🤖 3 smart ways to use AI IRL

Joanna shares 3 ways she uses AI, a nudge to hush your inner critic, and a reminder to stay curious.

Subscribe here | Unsubscribe here | OG Tuesday May 13, 2025   ✅ Today's Checklist:  Joanna shares 3 ways to use AI IRL How to shut up your inner perfectionist & get moving Growth starts with curiosity 🤔 Riddle me this: You'll find me in Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. But never Neptune, or Venus. What am I? (Find the answer on the bottom). QUICK LINKS   ✅ The prioritization method that finally clicked. 🏢 Build a thriving workplace with these company culture tools your team will actually love. 📣 Marketing is still a boys' club, but we're not asking nicely anymore. 🚀 Get promoted into executive roles without working harder or getting an expensive MBA (free masterclass). AI IRL     3 Ways I Actually Use AI—Yes, Even Outside Work My team and I believe this: if you don't get on the AI train, you will get left behind. But for a lot of people (in fact, 80% of you), AI still feels overwhelming—and most of the content out there doesn't make it feel any easier. So I'm pulling back the curtain on how I actually use it regularly—for workouts, content, presentations, and even understanding you better. Each example comes with prompts, workflows, and quick tips so you can try them yourself. 1. ✍️  I made a custom GPT that writes like us To keep our brand voice consistent (and save time), I built a custom GPT trained on the past 18 months of The Assist issues. Think of it as our in-house ghostwriter who actually gets our tone, formatting, and audience. Now, our team uses it to: Draft first-pass copy for newsletter sections Edit for tone and clarity Repurpose older content Brainstorm for future content Assist with creating surveys/polls How I built it: I didn't just drop in a random doc. I uploaded curated examples of each section and added notes on tone, formatting, emojis, and quirks. That specificity helped the GPT learn our style down to the line breaks. Then I tested and refined responses until it felt right. I asked my team to use it relentlessly and give me feedback so I could improve outputs. Want to build your own? Go to ChatGPT → Click Explore GPTs → Tap Create Add a name + describe the job it should do Upload strong content samples (grouped by type) Add instructions like: "Use a warm, clever tone. Keep it concise. Format with bold headers, emojis, and short paragraphs." Test, tweak, repeat. The more feedback you give it, the better it gets. Tip: Include plenty of examples including "what not to do". It helps set boundaries your GPT can learn from. BTW you can upload zip files! Since launching our TA Copy Bestie, we've cut editing time, boosted content consistency, and made onboarding new writers waaay easier. 2. 🎨 Turning messy outlines into polished decks Creating decks used to eat up half my day. Copy, design, layout—it all took longer than expected. Then I found Gamma. Now I just plug in a rough outline, and their AI builds a clean, branded presentation in minutes. I even uploaded our brand kit (logo, fonts, colors), so it always looks like it came straight from a design team—even if I whipped it up in sweats at midnight. Tips to get the most out of Gamma: Start with a solid outline—clean bullet points or sections work best Use the /menu to drop in charts, embeds, and icons without hunting around Let the AI finesse your copy—make it more persuasive, professional, or playful Always add CTAs or summary slides (I prompt it to end with "next steps") Mobile optimized—no more reformatting decks for different screens Save your favorite themes for consistent branding It's one of those tools that gives time back—and makes you look good doing it. 3. 🏋️‍♀️ Fitness tracking, but smarter I use ChatGPT like a digital fitness coach meets macro calculator. MyFitnessPal is great for logging meals, but when I want extra accuracy—especially with takeout—I'll upload before/after pics of my plate and a snapshot of the menu. ChatGPT then analyzes the ingredients and gives me a solid macro breakdown. I even tested this at home with a turkey sandwich. I scanned and weighed each ingredient to get exact macros, then sent ChatGPT a pic of the finished sandwich. It came back only ~50 calories off—and nailed the protein and fat. 💡 Tip: Be specific with your prompts. When I want a weekly workout plan, I'll share: My fitness goals Height, weight, and macro targets Preferred workout routine (e.g. weights 3x/week + cardio or yoga 1–2x) Example prompt: "Based on my stats (120 lbs, 5'1", eating ~100 cal/day, high protein/low carb), create a workout plan for this week. I want to weight train 3x a week (at home or gym) and do 1–2 cardio or active recovery sessions. My goal is to lose body fat and maintain muscle." Prefer an app? My husband loves Fitbod, but there's also Planfit for gym beginners. Bonus: I use AI to understand you better  One of the coolest (and honestly most underrated) ways I use ChatGPT? Analyzing our own reader surveys and polls—so we can create content that speaks directly to what you care about. Why we do this: So our content actually hits home To make editorial decisions backed by real audience data—not just gut feels How we do it: We drop your responses (I've found .csv to be best) into ChatGPT and use a prompt like: "Summarize the key themes, recurring challenges, and anything that stands out. Format for team review and content planning." It quickly highlights patterns, surfaces insights, and turns raw data into strategy. No more hours spent drowning in spreadsheets. So if you've ever thought "Wow, they really get me"…now you know our secret 😉. Joanna (TA Co-Founder) P.S. Your turn: How are you using AI right now? Drop it in the comments here. UPCOMING WEBINAR     When a Manager Slips Up, Legal Trouble Follows   Your managers are doing their best—but when