feels natural, barely interrupts your flow, and you can just talk through the problem. Don’t worry about being polished; GPT thrives on raw brain dumps. The more you share, the more collaborative the process feels.

And when you get in the habit of thinking out loud, the whole experience shifts. It’s not you typing commands into a box; it’s you bouncing ideas with something that feels like a real specialist. Pro tip: nothing makes you feel more like a Marvel character than pacing around in an immersive environment in the Apple Vision Pro, talking through big ideas with GPT collaborating like Jarvis.

3. Train GPT to challenge you

One of the smartest ways to use ChatGPT is to train it to ask you questions. Most people just tell GPT what to do, and it happily cranks something out. The problem is that usually gives you a generic answer. If you want better thinking, you have to invite it to push back.

Here’s why this matters: GPT is like an eager intern. If you say ‘write this report,’ it will do its best, but it won’t stop and ask if you’re going off track. By telling it to challenge you, you turn it from a yes-man into a sparring partner. That little bit of resistance makes your work much stronger.

Here’s how I set it up: I’ll say things like, ‘If any instruction I give you derails the original goal, flag it for me.’ Or, ‘Whenever you see an opportunity to improve my thinking, ask me a question before you respond.’ It sounds simple, but GPT will surprise you with the questions it asks back.

And once you do this, the conversations start to feel less like you’re prompting a tool and more like you’re debating with a colleague who isn’t afraid to challenge you. It keeps you honest, it keeps you engaged, and it stops you from slipping into autopilot. Honestly, it’s like having a coach in the room who’s willing to call you out.

4. Build templates, not just prompts

One of the most powerful ways to level up with ChatGPT is to build templates. A template isn’t just a single prompt: it’s a mini workflow that turns a messy project into a repeatable system.

Here’s why that matters: one-off prompts are fine for quick answers, but real projects take multiple steps. You’re going to refine, iterate, and follow up. That’s where templates come in. They’re like a project checklist combined with the exact prompts you need at each stage.

Here’s how I structure mine: every template has steps. Each step has a checklist of questions for me to answer, and a prompt with blanks to fill in using those answers. Step one gives GPT context and gets a result. Step two builds on that result. Step three gets you to the final outcome. It’s like chaining prompts together so they act like a workflow.

Why is this powerful? Because it’s the closest thing to automating your manual labor. For example, as a product manager I run user tests every couple of weeks. Two weeks is just long enough that I’d forget the process — but with a template, I don’t have to. I just follow the checklist, drop the answers into the prompts, and GPT guides me through the project.

Once you start building these, GPT stops being a Q&A tool and starts becoming infrastructure.

5. Put GPT inside your second brain (notion)

Another powerful habit for using ChatGPT is to connect it directly to Notion through the new integration. When you use Notion AI, you’re actually talking to your ChatGPT: but inside the same workspace where your notes, docs, and projects already live.

Here’s why that’s exciting: I already use Notion to organize projects, notes, and templates. It’s my second brain. So having GPT built right into that workspace means I don’t have to copy-paste between apps or break flow. The AI is sitting in the same place as the work.

I can already imagine how I’ll use this: looking at meeting notes and asking GPT in Notion to summarize the key decisions. Or reviewing a product roadmap and having GPT suggest potential risks. Or drafting a spec and letting GPT polish the language right there in the doc. Instead of bouncing between tools, everything happens where the project already lives.

For me, this one is still aspirational: I default to using GPT in my Mac launcher because I’m so used to it. But the integration is new, and I know once I lean into it, it’ll be like having a colleague who lives inside Notion with me. That’s the endgame: AI not just as a tool you open, but as part of your operating system for work.

Summary: 5 habits that turn GPT into a superpower

Want to get the most out of ChatGPT? Here are five daily habits that make it feel less like a tool and more like a superpower:

1. Make it instantly accessible with a Mac shortcut so it’s always one keystroke away.
2. Dictate instead of type: you’ll overshare, give richer feedback, and it feels like working with a real colleague.
3. Train GPT to ask you questions so it challenges your thinking instead of just agreeing.
4. Build templates: multi-step workflows with checklists and prompts that turn repeat projects into systems.
5. And connect GPT to Notion: now your second brain has your ChatGPT inside it — the one that already knows your style, your history, and how you work.

Each of these is powerful on its own, but together they completely change the way you use AI. That’s when ChatGPT stops being a novelty and starts feeling unfair: like you’re cheating.