I’ve been using AI tools heavily for over a year. Here’s what my actual daily workflow looks like — not the theoretical “you could do this” but the practical “this is what I do.”
Morning: Research and Planning (7:30 - 9:00 AM)
Email Triage (15 min)
Tool: Gmail + ChatGPT
I open Gmail and immediately identify emails needing thoughtful responses. For each:
- Copy the email to ChatGPT
- Prompt: “Draft a response that [specific need]”
- Edit the draft — usually 20-30% changes
- Send
Time savings: About 5 minutes per complex email.
Daily Planning (10 min)
Tool: Claude
I paste my task list and ask Claude to help prioritize:
“Here are my tasks for today. I have 6 hours of focused work time. Help me prioritize and suggest time blocks for each.”
Claude often catches dependencies I miss and suggests better sequencing.
Research Queue (30 min)
Tool: Perplexity
I batch my research questions:
- Industry news I need to know
- Specific questions from yesterday
- Background for upcoming meetings
Perplexity with sources means I can verify important claims.
Mid-Morning: Creation (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Writing First Drafts (Variable)
Tool: Claude
This is my “creation” time. For any significant writing:
- I outline the piece myself (5-10 min)
- Ask Claude to draft specific sections
- Heavy editing and rewriting (50%+ changes)
- Final polish myself
I never use AI output directly. But starting from a draft vs. blank page is a huge difference.
Document Analysis (As Needed)
Tool: Claude
When I receive long documents:
- Upload to Claude
- “Summarize the key points and highlight anything concerning”
- Then: “What questions should I ask about this?”
This cuts document review time by 60-70%.
Quick Tasks
Tool: ChatGPT
For quick needs throughout the morning:
- “What’s the formula for X in Excel?”
- “How do I structure a meeting about Y?”
- “Give me 5 icebreaker questions for a team meeting”
ChatGPT is faster for simple queries. I keep a tab open all day.
Afternoon: Meetings and Communication (1:00 - 5:00 PM)
Meeting Prep (Before Each Meeting)
Tool: Claude + Previous Notes
For important meetings:
- Review previous meeting notes
- Ask Claude: “Based on this context, what should I cover in today’s meeting? What questions should I ask?”
- Create 3-5 talking points
During Meetings
Tool: Otter.ai
Every significant meeting gets recorded:
- Otter joins automatically
- I focus on the conversation, not note-taking
- Review summary later
After Meetings (5 min each)
Tool: Otter.ai + ChatGPT
- Review Otter’s summary
- Extract action items
- Draft any follow-up emails with ChatGPT
- Add tasks to my system
Difficult Communications
Tool: Claude
When I need to write something sensitive:
- Explain the situation to Claude
- Get a draft
- Heavily edit for tone
- Sometimes ask: “How might [recipient] interpret this?”
Claude is better than ChatGPT for nuanced communication.
Evening: Processing and Prep (5:00 - 6:00 PM)
Email Cleanup (20 min)
Tool: ChatGPT
Clear the inbox:
- AI-drafted responses for straightforward emails
- Flag complex ones for morning
- Unsubscribe from junk
Tomorrow’s Prep (10 min)
Tool: Claude
Quick brain dump:
“Here’s what happened today and what’s on my mind for tomorrow. Help me process this and identify my top priorities.”
Sounds silly, but it helps me mentally close the workday.
Tools Summary
| Time of Day | Primary Tool | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Perplexity | Research |
| Morning | Claude | Planning |
| Mid-day | Claude | Writing |
| Mid-day | ChatGPT | Quick tasks |
| Afternoon | Otter.ai | Meetings |
| Afternoon | ChatGPT | Follow-ups |
| Evening | Claude | Processing |
Monthly Cost
- ChatGPT Plus: $20
- Claude Pro: $20
- Perplexity Pro: $20
- Otter.ai Pro: $17
Total: $77/month
What I’ve Learned
AI is a Starting Point, Not a Destination
Every AI output gets edited. Usually significantly. The value is not in the output — it’s in not starting from scratch.
Different Tools for Different Tasks
- ChatGPT: Speed, web access, quick tasks
- Claude: Quality, long documents, nuance
- Perplexity: Research with sources
- Otter: Meeting capture
Trying to use one tool for everything leads to frustration.
The 80/20 of AI Usage
80% of my AI value comes from:
- Email drafting
- Document summarization
- Research with sources
- Meeting transcription
The other 20 use cases are nice-to-have but not essential.
AI Doesn’t Replace Thinking
It replaces typing, research, and first drafts. The thinking — strategy, judgment, relationships — is still entirely human.
Prompting is a Skill
The difference between useful and useless AI output is usually the prompt. Specific, contextual prompts get 10x better results than generic ones.
What I Don’t Use AI For
- Final editorial decisions
- Relationship-sensitive communication (without heavy editing)
- Strategic decisions
- Creative direction
- Anything I need to deeply understand
AI is a tool, not a replacement for expertise.
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