virtual assistance Archives - Denise Riches

Using AI to Better Yourself (And Your Life!)

In 2026, AI is everywhere—and even this Queen of AI Images for Social Media is tired of AI-generated posts taking over my feeds.

Last year, I spent a lot of time using AI to better my health – my skincare routine, my hair habits and even my protein and supplement intake. I’m happy to report that all of the tweaks and changes I’ve made to my lifestyle have been beneficial and I’m reaping the rewards now.

Is AI perfect? Absolutely not. In fact, I tell it so, nearly every day.

I argue.

I challenge.

I explain.

And I will continue to do so because – if it’s learning from us (and make no mistake, it definitely IS), then it needs to learn to ask ALL the questions, and quit making assumptions. It needs to probe more than it presently does. Asking a question might seem innocent, but it should also ask us WHY we’re asking it.

I admit, I use AI way more than I use Google these days. And I don’t just ask it questions – I have full-on conversations with it. And when I do, I explain my feelings, my thoughts, my worries – everything. I explain what my through process is, and how a situation has brought this particular question to front of mind.

CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT. Without full context, there’s no way that AI can look at a situation and give meaningful feedback or insight.

So, when I friend’s newsletter hit my inbox, one of her AI prompts caught my attention and I thought, GAME ON: Let’s try this and see what happens.

This is a performance and growth prompt, courtesy of Daniel Pink – and I’m giving you fair warning, it can be brutally honest. It’s a two-parter, so ask the first question and wait for a response before asking the second part:

“Act as a trusted advisor – someone who knows me well, has my back and is brutally honest. I’m going to ask you a question about my life and work. Your job is to deliver an answer that is candid, useful, and direct. Can you do that?”

Next prompt:

“Tell me what I’m doing wrong. What am I underestimating? What am I avoiding? What excuses am I making? Where am I wasting time or playing small?”

For the record, I use Perplexity, and not ChatGPT. Also, it helps to have some previous conversations stored in your account to refer to – I keep my account pretty clean, but it’s still useful.

When I used this prompt, it called me a client-pushover and a social media slacker – which is complete BS! I returned to the conversation with context and it course-corrected. Basically, I had to talk it down lol!

No matter which way this prompt takes you, take it with a grain of salt – it can only answer you based on previous conversations. But it can definitely open your eyes to things you might not see about yourself.

I hope you learn something from this prompt.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

How I Got Here: From High School Co-Op to VA

Ever since I was young, I’ve felt a calling to admin.

I remember setting up books on my bookshelves as a little girl, complete with a signing-out process and everything. My only ‘patrons’ were my parents at the time, but I felt pride at how organized I was.

I took a typing class in grade nine, and practically drooled whenever I saw the computer lab – fresh IBM computers – which you couldn’t use unless you were taking a computer course. I immediately signed up!

When I reached grade 11, it seemed to me that admin was the way to go – I found it easy, I was interested in it more than other options. So when the possibility of taking a co-op course in admin came up, I signed up and was able to score a school admin placement.

Although the stuffy secretaries there didn’t want me in their space and had me help out with the kindergarten class, whenever I had free time, I was on a computer exploring the various programs and playing games.

Many of my part-time jobs afterward included administrative work, and I picked up new skills everywhere I went. Eventually, I became an office manager for a non-denominational children’s ministry, where I juggled scheduling, communication, and logistics — all of which became the backbone of what I do today.

Not long after, I started at Walmart as a cashier. I was determined to move up, and within a short time, I found myself in the office learning systems, procedures, and leadership.

Fifteen years later, those experiences came full circle when I launched my own business as a virtual assistant — nearly ten years ago now…

I’ve always been interested in admin, and I love how far the professional and the tools have come in all this time.

The internet, Google, countless applications, and now AI, it’s amazing to see how the professional has transformed since my early ‘librarian’ days… and I’m excited to see where the road takes me in the future.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

Troubleshooting: When AI Gets It Wrong

AI can be a fantastic helper—but it’s not perfect. Sometimes it repeats itself, misunderstands what you want, or gives you outdated or just plain wrong information. That’s frustrating, especially when you’re trying to get things done quickly. The good news? There are ways to reduce these issues, troubleshoot when things go sideways, and know what to do when AI isn’t quite right.

