General use
Skip the high reasoning levels
Start with a lower reasoning level for everyday work.
You probably do not need the highest reasoning level for most of your work. My default is to start lower and see whether it can handle the task. A straightforward edit does not need the same treatment as a difficult investigation.
If it keeps missing an important constraint or gets stuck on a complicated problem, try a higher level. First check that you have given it the information it needs and a clear description of the result.
Try it
- Start an everyday task at a lower reasoning level.
- Judge the result against what you asked for.
- Add missing context or increase reasoning when the problem calls for it.
A prompt to steal
Make this focused change: ... Keep it simple, follow the existing patterns, and verify the behavior that changed.