Stop drowning in AI-generated tasks. This Notion triage template helps you score ideas with Impact, Confidence, Effort—and act on the best ones.
Summary: AI task overwhelm is real. Use the ICE framework: score tasks 1–5 on Impact, Confidence, Effort. High priority = 50+ points. Keep AI outputs in a triage system first, with default status “Backlog.” Only move the best tasks into your real to-do list.
If you ask an AI tool like ChatGPT for blog promotion strategies, you’ll probably get 27 tasks back. Create graphics, build sequences, research podcasts, optimise old posts. The list goes on.
For ten seconds, you will feel productive… then realise you’ve been handed 27 new ways to feel behind 🫠
AI generates options but can’t prioritise. It doesn’t know you hate making graphics or that you only have two hours this week for marketing. Without a filter, AI suggestions become digital overwhelm.
The solution: pause before you commit
Before any AI task hits your main to-do list, it goes through quick evaluation. Think emergency room — not every patient needs immediate surgery.
Ask three questions: Is this worth my time? Will it actually work? How much effort does it need?
This pause keeps AI in place as your assistant, not your demanding boss.
Score tasks with Impact, Confidence, and Effort
Score each task from 1–5 on three things:
Impact: How much positive change if done well? Building an email list might be a 5. Tweaking fonts might be a 2.
Confidence: How sure are you it’ll work? Writing a blog post your audience wants: probably a 4. Trying a new social platform: maybe a 2.
Effort: How much work will this take? A quick email might be a 1. Building a full course might be a 5.
Multiply: Impact × Confidence × (6 − Effort). The last bit makes easier tasks score higher.
Example, from those blog promotion ideas:
- Create 5 quote graphics — Impact: 2, Confidence: 4, Effort: 4 → 2 × 4 × 2 = 16. Skip it.
- Email three past clients about sharing — Impact: 4, Confidence: 4, Effort: 1 → 4 × 4 × 5 = 80. Do this first.
High scores (50+) are easy wins. Medium (30–49) can wait. Low (<30) get parked or deleted.
Create a holding area, not a to-do avalanche
- Create a holding area. Don’t let AI suggestions go straight to your main task list. Use a separate space — Notion page, Todoist section, or your notebook.
- Dump everything there first. When AI gives you 20 ideas, paste them all without evaluating.
- Score in batches. Most people overestimate how long this takes — scoring 20 tasks usually takes under 10 minutes. Quick gut decisions, no overthinking.
- Graduate the winners. Only high-scoring tasks make it to your real to-do list.
- Trust the process. The magic happens when you ignore low scores without guilt.
Get AI to help with the scoring
The Notion Way
You don’t have to rate everything manually. Ask AI to give you structured output:
Example prompt for CSV export to use in Notion:
With this list of tasks, I want you to create a CSV file for me with columns: Task, Purpose/Benefit, Impact, Confidence, Effort, Created from Chat ("True"), Source chat (ask me to provide this).
First ask for the source chat URL, then make a guess at the impact, confidence and effort values (1-5), then create the CSV file.→ Export the table and import or merge into your Notion triage template.
Note: You will need to be on the master page of your Notion database for the ‘Merge with CSV’ option to be available.
For Triage Elsewhere
Example prompt for copy-paste into your own triage area:
With this list of tasks, format like:
Task: [short name]
Purpose: [one sentence]
Impact: [1–5 guess] | Confidence: [1–5 guess] | Effort: [1–5 guess]
Then calculate ICE score based on Impact × Confidence × (6 − Effort)
And group by priority:
**High** – ICE score **≥ 50**
*High-value, high-certainty, and/or low-effort tasks. These are worth doing soon.*
**Medium** – ICE score **30–49**
*Solid tasks, but not as urgent. Schedule them after the high-priority items.*
**Low** – ICE score **< 30**
*Lower-impact, lower-confidence, or high-effort tasks. Keep in the backlog unless needed.*→ Paste straight into your holding area, then review.
AI’s guesses won’t be perfect, but they save time and give you a baseline to adjust.
Three tasks beat twenty-seven every time
After triaging those 27 blog promotion tasks, there might be three worth doing. The high-impact, low-effort ones you’re confident will work.
It’s not about doing more, but doing the right tasks.
The other 24 ideas? They can stay in your “Maybe” list, or better yet: delete them! Important ideas will come back.
Try it this week
Next time AI gives you suggestions, don’t act immediately. Give them the ICE test: which ones are actually worth your time?
Create that pause between “AI suggested this” and “I’m doing this.” Your future self will thank you.
Want a ready-made system?
I created a free Task Triage template for Notion that handles the scoring automatically.
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