A few winters ago, we were skiing in Breckenridge when I noticed a boy in a beginner class on the bunny slope. Somehow, instead of properly taking a seat at the bottom, he grabbed the t-bar with one hand. Wide-eyed and panicked, he held on and screamed, "Help me!" over and over as it dragged him uphill.
His instructor didn't rush to rescue him. Instead, in the most deadpan voice, she shouted back: "Let go!"
That's it. The solution: let go.
I think about that moment often, especially in business—and now, with AI.
We overcomplicate what could be simple solutions because we're afraid of missing out or doing it wrong.
The AI Noise Problem
Lately, it feels like AI is everywhere.
My husband pointed out that nearly every story in his news feed is about AI. It's all anyone is talking about. Yes, it's big, world-shifting technology, but that doesn't mean everything in your business needs to be "AI-ified."
Sometimes, it's better to just do something yourself.
Other times, AI really does save you hours, but only if you treat it like an assistant you delegate to, not a machine you sit and watch. (If you're hovering, it will feel slower than just doing it yourself!)
The wisdom is knowing what to let AI handle and what to keep in your own hands.
Start Simple: Automation vs. Agents
Maybe all you need is a simple automation, not an agent.
Automation handles repeatable processes that follow the same steps every time without making decisions. Examples:
- Set up rules to sort incoming emails into folders (client, personal, newsletters, and subscriptions) so you don't waste mental energy on inbox management.
- Generate social media post variations from your original content.
- Create a weekly task lists based on your calendar entries.
Agents are more advanced. They find information, make decisions, and generate responses. One project I built connects potential customers to an AI agent via SMS. The agent gathers information, answers questions, and carries conversations forward without me being involved in real time.
The email automation runs identical steps every time. The SMS agent makes choices and adapts, responding to what the potential client says.
Your Next 30 Days
Based on your workflow, you may benefit greatly from agents.
Just keep in mind you can reclaim significant time with simple automations that shave off 30 minutes here, an hour there. That creates more time for creative activities you love, without overcomplicating your systems.
Pick one repetitive task that takes you 30 minutes or more every day. Research one AI tool that could automate it. Then test it for a week.
Whether on a ski slope or in business, sometimes the smartest move is the simplest one. If the solution is too complicated, you can just let it go.
What's your biggest time drain right now? Hit reply and tell me one mundane task you'd love to automate. I'll get back to you with specific tool recommendations.
Until next week,
Tanya Holden
Nomadic Income