Automation Starter Pack: For People Who Do the Same Digital Tasks 47 Times a Day

Raise your hand if you've ever thought: "I swear I just did this exact same task yesterday... and the day before... and probably every day this week."

Maybe it's moving files from your Downloads folder. Maybe it's copying the same information into multiple places. Maybe it's sending the same type of email over and over with slightly different details.

Here's the thing: If you're doing the same digital task more than three times, there's probably a way to automate it. And no, you don't need to learn coding or become a tech wizard.

Why Automation Matters (Beyond Just Saving Time)

Time savings: Obviously. But that's just the start.

Mental load reduction: Every repetitive task your brain doesn't have to track is mental energy freed up for more important things.

Consistency: Automated processes don't forget steps, get tired, or have off days.

Error reduction: No more "did I remember to...?" anxiety.

Future self gratitude: Nothing beats the feeling of past-you setting something up that saves present-you from tedious work.

The goal isn't to automate everything. It's to automate the boring stuff so you can spend time on work that's actually engaging.

🤖 Automation Mindset: Start Thinking Like a Lazy Genius

The "Three Times Rule"

If you do the same digital task three times, start looking for automation options.

Examples that scream for automation:

• Downloading files and organizing them into folders
• Sending similar emails with different details
• Creating the same type of document repeatedly
• Moving data between apps
• Backing up files to specific locations
• Social media posting across platforms

Think in Workflows, Not Individual Tasks

Instead of: "I need to send an email"
Think: "I need to: get someone's info → add to my system → send welcome email → set follow-up reminder"

Automation opportunity: Maybe that whole workflow can happen with one trigger.

🚀 Level 1: Built-in Automations (Start Here)

Smartphone Shortcuts

iPhone (Shortcuts app):

• Text specific people your ETA with one tap
• Create calendar events from templates
• Set multiple alarms at once
• Send your location to emergency contacts

Android (Google Assistant + IFTTT):

• "Hey Google, I'm leaving work" → text family, start navigation, set arrival time
• Location-based reminders
• Auto-reply to missed calls with text messages

Setup time: 5-10 minutes each
Learning curve: Minimal
Impact: Daily time savings

Email Automations

Gmail Filters:

• Auto-sort newsletters into folders
• Forward specific types of emails
• Auto-delete promotional emails
• Apply labels based on sender/subject

Email Templates:

• Save responses you send repeatedly
• Use variables for names/details that change
• Set up canned responses for common questions

Auto-responders:

• Set expectations for response time
• Redirect people to FAQ resources
• Professional out-of-office messages

⚡ Level 2: Simple App Automations

IFTTT (If This Then That) - The Gateway Drug

Free tier covers most basic needs. Here are the greatest hits:

Social Media Cross-Posting:

• Instagram photo → automatically posts to Twitter/Facebook
• New blog post → share across all platforms
• YouTube upload → notify your email list

File Management:

• Email attachment → save to Google Drive folder
• Screenshot taken → upload to cloud storage
• Download file → organize into correct folder

Home/Life Management:

• Weather forecast → text you if rain is coming
• Calendar event starting → send location to family
• New contact added → create task to follow up

Setup time: 5 minutes per automation
Cost: Free for basic use
Best for: Simple if-this-then-that logic

Zapier - The Slightly More Sophisticated Option

What it does: Connects apps that don't naturally talk to each other

Popular workflows:

• New email subscriber → add to CRM → send welcome email
• Calendar event created → create Slack reminder → add to project management tool
• Form submission → create task → notify team → add to spreadsheet

Cost: Free tier (limited), $20+/month for more
Best for: Multi-step workflows, business processes

🎯 Level 3: Intermediate Automations

Text Expanders

What they do: Type a short code, get a long piece of text

Useful snippets:

• eemail → your email address
• aaddress → your full mailing address
• ssig → your email signature
• mmeeting → "Thanks for the meeting. Here are the next steps..."

Tools: TextExpander (Mac/PC), Phrase Express (PC), built-in iOS/Android keyboards

File Organization Automations

Hazel (Mac) / File Juggler (PC):

• Downloads folder → auto-sort by file type
• Desktop cleanup → move old files to archive
• Screenshot organization → rename and file by date
• Duplicate file removal

Cloud Storage Rules:

• Google Drive/Dropbox automation based on file type, date, or content
• Auto-backup specific folders
• Share files automatically with team members

Calendar & Task Automations

Calendly + Zapier:

• Someone books meeting → calendar event + Zoom link + email confirmation + task reminder

Task Management:

• Recurring tasks auto-created based on calendar events
• Due date reminders across platforms
• Project templates that auto-populate with tasks

🔧 Level 4: Advanced (But Still Accessible) Automations

Notion Automations

Database automations:

• New entry → notify team via Slack
• Status change → trigger email sequence
• Date-based reminders and updates

Google Sheets/Excel Automations

Simple formulas that feel like magic:

• Auto-calculate expenses and categorize them
• Pull data from web sources automatically
• Create reports that update themselves

Browser Automations

Tools like Selenium or browser extensions:

• Auto-fill forms with your information
• Monitor websites for changes
• Download reports on schedule

💡 Automation Ideas by Life Area

For Content Creators

Publishing workflow:

• Write post → auto-schedule across platforms → notify email list → add to content calendar

Community management:

• New comment → add to response queue
• Mention detected → notify you via preferred method
• Engagement tracking → auto-update in spreadsheet

For Small Business Owners

Client onboarding:

• New client → send welcome packet → create project folder → add to CRM → schedule check-in

Invoice management:

• Invoice paid → update accounting software → send thank you → set follow-up reminder

For Students/Researchers

Information management:

• Save article → auto-tag and file → add to reading list → create citation

Study scheduling:

• Exam date → create study plan → set daily reminders → block time on calendar

For Busy Parents

Family coordination:

• Activity signup → add to family calendar → notify spouse → set pickup reminder

Household management:

• Bill due → auto-pay → update budget tracker → set next review date

🛠️ Building Your First Automation

Week 1: Identify Opportunities

Track repetitive tasks for one week:

• Note every time you think "didn't I just do this?"
• Pay attention to copy/paste activities
• Notice manual data entry
• Track time spent on routine digital tasks

Week 2: Start Simple

Pick your most annoying repetitive task and automate it:

• Use built-in tools first (phone shortcuts, email filters)
• Choose something you do daily
• Start with binary decisions (this or that, not complex logic)

Week 3: One Platform Automation

Try IFTTT or Zapier:

• Connect two apps you use regularly
• Start with a simple trigger-action pair
• Test it thoroughly before relying on it

Week 4: Expand and Optimize

Add 1-2 more automations:

• Build on what you learned in weeks 2-3
• Look for multi-step processes that could be streamlined
• Share successful automations with colleagues/friends

🚫 Automation Mistakes to Avoid

Over-automating immediately: Start small, build complexity gradually

Automating broken processes: Fix the workflow first, then automate it

Set-and-forget mentality: Check periodically to make sure automations still work

Automating everything: Some tasks benefit from human decision-making

Ignoring security: Be careful about connecting sensitive accounts

Making it too complex: If it takes more time to maintain than it saves, simplify

Choosing Your Automation Tools

Free Options (Start Here)

• IFTTT: Simple triggers and actions
• Phone shortcuts: Built-in automation for mobile tasks
• Email filters: Most email providers include these
• Browser bookmarklets: Simple one-click actions

Paid Options (When Free Isn't Enough)

• Zapier: More complex workflows, better app integration
• Hazel (Mac)/File Juggler (PC): File organization automation
• TextExpander: Professional text snippet management
• Notion: Database automation and workflow management

Enterprise Options (For Businesses)

• Microsoft Power Automate: Integrates with Office 365
• Google Apps Script: Custom automations for Google Workspace
• Custom APIs: When nothing else meets your needs

Your Automation Starter Pack

This week:

• Set up 3 email filters for messages you regularly receive
• Create 2 text shortcuts for information you type frequently
• Install IFTTT and connect two apps you use daily

This month:

• Automate your most time-consuming repetitive task
• Set up file organization automation for downloads
• Create a simple workflow that connects 3+ steps

This quarter:

• Audit all your automations and optimize/remove broken ones
• Share automation ideas with colleagues or friends
• Look for opportunities to automate collaborations with others

The Bottom Line

Automation isn't about becoming a robot - it's about freeing yourself from robot work so you can focus on things that actually require human creativity, judgment, and connection.

Start small. One simple automation that saves you 5 minutes a day adds up to 30+ hours a year. That's almost a full work week you get back.

Think workflows, not tasks. The best automations connect multiple steps, not just individual actions.

Maintain your automations. Check periodically to make sure they're still working and serving your current needs.

Most importantly, remember that the goal is to make your life easier, not to create a complex system that requires constant maintenance. Good automation should be invisible - it just makes things work better without you having to think about it.

Ready to automate something but not sure where to start? Get in touch to share what repetitive tasks are driving you crazy - sometimes talking through your workflow with someone else helps identify the best automation opportunities.

Want to optimize your automated workflows further? Check out our focus tools for scattered brains to make the most of the time automation saves you, or explore productivity systems to build frameworks that work with your new automated processes.