Prioritise emails after a break

Sort and prioritise emails and messages that arrived while you were away from work.

Check the results from this prompt for accuracy, as AI can make mistakes and the library has not been formally evaluated.

What this prompt does

This prompt assumes your AI assistant has access to your emails, calendars and chat messages (for example, Microsoft Copilot or Gemini). The prompt will:

  • identify the most important communications you received while you were away
  • create a table to help you address urgent items first
  • summarise each message and explain why it is a priority
Do not upload any personal or official information to free tools, or any tool not advised by your department. If you are unsure, check with your digital team.

The prompt

Copy prompt Prioritise emails after a break 
                //Context and role

I have just returned from holiday. 

//Goal

I want to identify the most important communications and address them first.

//Action

Please use the following table to prioritise my Outlook emails and Teams messages.

//Output
 
Date Summary From Priority 
[Enter Date] [Enter Summary of the Email/Message] [Enter Sender's Name] [Enter Reason for Priority] 

Instructions: 
* Date: Enter the date the email or message was received. 
* Summary: Provide a brief summary of the email or message content. 
* From: Enter the name of the sender. 
* Priority: Explain why this email or message is important and needs to be addressed first.

Content created: 6 June 2025 | Last updated: 23 November 2025

Support and Resources

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Get in touch

Email ai-knowledge-hub@dsit.gov.uk to share feedback about this prompt.