From Meal Planning Mayhem to AI Magic: How ChatGPT Can Give You Back Hours Each Week

If you’ve ever sat at your kitchen table on a Sunday afternoon staring at a blank piece of paper (or a blinking Google Doc cursor) thinking, “What in the world are we eating this week?”—you’re not alone.

The average woman spends four hours a week just thinking about, planning, and organizing meals. And that’s before you even step foot in the grocery store.

In this episode of The Positively Joyful Productivity Show, I sat down with Sarah Williams, founder of Leading Culture, to talk about a surprisingly fun solution that’s freeing up time, reducing decision fatigue, and making room for more joy: ChatGPT.

Meet Sarah Williams: AI Enthusiast & Time Saver

Sarah’s no stranger to tech, but when ChatGPT first arrived on the scene, she was hesitant. Privacy concerns, unknowns about the technology…she wasn’t ready to jump in head-first.

But once she started experimenting—and learned to “teach” ChatGPT her preferences—she quickly saw how it could take over repetitive, time-consuming tasks. Her favorite example? Meal planning.

Instead of spending hours deciding what to cook, she uploaded her recipes, told ChatGPT her family’s nutritional needs, and within seconds, she had a custom, balanced 7-day meal plan and a grocery list.

Why This Works for Busy Women Like Us

If you’re anything like my podcast listeners, you’re a mid-level professional or entrepreneur who:

• Values your health, home, and free time
  
  
• Is semi-organized, but often pulled in multiple directions
  
  
• Wants more time for hobbies, relationships, and rest (without the guilt)
  
  

The truth is, “life admin” tasks—like meal planning, appointment scheduling, and tidying—can quietly swallow up hours of our week. AI tools like ChatGPT can take these mental-load-heavy tasks off your plate so you can focus on what actually matters to you.

More Than Just Meals

Sarah has used ChatGPT to:

• Plan travel itineraries (customized to her style of travel)
  
  
• Create exercise and recovery plans
  
  
• Draft tricky professional emails without the emotional overflow
  
  
• Track wellness goals through quick voice recordings instead of clunky spreadsheets
  
  

It’s like having a personal assistant who already knows your preferences—and doesn’t take weekends off.

For the AI-Curious (and AI-Cautious)

If AI feels intimidating, Sarah has two big tips:

1. You’re already using it. If you’ve ever used social media, streaming services, or online shopping, you’ve interacted with AI.
   
   
2. Let it teach you. You can literally ask ChatGPT, “I’m new—how should I start using you?” and it will give you step-by-step guidance tailored to your needs.
   
   

The best part? You can’t “break” it. You’re just typing (or talking) and seeing what it creates.

Your Joyful Productivity Challenge

This week, pick one task you don’t love doing—meal planning, packing for a trip, organizing your week—and ask ChatGPT to do it for you.

You might be surprised at how quickly your to-do list shrinks and your joy list grows.

Listen to the full episode here

And if you're looking for more, check out my new book: How to Feel Good Again Using AI Tools and ChatGPT for Total Beginners. It's available now on Amazon, grab your copy right here!