Unlock more time in the day using AI
AI is everywhere these days, and honestly, it can feel a bit overwhelming. There’s a flood of apps, tools, and buzzwords available. With so many options, it’s hard to know where to start or even if it’s worth your time investigating.
But here’s the good news; when used thoughtfully, AI can be a total game-changer, saving you precious hours every week.
In fact, while it needs to be acknowledged this is a rapidly changing space, reports from early 2025 indicate that workers using AI tools frequently save 2-4+ hours per week.i
The trick isn’t trying to jump on every new AI bandwagon – it’s about finding the right tools that help you streamline the tasks that eat up your day. The first step – get clear on what’s taking up your time.
Make a list
Take a moment and note down the things you spend the most time doing. Is it answering emails? Scheduling meetings? Creating social media posts? Organising files? Handling customer questions?
This simple exercise is powerful because it shifts your focus from feeling overwhelmed by all the noise in your day, to pinpointing where you need help. This focused approach means you’re solving a real problem, not just chasing shiny new tech.
Looking for AI tools
Once you’ve identified areas that need to be streamlined, pick one or two of the most time-consuming tasks and explore an AI tool that can assist. Start small and consider the bigger picture as well.
When evaluating solutions, make sure you are clear about what you want the tool to do. For example, if managing your inbox is a struggle, success might be ‘cutting daily email triage time in half’. Clear goals help you evaluate tools more objectively.
Choose AI tools that integrate with the apps and platforms you already use and are easy to implement. This reduces set up time and helps you automate more seamlessly.
Check reviews, watch quick demo videos, and look at whether the tool offers good customer support or tutorials. Some AI tools come with built-in onboarding, tutorials, or AI assistants that guide you as you learn. These features can dramatically cut the time it takes to get comfortable. Many AI tools offer free trials or limited free plans. Use this to your advantage to experiment, test features, and see if it fits naturally into your workflow.
Let’s look at some ways AI can lighten your load:
Email management
If your inbox feels like a never-ending stream of messages, apps like Superhuman and SaneBox use AI to sort your emails, highlight what’s urgent and snooze less important stuff for later. They learn your habits over time, making your inbox easier to manage and reducing the time you’d normally spend dealing with emails.
Scheduling made easy
Back-and-forth emails trying to find a meeting time? Tools like Calendly or x.ai handle all that automatically. They connect to your calendar and let others pick a time that works for you – no more awkward email chains or missed appointments.
Content creation helpers
Stuck staring at a blank screen not knowing where to begin? AI writing assistants like ChatGPT or Jasper can help brainstorm ideas, draft emails, or even social media posts. They don’t replace you, but it speeds up the writing process, so you can spend less time typing and more time creating.
Customer support assistants
If you receive repetitive questions from customers, AI chatbots such as Drift or Intercom can answer those instantly. This frees you up from constant interruptions while ensuring customers get quick responses.
Task automation
Platforms like Zapier or Make connect the apps you already use and automate repetitive tasks – like saving email attachments directly to your cloud storage or adding new contacts to your CRM.
Getting started
Don’t try to do everything at once. Give yourself time to get comfortable, test things out, and adjust as you go. As you begin to see how these tools save you small amounts of time here and there, you’ll find your days feeling less rushed and more productive. Over time, those small pockets of saved time add up into extra hours to focus on being more effective in your role or simply just enjoying more breathing room.
AI isn’t about replacing you – it’s about helping you do more of what matters by taking the busywork off your plate. The future of productivity is here to help you reclaim your most valuable resource: your time.
At Carrick Aland we have a suite of digital, cloud-based tools at our disposal to assist your small business or farm so you spend less time on bookwork, allowing you more time doing the things you love. Read more »
Related reading
i https://kanerika.com/blogs/10-authentic-generative-ai-stats/
