"Artificial intelligence is not here to replace us, it's here to empower us to do more." — Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft)
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Small Tools and Habits That Helped Me Save Hours Every Week
Working across meetings, pitch presentations, and ongoing projects means information comes at you fast. Conversations move quickly, ideas evolve in real time, and decisions are often made in the small moments in between. Early on, I realised the real challenge wasn’t the workload itself, it was tracking every conversation and update as they unfolded, making sure I stayed on top of decisions that drive each project forward.
Like many people, I started by doing what felt logical: taking more notes. Lots of them. Typing constantly during meetings, trying to capture every detail and every thought. But over time, it became clear that this approach was doing the opposite of what I intended. Instead of being present in the room, I was focused on my keyboard.
Being Present in the Room
Day to day meetings and pitch presentations, in particular, taught me how important it is to actually listen. Small cues, pauses, and off-script comments often reveal more than what’s on the slide. That’s where using AI note-taking tools made a real difference.
By letting AI capture conversations during meetings and presentations, I was able to shift my attention back to the discussion itself. I could follow the flow of ideas, understand the context behind decisions, and engage more meaningfully without worrying about missing something important. The notes were still there afterwards, along with an audio recording I could revisit anytime, which helped me catch any details I might have missed. This allowed me to transition from merely taking notes to actively participating in the discussion, contributing more thoughtfully to the conversation.
One Place to Store Project Context
As projects progressed, I noticed meeting notes, team discussions, and project timelines were scattered everywhere, which made it difficult to maintain a clear line of sight on decisions and next steps.
Using a shared ChatGPT space helped centralise that information. It became a strategic hub to log meeting notes, track decisions, and summarise long discussions in a way that was easy to revisit. In a fast-paced environment like managing multiple pitches and project timelines, having one place to store notes and decisions prevents important details from getting lost in the constant flow of conversations and updates. Instead of searching through different folders, I could instantly retrieve the project context needed to reference past discussions and move from a question to a decision.
Over time, this also made it easier to reflect. Looking back at previous projects, I could start to spot patterns, track progress, identify next steps, review key decisions, and see which approaches were most effective, helping me anticipate potential risks and act before they became issues. With everyone able to access the same information in real time, the team stays aligned, reducing miscommunication and helping projects move forward more smoothly. Those insights then fed into future discussions, helping me prepare more thoroughly and contribute with more confidence.
Small Habits that Quietly Save Time
The tools alone aren’t what make the difference, it’s the framework you build around them. I focus on logging information while it’s fresh, asking clear, specific questions, and reviewing notes before meetings instead of trying to catch up after things go off track.
Individually, these changes feel small. But together, they’ve saved me hours every week by making routine tasks and everyday responsibilities more organised and effective.
How My New Habits Changed How I Work Every Day:
Smooth Onboarding: With all project information stored in one place, new team members can quickly understand the context, past decisions, and ongoing priorities without needing long explanations.
Instant Access: Following up after meetings has become much easier because all decisions and action items are captured and stored in one shared space. This ensures everything is clear and accessible to the whole team, giving everyone immediate access to our next steps.
Focused Meeting Prep: Reviewing notes before a meeting now takes just a few minutes, helping me prioritise what’s most important instead of scrambling to catch up.
Faster Problem Solving: I can easily spot potential issues or blockers early, which means we can address them immediately rather than letting them slow the project down.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this isn’t just about working faster or simplifying routine tasks. It’s about using the right tools to create the mental space needed for deeper listening, sharper thinking, and more meaningful collaboration. By doing so, we create the space to be more present, more thoughtful, and more effective as a team.
"Artificial intelligence is not here to replace us, it's here to empower us to do more." — Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft)
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Small Tools and Habits That Helped Me Save Hours Every Week
Working across meetings, pitch presentations, and ongoing projects means information comes at you fast. Conversations move quickly, ideas evolve in real time, and decisions are often made in the small moments in between. Early on, I realised the real challenge wasn’t the workload itself, it was tracking every conversation and update as they unfolded, making sure I stayed on top of decisions that drive each project forward.
Like many people, I started by doing what felt logical: taking more notes. Lots of them. Typing constantly during meetings, trying to capture every detail and every thought. But over time, it became clear that this approach was doing the opposite of what I intended. Instead of being present in the room, I was focused on my keyboard.
Being Present in the Room
Day to day meetings and pitch presentations, in particular, taught me how important it is to actually listen. Small cues, pauses, and off-script comments often reveal more than what’s on the slide. That’s where using AI note-taking tools made a real difference.
By letting AI capture conversations during meetings and presentations, I was able to shift my attention back to the discussion itself. I could follow the flow of ideas, understand the context behind decisions, and engage more meaningfully without worrying about missing something important. The notes were still there afterwards, along with an audio recording I could revisit anytime, which helped me catch any details I might have missed. This allowed me to transition from merely taking notes to actively participating in the discussion, contributing more thoughtfully to the conversation.
One Place to Store Project Context
As projects progressed, I noticed meeting notes, team discussions, and project timelines were scattered everywhere, which made it difficult to maintain a clear line of sight on decisions and next steps.
Using a shared ChatGPT space helped centralise that information. It became a strategic hub to log meeting notes, track decisions, and summarise long discussions in a way that was easy to revisit. In a fast-paced environment like managing multiple pitches and project timelines, having one place to store notes and decisions prevents important details from getting lost in the constant flow of conversations and updates. Instead of searching through different folders, I could instantly retrieve the project context needed to reference past discussions and move from a question to a decision.
Over time, this also made it easier to reflect. Looking back at previous projects, I could start to spot patterns, track progress, identify next steps, review key decisions, and see which approaches were most effective, helping me anticipate potential risks and act before they became issues. With everyone able to access the same information in real time, the team stays aligned, reducing miscommunication and helping projects move forward more smoothly. Those insights then fed into future discussions, helping me prepare more thoroughly and contribute with more confidence.
Small Habits that Quietly Save Time
The tools alone aren’t what make the difference, it’s the framework you build around them. I focus on logging information while it’s fresh, asking clear, specific questions, and reviewing notes before meetings instead of trying to catch up after things go off track.
Individually, these changes feel small. But together, they’ve saved me hours every week by making routine tasks and everyday responsibilities more organised and effective.
How My New Habits Changed How I Work Every Day:
Smooth Onboarding: With all project information stored in one place, new team members can quickly understand the context, past decisions, and ongoing priorities without needing long explanations.
Instant Access: Following up after meetings has become much easier because all decisions and action items are captured and stored in one shared space. This ensures everything is clear and accessible to the whole team, giving everyone immediate access to our next steps.
Focused Meeting Prep: Reviewing notes before a meeting now takes just a few minutes, helping me prioritise what’s most important instead of scrambling to catch up.
Faster Problem Solving: I can easily spot potential issues or blockers early, which means we can address them immediately rather than letting them slow the project down.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this isn’t just about working faster or simplifying routine tasks. It’s about using the right tools to create the mental space needed for deeper listening, sharper thinking, and more meaningful collaboration. By doing so, we create the space to be more present, more thoughtful, and more effective as a team.