How to Be Productive with AI

AI saves time when it handles the boring parts of real work. It wastes time when you chase every new app. Begin with one assistant and a few habits.

Let AI clear the path, then do the important work yourself.

• Choose ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Copilot to match the apps you already use
• Learn it thoroughly before you add more
• Store your context in custom instructions or projects

Here are today’s tasks and meetings. Pick my top three priorities, block focus time around my meetings, and tell me what can wait.

• Summarize long threads
• Draft replies, then edit them yourself
• Batch email into two or three slots a day

• Prepare a one-page brief before key meetings
• Use AI notes only with everyone’s consent
• Turn notes into tasks on the same day
• Cancel meetings that an email could replace

• Outline first, then write
• Let AI produce first drafts of routine documents
• Have AI cut your drafts by a third
• Keep your own voice in anything personal you send

• Have AI explain new topics in simple terms
• Condense long reports and videos
• Verify important facts in the original source

List the tasks you repeat each week, then automate the simplest one with an automation tool or an AI agent. Our AI Automation Guide walks through the steps.

• Silence notifications during focus blocks
• Close AI chats during deep work
• Use AI before and after deep work, never during it

• Endless prompt tweaking
• Testing every new tool
• Rewriting AI drafts for longer than writing them yourself would take
• Long chats that wander off topic

• Verify facts, numbers, and names
• Keep passwords and private data out of chats
• Follow your company’s AI policy

Morning

Plan the day and clear email with help from AI

Midday

Deep work, free of AI distractions

Afternoon

Meetings, notes, and follow-ups

End of day

Review, capture loose ends, and plan tomorrow