How I Use AI to Make Life Easier

Practical ways AI can help juggle work, home, and parenting.

You know I love finding ways to simplify the chaos of life as a working mom. With two tweens and one teen, a busy business, an upcoming book release, and my own goals to juggle, things can feel overwhelming. I took quick note of AI when people started talking about it, but to be honest — I was wary at first. It seemed a little too good to be true and I wasn’t sure it was for me. However… I’m also of the opinion that if we don’t learn new technology as it emerges, it’ll run away from us and we’ll be left behind. So let’s begin here. What exactly is AI?

AI stands for artificial intelligence. It’s like a super-smart digital assistant that learns (from data) to do tasks like answering questions, organizing information, or giving recommendations. It’s not magic or a person—it’s just a powerful tool that makes life easier by handling repetitive or complex jobs efficiently.

Welp. Sign me up. But sign me up to be smart about it (and maybe a little wary, wariness is always an ok thing to keep in your pocket). So, over the past year, I’ve discovered how AI can be used as an incredible support system. It’s not perfect, but it’s made a real difference in how I manage things—from work to home to my own self-care. Just today, for example, my husband was out of town, and my eighth-grader needed to tie a tie for a school presentation. We used AI to find a step-by-step tutorial, and it saved the day. Here are a few simple ways I’m using AI in my daily life.

Analyzing Sales Trends and Data

Running Simplified means managing a team, planning launches, and keeping track of a million moving parts as we look toward the future. One of the ways I use AI (Chat GPT and Claude.ai in particular) is to analyze sales trends and other data. I am great at coming up with creative solutions and complex plans, but when I stare at a spreadsheet of numbers, sometimes the patterns and gaps aren’t as obvious to me. So, I’ll upload data into ChatGPT and ask it to identify patterns or suggest areas for growth. It’s like having a data analyst on call whenever I need it. Here are a few examples:

Analyze these sales figures and identify trends or opportunities for improvement.

Compare the sales data for these two product lines and suggest which one to prioritize next year.

Organizing Tasks Efficiently

Sometimes the mental load of juggling errands and tasks can be exhausting. AI can take a list of tasks and organize them to maximize efficiency. (And we love efficiency! Work smarter not harder). So, for example, if I have errands to run, I can ask it to suggest the most logical order based on location. Or if I’m tackling a mix of work and home tasks, AI can group similar to-dos together to help me get more done in a shorter amount of time. Below is an example: