The Hidden Cost of Repetitive Work

A McKinsey study found that knowledge workers spend 28% of their day on email and 19% on gathering information. That's nearly half your workday spent on tasks that AI can accelerate dramatically.

But here's the thing: most people use AI like a search engine. They ask it one question, get one answer, and move on. The real power is in workflows — chained sequences where AI handles multiple steps automatically.

What Is an AI Workflow?

An AI workflow is a repeatable process where you:

• Define the input (an email, a document, a dataset)

• Set the transformation (summarise, draft a reply, extract key points)

• Review and send the output

The key word is *repeatable*. You build it once and use it hundreds of times.

Three Workflows You Can Build Today

1. The Email Triage System

Instead of reading every email fully, use AI to:

• Categorise emails by urgency and topic

• Draft replies for routine messages

• Flag items that need your personal attention

Time saved: ~45 minutes per day

2. The Meeting Prep Workflow

Before any meeting:

• AI summarises the last 5 email threads with that person

• Pulls relevant notes from previous meetings

• Drafts 3 talking points based on the agenda

Time saved: ~20 minutes per meeting

3. The Weekly Report Generator

At the end of each week:

• AI pulls your completed tasks and key metrics

• Structures them into a stakeholder-friendly format

• Drafts the email with highlights and next steps

Time saved: ~1 hour per week

Getting Started

Don't try to automate everything at once. Pick your single most repetitive task, build an AI workflow around it, and measure the time saved. Once you see the results, you'll naturally expand to more workflows.