they don't know what legally crosses the line, your whole company's at risk. From shifting laws to empowered employees, the landscape has changed. Every comment, decision, or misstep can spark a discrimination claim. That's why smart HR teams are turning to Traliant's Discrimination Prevention for Managers—a modern training built by legal pros to protect your people and your business. ✅ Breaks down what actually counts as discrimination ✅ Clarifies manager responsibilities ✅ Gives clear, neutral guidance that sticks Think of it less like a training... more like an insurance policy for your team. Preview the course → BIGGEST CHALLENGE     How To Shut Up Your Inner Perfectionist And Get Moving This challenge hit our inbox recently: "My biggest challenge is action. Getting out of planning in my head, trying to get perfection, and never actually acting on my plans." Girl, you're not lazy—you're stuck in analysis paralysis, aka your brain trying to protect you by over-preparing instead of just starting. It's time to break the cycle. 🧠 Why You Freeze Up When It's Time to Act Your brain's #1 job? Keep you safe—not successful. Your prefrontal cortex (the planner) is ready to go, but your limbic system (the feeler) goes: "Umm…are we sure this won't kill us?" Uncertainty = danger to your emotional brain. So it taps the brakes. Hard. Translation: Fear of failure often shows up as "Let me tweak the plan one more time." 👠 Perfectionism Isn't a Flex—It's Fear in Heels Wanting to get it "just right" feels like high standards. But more often? It's your brain dodging judgment, criticism, and disappointment. The cost? Missed opportunities Stalled growth Goals that die in your Notes app 🚀 How to Get Out of Your Head and Into Motion Here are 5 brain-friendly tactics to break the freeze loop: 1. Start Stupid Small Seriously—make it laughably doable. Open the doc Write one sentence Hit "send" on the email you've rewritten 4 times Action sparks motivation—not the other way around. 2. Use "If-Then" Rules AKA implementation intentions—they turn vague goals into automatic behaviors. 👉 If it's 10 AM, then I'll spend 10 minutes on the proposal. 👉 If I finish lunch, then I'll declutter my inbox for 5 minutes. 3. Set a "Good Enough" Bar Done is a decision. Perfect is a never-ending edit. Give yourself a 20-minute deadline and ask: "What would a B-minus version look like?" Then do that. ⚡️ Quick Challenge: 2-Minute Action Sprint Set a timer. Do one tiny task you've been avoiding Ask: What clarity or momentum did I get from just starting? 4. Try cognitive defusion This ACT-based technique helps you untangle from unhelpful thoughts. Say to yourself: "I'm noticing I'm having the thought that this has to be perfect." It's a subtle shift—but powerful. You are not your thoughts. 5. Build a 'done list' Instead of spiraling about what's left, celebrate what you did do. Momentum loves visibility. You don't need a better plan. You need less hesitation. ✨ Clarity lives on the other side of action. HIRING TOOLS     What if Hiring Felt…Effortless? (It Can.)   If your inbox is drowning with unqualified résumés and your best candidates keep ghosting—yep, it's time for a better system. ✨ BambooHR keeps it simple for small to mid-sized teams. Centralized pipeline, drag-and-drop ease, seamless integrations. No spreadsheets, no chaos. 🚀 Greenhouse is built for scale. Structured workflows, DEI nudges, and automation that saves you hours—not just clicks. ✅ Quick Hiring Wins to Steal: Lock in your must-haves early Use structured interviews to reduce bias Automate the repetitive stuff Hire for culture and skill Actually check those references Keep the process moving Get team feedback fast Hiring doesn't have to feel like another full-time job. 👉 Explore BambooHR or Greenhouse to find your fit. SUBSCRIBER SPOTLIGHT   Growth Starts With Curiosity  "The best career advice I received was from a supervisor early in my career to always continue to be curious, have a growth mindset, and "this moment shall pass."  Life will continue...relationships matter!" — Jocelyn H. (Independent Contractor) ⭐️ Share your best career advice here so we can feature it in a future newsletter. STAFF PICKS Stuff We're Loving This Week   📚 Why buy the book when Libby lets you read it all for free? 📥 Small biz hiring? These applicant tracking systems do the heavy lifting. 👀 YSL's waterproof wand is that girl—bold, buildable, and stays put. 🔌 This 3-in-1 charger is the travel MVP. JUST FOR FUN   JOB LEADS   Your Next Gig = One Click Away Gloo is hiring for a Head of Recruitment (Midland, TX). Adalta Global Inc. is hiring for a Senior Workday HRIS Analyst (Raleigh, NC). Primary Services is hiring for a Business Analyst (Houston, TX). Naztec International Group is hiring for a Project Manager (Miami, FL). HirePlace is hiring for a Senior Business Intelligence Developer (Nashville, TN). ⭐ View more jobs here > SPILL THE TEA Take Our Poll     Have more feedback? 💌 Reply to this email and tell us. ⭐️ Answer to the riddle. ✨ P.S. Want more inspiration and positivity to kick off your week? Sign up for our Motivational Monday texts (U.S. only). 👀 Want to see if your company is a good fit for our 100k+ ambitious readers? Join our Sponsor Waitlist here. UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCES Only Get What You Want  Here's how to update your preferences in just a few quick steps: Click the link below and on the "Update Your Preferences" page, click the "Email me a link" button. Open the email with the subject line "The Assist Subscribers: Update Profile" and click the link inside. Choose the weekly email newsletters you'd like to receive from us (Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat). Click "Update Preferences" to save your changes—and you're all set! 👉 Update my subscriber preferences here. 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