When this helps: Facing a major decision (job offer, career change, big purchase) and you need to see all the angles clearly. Brain fog makes it hard to hold both sides in your head at once.

One-Tap Reset (If You’re Foggy)

I'm foggy. Please slow down, 3 bullets, plain words.

Real Example (Before → After)

Your decision:

Should I take this remote contract role? It pays 30% more but has no benefits, and I’d lose my current job security and health insurance. I have MS and need reliable healthcare.

What you get with pros cons:

PROS:

  • Higher income (+30%) - Could save extra for emergencies or HSA contributions [Weight: High]
  • Remote flexibility - Better for managing fatigue and medical appointments [Weight: Very High]
  • New skills - Contract work builds diverse portfolio [Weight: Medium]

CONS:

  • No health insurance - Critical for MS management; would need marketplace plan [Weight: CRITICAL]
  • No job security - Contract could end anytime; risky with chronic condition [Weight: Very High]
  • No PTO/sick leave - Can’t take paid time off for flare-ups [Weight: High]
  • Higher stress - Constant job hunting between contracts [Weight: High]

WEIGHTED VERDICT: Don’t take it. The healthcare and job security risks outweigh the income bump. Your MS needs stable insurance access.

MIDDLE GROUND: Negotiate with current employer for remote work (cite medical need). Or look for permanent remote roles with benefits.

The Prompt (Copy This)

I'm deciding: [DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION]

Create a weighted pros and cons list:
- List 3-5 pros with weight (Low/Medium/High/Very High/CRITICAL)
- List 3-5 cons with weight (Low/Medium/High/Very High/CRITICAL)
- Give a weighted verdict (what does the weight say?)
- Suggest a middle ground if there is one

Context: [ADD ANY IMPORTANT FACTORS]

Voice-First Cue (For Dictation)

Say this into your phone or computer:

“Pros cons for this decision” (then describe what you’re deciding)

What AI Will Give You

After you describe your decision, the AI will:

  1. List pros with weight ratings (so you know which benefits matter most)
  2. List cons with weight ratings (so you know which risks are deal-breakers)
  3. Give a weighted verdict (what the evidence actually suggests)
  4. Suggest compromise options (middle ground you might not have considered)

Typical response time: 20-40 seconds

Variations for Different Situations

For Job Offers

Pros and cons for: [JOB OFFER]

Include:
- Compensation (salary, benefits, PTO)
- Work environment (remote/hybrid/office, culture, accessibility)
- Career growth (skills, advancement, stability)
- Health factors (insurance, flexibility, stress level)

Weight each factor. I have MS and need [YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS].

For Major Purchases

Pros and cons for: Buying [ITEM] for [PRICE]

Include:
- Financial impact (cost, financing, maintenance)
- Practical benefit (will I actually use it? how often?)
- Accessibility (does it reduce strain or fatigue?)
- Alternatives (what else could I do with this money?)

Weight each factor for someone on a fixed budget managing MS.

For Life Changes (Moving, Relationships)

Pros and cons for: [LIFE CHANGE]

Include:
- Emotional impact (happiness, stress, support system)
- Practical logistics (housing, healthcare access, transportation)
- Financial impact (cost of living, job market)
- Health factors (climate, medical facilities, accessibility)

Weight each factor. My MS means I need [YOUR PRIORITIES].

For Treatment/Medical Decisions

Pros and cons for: [TREATMENT OPTION]

Include:
- Effectiveness (success rates, symptom relief)
- Side effects (severity, manageability)
- Logistics (time commitment, travel, cost)
- Quality of life impact (energy, daily function)

Weight each factor. My current situation: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION].

Pro Tips

To force a recommendation: Add: “After the pros/cons, tell me which choice you’d make if it was YOUR life”

For high-stakes decisions: Add: “Mark any CRITICAL factors that should override everything else”

For reversible vs. irreversible: Add: “Note which factors are permanent vs. temporary”

For timeline pressure: Add: “I need to decide by [DATE]. Does that change the calculus?”

Quick Reference

Decision type Use this variation
Job offer “Include compensation, work environment, career growth, health factors. I have MS.”
Major purchase “Include financial impact, practical benefit, accessibility, alternatives”
Life change “Include emotional, practical, financial, health factors. My MS needs [priority]”
Medical choice “Include effectiveness, side effects, logistics, quality of life impact”
Quick decision “3 pros, 3 cons, weighted verdict only”

Why This Works

The “pros cons” trigger:

  • AI recognizes classic decision-making framework
  • Forces balanced analysis (not just confirmation bias)
  • Weight ratings reveal what actually matters
  • Creates structured comparison (easier than mental juggling)

The psychology:

  • Brain fog makes holding multiple factors mentally exhausting
  • Seeing it written removes working memory load
  • Weights help when fog makes everything feel equally important
  • Middle ground options reduce black-and-white thinking

Works across all AI platforms:

  • ChatGPT (free or paid)
  • Claude (free or paid)
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Google Gemini

Complete Decision-Making Toolkit

Stop second-guessing yourself. Get 5 Essential Prompts for MS Brain Fog - includes pros cons, BLUF for quick decisions, and prompts for breaking down complexity and getting clarity.

Troubleshooting

“The list is too balanced - I still can’t decide”

  • Add: “Force yourself to pick one option and explain why”
  • Or: “Which option would you choose if you HAD to decide right now?”

“It’s missing important factors”

  • Add: “Also consider: [FACTOR YOU CARE ABOUT]”
  • Or: Re-run with more context about your specific situation

“The weights seem wrong”

  • Add: “Weight from the perspective of someone with MS managing [YOUR SYMPTOMS]”
  • Or: “Reweight with [FACTOR] as CRITICAL priority”

“I need more than just pros and cons”

  • Combine with BLUF: First run pros cons, then ask “BLUF: which option based on this analysis?”
  • Or: “After pros/cons, show best-case and worst-case for each option”

Next Steps

Just learned pros cons? Try these next:

  1. The BLUF Prompt for Quick Decisions - Get a recommendation without full analysis
  2. The compare Prompt for Tool Decisions - Side-by-side comparison of options
  3. The steps Prompt for Overwhelming Tasks - Plan how to implement your decision

Want more decision prompts?

  • “What am I not considering in this decision?”
  • “Pre-mortem: why might each option fail?”
  • “Who else is affected by this choice?”

See the full library at /prompts/

Note: This is a tool for framing decisions. For medical, legal, or financial choices, verify with appropriate professionals. This is not a substitute for expert advice.

Part of the MS & AI resource library. Built by someone who gets it, for people who need systems that work on hard days.