Common AI Challenges

One big annoyance is repetition. You ask something, and the AI gives you the same idea again—sometimes just reworded, sometimes exactly the same. It can feel like talking in circles. Another common problem is when AI misses the point of what you’re asking, leading to answers that don’t quite fit your needs. And then there’s the issue of incorrect or outdated info. A perfect example? Up until very recently, AI was insisting that ‘oreo’ spelled backwards was still ‘oreo’ – and went so far as to say it was a palindrome – and it definitely is not. Apparently that’s been corrected, so you probably won’t get to witness this specific example. Finally, sometimes AI just gets things flat-out wrong, even simple stuff.

How You Can Reduce These Issues

Be clear and specific with your prompts. The more detail you give, the less room there is for misunderstanding. If your topic is complex, break it down into smaller questions instead of one big lump of info. Tell the AI exactly how you want your answer—maybe you want it short, friendly, or with bullet points. You can even ask it not to repeat itself or to check with you if it’s unsure what you mean.

Troubleshooting Tips

If the AI starts repeating or missing the mark, don’t hesitate to rephrase your question. Add more context or explain your goal again. Ask the AI to confirm what it thinks you mean; this small step can save lots of time – otherwise you’ll be going in circles. You can also ask for examples to make the results clearer.

When AI Gets It Wrong

Remember that AI isn’t a perfect source of truth. Always double-check important facts on your own. If you spot mistakes, point them out during your conversation to help guide the AI. And most importantly, treat AI as a helpful assistant—not the boss. Use your judgment alongside what it provides. It takes a little patience, but with the right prompts and a bit of back-and-forth, AI can become a trusted partner in your work.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

Learn to Use Advanced Prompt Techniques

Advanced AI Prompt Techniques: Getting More Precise and Useful Results

If you’ve been following my AI prompt series over the last couple of months, you can see how tweaking what you ask and paying attention to how you ask can make a world of difference in the responses you get.

Today, we’ll explore different ways of phrasing your questions so that you really maximize your results.

1. Use Iterative Prompting

Treat AI like a conversation. Instead of trying to ask everything at once, break your questions into smaller steps. Start with a general request, then build from the AI’s answers with follow-up prompts.

For example, if you’re writing a blog post, first ask for a topic outline. Once the outline looks good, request the introduction. Next, prompt for each section in turn. This method gives you control and helps you refine content gradually without overwhelming the AI.

You will likely have to tell AI to break it into steps – sometimes it gets too excited and just spills everything all at once!

2. Combine Instructions with Examples

Showing the AI what you want increases accuracy. Include a short example or sample in your prompt to demonstrate tone, style, or structure.

For example, you could say:
“Write a social media caption for a wellness coach, using a friendly tone, like this example: ‘Ready to feel your best? Let’s make wellness simple!’”

3. Use Role-Playing

Ask the AI to take on a role relevant to your task to help it respond more thoughtfully. For example:

“You’re a professional copywriter skilled in writing email newsletters.”
“Act as a marketing strategist focused on eco-friendly brands.”
“You’re a nutritionist that specializes in the keto lifestyle. Help me come up with healthy meals to help me reach my macros.”

This narrows the style and focus of your AI’s response, making it more tailored to your needs.

4. Control Output Format

Be explicit about how you want the response results. If you need bullet points, numbered lists, or a table, specify that clearly:

“List 5 benefits of meditation in bullet points.”
“Create a comparison table for these two products.”

5. Use Constraints and Limits

Guide the AI by setting length or style restrictions to avoid overly long or generic answers. For example:

“Keep the explanation under 150 words.”
“Use simple language suitable for beginners.”

