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Stop starting from zero with AI

Every time you open a new AI conversation, you shouldn’t have to explain who you are, what you’re working on and how you like things done all over again.

An evergreen document gives your AI useful context it can refer to when you work together. This free starter gives you a simple place to begin.

WHAT IT IS

What is an evergreen document?

Think of it as a simple working document that helps your AI understand you better. It can hold things like what you do, the projects you’re working on, how you prefer things written, important instructions and things you learn along the way.

Instead of rebuilding that context every time, you give your AI the document and say: “Use this as context for how we work.”

The goal isn’t to create a huge manual about yourself. The goal is to stop starting from zero.

START SIMPLE

Start with just three things

You do not need to make the document perfect before you use it. Start with these three sections and build it as you work.

1. Who you are

Add a little about yourself, your role, your business or the kind of work you do.

2. What you’re working on

Add your current projects, priorities or anything your AI regularly needs to understand.

3. How you like things done

Add how you like emails written, the tone you prefer, formats you use, words you avoid or instructions you repeat.

KEEP IT USEFUL

Your evergreen document should keep changing

The word “evergreen” does not mean the document never changes. It means it stays useful.

When you learn something new about how you like to work, add it. When a project changes, update it. When your AI keeps making the same mistake, add an instruction explaining what you want instead.

Over time, the document becomes a much better reflection of how you actually work.

HOW TO USE IT

Give your AI the context, then get to work

Once you’ve downloaded and completed the starter, add it to the AI tool or project you’re working in. You can use the same principle with tools such as ChatGPT or Claude.

Tell the AI: “This is my evergreen document. Use it as context for this work.”

If you’re using Projects or another workspace that keeps reference files attached, add the document there so it is available whenever you return to that work.

WHY IT HELPS

Better context means less repeating yourself

A lot of the frustration people have with AI comes from having to repeat themselves. Your AI might know how to write an email, but it does not automatically know how you want that email written.

It might understand project management, but it does not automatically know what happened on your project last week. Giving it better context can help you get more consistent, useful responses without rebuilding the background every time.

Download your Evergreen Document Starter

I’ve kept this deliberately simple. Open it, complete what you know, leave what you don’t need, and start using it. You can improve it as you go.

WANT TO SEE HOW I USE IT?

Personal productivity with AI

I use an evergreen document as one part of my own AI productivity setup, along with scheduled tasks and voice dictation.

In this AI for South Africa episode, I explain how those three habits work together and why they have made such a difference to the way I manage my day.

COMMON QUESTIONS

A few things people usually ask

Does this only work with Claude?

No. The principle works with different AI tools. What matters is giving the AI access to useful, current context when you are working.

Do I need to fill in everything before I use it?

No. Start with the basics and build it over time.

Should I include passwords or confidential information?

No. Avoid putting passwords, banking details or unnecessary sensitive personal or client information into your evergreen document.

How often should I update it?

Update it when something important changes, when you finish a meaningful piece of work, or when you notice yourself repeatedly giving AI the same correction.

Do I need one document for everything?

Not necessarily. You might have one general evergreen document and separate project-specific information for larger pieces of work. Keep it useful rather than trying to put your entire life into one file.

Start small. Give your AI better context.

Download the starter, fill in the first three sections and use it in your next AI conversation.

Stop starting from zero.