5 AI Prompts for Single-Tasking (Copy and Use Today)

These prompts implement the One Thing Lock protocol. Copy them, fill in the brackets, and use them as-is. Adjust language to your own style once you have run them a few times.

Prompt 1: Session Setup (The Lock)

Use this before every single-tasking session. Takes under three minutes.

I'm starting a 45-minute One Thing Lock.

My task for this block: [specific output, one sentence]

After this block I need to handle:
- [item 1]
- [item 2]
- [item 3]
(add as many as needed)

Please:
1. Confirm my task back to me in one sentence
2. Hold the queue and give me a briefing when I return
3. If I ask you about anything unrelated to [task name] during this block, remind me to stay on task

I'll check back at [time].

The confirmation in step 1 is not redundant. Having the AI reflect the task back activates the goal intention in a way that writing it privately does not.

Prompt 2: Mid-Block Task Support

Use this when you need AI help during the session on a specific, task-relevant problem.

I'm mid-block on [task name].
Specific help needed: [precise question or request]
Keep the response focused—I'll be back on task immediately after.

The framing keeps responses tight and discourages open-ended exploration. During a lock-in, you want answers, not conversations.

Prompt 3: Mid-Block Interruption Capture

Use this when something urgent arrives that you need to note without breaking focus.

Interruption capture (do not break my focus block):
Item: [what arrived]
Category: [urgent / queue for later / discard]
Add to my queue if relevant. I'll assess at unlock.

If you are genuinely unsure whether the item is urgent, default to “queue for later.” Most things that feel urgent in the moment are tolerant of a forty-five minute delay.

Prompt 4: Task Definition Check

Use this before a session when you are unsure whether your task is specific enough.

I'm planning a 45-minute focus block. My current task definition is:
"[your current task statement]"

Is this output-defined and completable in 45 minutes? 
If not, suggest a more specific version.

Vague task definitions are the most common cause of unproductive focus sessions. This prompt catches them before they waste the block.

Prompt 5: The Unlock Review

Use this at the end of every session before you transition to the next activity.

My 45-minute block is done.

Task status: [complete / here's what I got through and what remains]
New captures during block: [list anything from your notepad]

Please:
1. Give me the queue briefing from setup
2. Add my new captures to the queue
3. Tell me the top 1-2 items to handle next
4. Ask me if I want to start another lock or take a break

The final question is important. It creates an explicit decision point rather than letting momentum pull you automatically into the next activity.

How to Build These Into a Habit

The most effective approach is to keep Prompts 1 and 5 in a note or document you can open instantly. The two to three minutes of friction involved in writing them from scratch each session is enough to cause skipping.

Once you have run both prompts five or six times, you will likely start customizing them naturally—shortening the language, adjusting the queue structure, adding fields relevant to your work context. That adaptation is a sign the protocol is becoming habitual.

Copy Prompt 1 into a note right now, fill in today’s most important task and your current mental queue, and run your first session before the end of the day.

Related:

• How to Single-Task with AI Support
• The Complete Guide to Single-Tasking with AI Support
• The Single-Tasking Framework with AI
• Beyond Time Single-Tasking Walkthrough

Tags: AI prompts, single-tasking, focus sessions, One Thing Lock, quick win