AI tools have changed so fast over the past year that even I’ve had moments where I felt behind, and this is literally what I do. So if you’re sitting there thinking everyone else has figured this out and you’re the only one still catching up, I promise you that you’re not alone.
What I’ve realized is that it isn’t about keeping up with every new tool or every update. It’s about learning a handful of simple moves that save you real time and clear your head, and none of these six require you to be technical.
Move 1: Stop doing tasks and start building repeating solutions
Most of us started by using AI one task at a time. We open a chat, ask a question, get an answer and close it, and while that’s useful, the things that drain your time are rarely one-off problems. They’re the same few things on repeat, like drafting emails, preparing for calls, writing posts and answering the same questions.
So instead of asking AI to help you with a task once, ask it to help you build a way to handle that task every time it comes up. Think of one thing you do every week that takes longer than it should, break it into steps, and see which steps AI could handle. Even if it only takes on two or three of them, a task that used to eat up your morning can get a lot smaller.
Move 2: Teach AI how you work once
I used to write out a long explanation of my business, my audience and my tone, and then paste it into every single conversation. That’s like hiring a great assistant and spending the first hour of every day bringing them up to speed from scratch.
Most AI tools, including ChatGPT and Claude, let you create what are basically standing instructions. You tell it once who you are, who you serve, how you like things written and what you never want it to say, and then it already knows. It’s like onboarding a new hire properly, and it’s worth taking 30 minutes to set up.
Move 3: Let AI do the research while you make the decisions
This one’s my personal favorite, because it gave me back something I didn’t realize I’d lost, which was time to think. I used to spend hours reading articles and comparing options. Now I describe what I need to understand, give AI some context, and ask for a summary and a recommendation, which usually takes me about 15 to 20 minutes.
It isn’t a replacement for my judgment, it’s a starting point for it. I’m still the one making the decisions, and AI is just doing the heavy lifting of gathering and organizing.
Move 4: Connect AI to the work you’re already doing
AI doesn’t have to live in a separate window anymore. Many tools can connect directly to your email, calendar and documents, and it’s often as simple as flipping a switch in your settings. Instead of scanning your inbox for what matters, you can ask it to look at this week’s emails and tell you what needs your attention most.
Move 5: Stop starting from scratch
Every time you figure out a good way to use AI, you have a choice between using it once and saving it for next time. I keep saved prompts for my social posts, for preparing for calls and for drafting follow-up emails. The first time always takes a little learning, but after that it takes almost nothing.
Move 6: Always be the last set of eyes
I saved this one for last on purpose, because it’s why you still matter. AI is fast and thorough and it doesn’t get tired, but it doesn’t have your judgment. So here’s my rule: AI gets the first draft, and you always get the last look. Ask yourself whether it sounds like you and whether you’d put your name on it.
You can even hand it back and ask AI to challenge you. Don’t ask it to rewrite anything, just ask what’s weak here and what a skeptic would say.
Start with one move
Using AI well isn’t about learning every tool, it’s about building your own simple system. Start with one move, get comfortable, and then add the next. If you’d like some help getting started, grab the Sensible AI Starter Prompts.