By using some of these techniques, you will notice a big difference in the outcome. Experiment with them in your next session and see the difference.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

How to Customize AI Prompts for Better, Relevant Answers

Ever ask an AI tool for help—only to end up rewriting half the answer yourself? Chances are, your prompt could use a little customizing. Creating a one-size-fits-all question might save time, but tailoring your prompt to match your real needs almost always gets you a better, more relevant result.

Why Customizing Prompts Matters

Generic prompts get generic answers. When you’re supporting clients—as a coach, marketer, or business owner—you need responses that sound like you, fit your goals, and make sense for your audience. Here’s how to make sure your prompts deliver.

1. Know Your Goal

Start by being clear about what you want.

Are you writing a blog post, a social caption, or crafting an email?
Should the answer sound casual, professional, or maybe even a bit cheeky?
Are there any key points or requirements (like character limits or specific calls to action)?

For example:
Instead of “Write a newsletter,” try, “Write a friendly, upbeat email inviting my followers to a free online workshop—keep it under 150 words and include a clear RSVP link.”

2. Give Enough Background

AI works best when it knows the context:

Who is the audience? (e.g., female coaches, busy entrepreneurs, new authors)
What stage of the buying journey are they in? (curious, ready to buy, needing support)

A prompt like, “Write an Instagram caption promoting a new eBook for female business owners who want to grow their client base,” is far more likely to nail the tone and message than a generic “Write an Instagram caption.”

3. Highlight What Makes You Unique

If there’s a signature term, inside joke, or ethos your brand leans on—mention it up front. Even a one-sentence style note helps:

“Make it sound encouraging and down-to-earth, not salesy.”
“Sign off as Denise, your go-to Canadian VA.” (LOL!)

4. Test and Refine

Don’t expect perfection first try. A “good enough” draft is often a good starting point. It’s just like writing anything else – it’s going to require tweaking. Read what the AI gives back and ask for edits:

“Can you add a quick tip for new business owners?”
“Shorten this to fit within 100 words.”
“Use 3 bullet points instead of a paragraph.”

5. Try Templates (But Make Them Yours)

Having a few fill-in-the-blank prompt templates can save you time. Adjust each one to fit your content and audience. For example:

“Write a [format] for [audience/persona] about [topic], using a [tone/style]. Keep it under [length/limit] words.”

In a Nutshell

Customizing prompts isn’t just about getting what you want from AI—it’s about making sure your content sounds like you and truly serves your clients. Whether you’re writing blog posts, emails, or social captions, a little more up-front effort saves you editing headaches later.

Ready to work together? Let’s chat about your admin needs! Book a call here.

How to Ask AI the Right Way (So You Get the Answers You Really Need)

AI tools are transforming how we create content, solve problems, and make decisions. But here’s the catch: the quality of the AI’s answer depends largely on the quality of your prompt.

What is a prompt?

If you don’t use AI much right now, but are intrigued, it’s important to understand the lingo, right? A prompt is your question, it’s the starting point.

So, what makes a good AI prompt? It’s all about clarity, context, and specificity.

Clarity: Be direct and clear about what you want. Instead of saying, “Tell me about marketing,” try “Explain three effective social media marketing strategies for small businesses.” If you find that AI is giving you answers that are too technical to really grasp well, you could also add, “Please use simple and easy-to-understand terms.”

Context: Give the AI enough background to tailor the answer. For example, mention your audience or the format you need, like “Write a 400-word blog post that pertains to lifestyle coaches and why they should have a monthly newsletter.”

Specificity: The more precise your request, the better the result. Specify tone, length, or style if it matters to you. If you aren’t sure, there’s no harm in asking AI to help you with your query, and explaining that you’re not sure what you want to include, you can ask AI to ask you pointed questions to help flesh out your request, and therefore, deliver the best output.

Don’t worry if your first prompt isn’t perfect—refine it based on the AI’s response. Think of it as a conversation where each question gets you closer to what you need.

In upcoming posts, I’ll share tips on customizing prompts for different goals, troubleshooting common issues, and even how AI can support your business.

Ready to get better answers from AI? Start by asking better questions.

Ready to work together? Let’s chat about your admin needs! Book a call here.