By the time you finish this sentence, at least two new AI thingies have been announced. Big tech will have made some ridiculous promise that either makes you question your livelihood or makes you go, “Cool story, bro.”

Not gonna lie; this ish is exhausting. Trying to keep up makes my head hurt, and keeping up is literally my job. 😩

So I can only imagine how you feel. It’s becoming impossible to keep track of everything, and honestly, you shouldn’t even try.

Also: Google Gemini just made two of its best features available for free

Instead, I suggest a different approach. In this article, we’ll cut through the hype and explore the practical ways AI can drive real value in your life and work.

If you’re new to my work, I’m Lester, but feel free to call me Les 👋. I stay pretty busy, so I use AI daily to help me work faster and smarter. If you’re looking for practical and helpful AI tips and tricks, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. I share what’s working in the world of business, along with marketing insights and trends I’m seeing.

How to avoid AI overwhelm

So, how do you focus on what truly matters in the world of AI? It starts with a simple yet powerful shift in perspective. Instead of getting bogged down in the latest tools and trends, focus on the problems you want to solve. 🤓☝️

Ask yourself: 

• What challenges are you facing at work or in your personal life that AI could help solve?
• What outcomes do you want to achieve?
• Write down tasks you do repeatedly that feel slow or tedious, like research, writing, or summarizing information. 

Next, test two or three AI tools specifically built for those tasks. Use each tool for at least one day to see if it makes your workflow faster or easier. Keep only the ones that save you time or simplify your day. Ignore the rest, no matter how popular they seem.

Also: The most popular AI tools (and what that even means)

This quick testing process stops overwhelm before it starts and ensures that every tool you use is worth it.

The AI tools I use

For my specific workflow, here are the AI tools I use.

🤖 ChatGPT – My beloved! I’m using ChatGPT kinda like a creative assistant, to help me generate ideas. I don’t use it for the heavy lifting like creating content… I may be a creative snob, but I don’t think AI writing is that good… I’m willing to admit I could be biased and refuse to be replaced by a machine. 😤

🦾 Perplexity – For the most part, Perplexity has replaced Google in my research workflow. 

👨‍💻 Grammarly – To check grammar and spelling when emailing or creating content. It’s kinda my editor, if I’m being honest. (And it hates when I use words like kinda. 🤷‍♂️)

🧑🏼‍🎨 Canva – If I need to design a presentation for a client or a meeting… Canva is quick and easy to use. I haven’t found an AI tool that makes a presentation as good as Canva, but I’m watching this space, will keep you posted.

That’s it for my daily workflow. But like I said, you need to pick what works for you and not blindly follow anyone (including me). 

Feeling like you’re missing out isn’t unique to any one topic. We all deal with it, whether that’s constantly checking email or social media to ensure we’re not missing anything important.

How I manage AI FOMO

Trust me, the struggle is real. With that said, here’s how I handle AI FOMO.

I’m working on accepting that knowing everything is impossible. 😔

I’ve replaced passive learning with immediate action. I’m at the age where I don’t learn anything “just ’cause.” I need to be able to use that information immediately. Quality over quantity. I have a few trusted sources I rely on for AI news. 

Also: I was an AI skeptic until these 5 tools changed my mind

Shameless plug, I rely on ZDNET for my AI news, not just because I work here, but because I trust our commitment to fair and unbiased reporting. Plus, Aly (my editor) doesn’t play that; if you fall out of line, she will check you. 🤣

I also actively seek opposing views to avoid confirmation bias.

I consume information at my own pace, not just because something new was announced. Thursday morning is my dedicated catchup day, and I’m pretty strict about sticking to it. There is nothing special about Thursday; I just chose it randomly, marked it on my calendar, and now I do my best to stick to it. 👉👈

All that said, I’ll leave you with this checklist 

• Accept you can’t know everything
• Replace passive learning with immediate action
• Prioritize quality over quantity with trusted information sources
• Schedule a dedicated weekly catchup for consuming updates
• List repetitive or tedious tasks you want to speed up
• Test two or three targeted AI tools for those tasks
• Keep only the AI tools that simplify or speed up your workflow

As for the latest model… I personally don’t care about benchmarks unless something is magnitudes better than I already use. For example, if it goes from 10 to 50, you’ve got my attention.

But from 10 to 11? Nah, I’m good. I’m not learning a whole new thing or getting a new subscription.

Also: I’m an AI tools expert, and these are the only two I pay for

Look, I’m not anti-innovation or anti-AI. All I’m saying is, what’s the point of all these tools if you’re spending more time learning how to use them than actually using them?

Feel me?

😇 Hope this helps. I’m rooting for you.

P.S. If you want more easy and helpful AI tips and tricks. Sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts.