In my day job, as well as in my business, I am a fiend for automating any process that meets some or all of the following criteria:
- Computerized
- Repetitive
- Boring
- Prone to human error due to typos or inattention
- Can be explained in terms of a process that doesn't involve subjective thinking
- Complex, with many steps
- I have forgotten to do the task in the past in a timely manner
Depending on the task, I use a variety of tools to automate it. For example, I use Microsoft VBA to automate any task that takes place entirely within Microsoft Office programs. If I want to automate something that requires manual mouse movements/clicks or takes place in different applications, I may use AutoHotKey. If I want to perform general tasks involving files, spreadsheets, websites, etc., I may use Python. If it's a very simple task, like opening a website, I will probably just use Windows Task Scheduler,
Some examples of automations I have developed and use regularly (and the tools I used):
- Filling out header information on an inventory template (Excel VBA)
- Logging into my timekeeping website at 9am and 3:30pm to make sure I correctly enter my hours worked each day (AutoHotKey)
- Checking for a wide variety of errors on said inventory template, highlight the cells with errors, add notes to cells with errors detailing the cause of the errors and how to fix them -- basically performing a QA check the inventory template (Excel VBA)
- Every 5 minutes, scan a Dropbox directory where photos from my smartphone are saved, and automatically organize them in subfolders by year/month
- Login at least every week to specific websites to maintain access; i.e., they require a login every 30 days or I lose access (Task Scheduler)
- Analyze my email inbox every hour, and for any email attachment that contains a specific string of text, save that file to a specific folder on my computer (Python)
- Perform spreadsheet analysis on 15K+ lines of data and notify me when the analysis is done (Excel VBA)
- Resizing cell notes in an Excel spreadsheet to fit the contents (Excel VBA)
- Analyze hundreds of Excel spreadsheets and compile their information into a summary report (UiPath robotic process automation tool)
By no means am I a programmer. I have a rudimentary understanding of Python and an intermediate understanding of VBA, and barely understand AutoHotKey. However, I make liberal use of ChatGPT and ClaudeAI to help me develop these automations, and in most cases my understanding of these automation tools is enough to cover anything that ChatGPT or ClaudeAI can't figure out. Also, if it's a common enough problem, somebody else has probably
As a result of my automation mindset, I have been more consistent about the things that I used to forget to do. I also have simplified several multi-step tasks into a single mouse click, so I don't have to remember from one time to the next how to perform them. I have also developed several tools for other coworkers at my day job that they can use to make their work easier, and I have earned a reputation of being able to automate stuff.
More importantly, it has helped me to start thinking in different ways. Tedious tasks can be automated away a lot of the time, or at least made easier or faster. Time spent on tasks that you don't like can be freed up to do thinking or creative work.
If you have tasks in your job or business that fit the criteria I mentioned above, look into automating them. You don't even have to develop the tools yourself - VBA or Python programmers are literally everywhere and can build a solution that works for you.
Are there any tasks in your job/business that you now think could be automated? I'd love to hear from anyone who has thoughts about this.
- Computerized
- Repetitive
- Boring
- Prone to human error due to typos or inattention
- Can be explained in terms of a process that doesn't involve subjective thinking
- Complex, with many steps
- I have forgotten to do the task in the past in a timely manner
Depending on the task, I use a variety of tools to automate it. For example, I use Microsoft VBA to automate any task that takes place entirely within Microsoft Office programs. If I want to automate something that requires manual mouse movements/clicks or takes place in different applications, I may use AutoHotKey. If I want to perform general tasks involving files, spreadsheets, websites, etc., I may use Python. If it's a very simple task, like opening a website, I will probably just use Windows Task Scheduler,
Some examples of automations I have developed and use regularly (and the tools I used):
- Filling out header information on an inventory template (Excel VBA)
- Logging into my timekeeping website at 9am and 3:30pm to make sure I correctly enter my hours worked each day (AutoHotKey)
- Checking for a wide variety of errors on said inventory template, highlight the cells with errors, add notes to cells with errors detailing the cause of the errors and how to fix them -- basically performing a QA check the inventory template (Excel VBA)
- Every 5 minutes, scan a Dropbox directory where photos from my smartphone are saved, and automatically organize them in subfolders by year/month
- Login at least every week to specific websites to maintain access; i.e., they require a login every 30 days or I lose access (Task Scheduler)
- Analyze my email inbox every hour, and for any email attachment that contains a specific string of text, save that file to a specific folder on my computer (Python)
- Perform spreadsheet analysis on 15K+ lines of data and notify me when the analysis is done (Excel VBA)
- Resizing cell notes in an Excel spreadsheet to fit the contents (Excel VBA)
- Analyze hundreds of Excel spreadsheets and compile their information into a summary report (UiPath robotic process automation tool)
By no means am I a programmer. I have a rudimentary understanding of Python and an intermediate understanding of VBA, and barely understand AutoHotKey. However, I make liberal use of ChatGPT and ClaudeAI to help me develop these automations, and in most cases my understanding of these automation tools is enough to cover anything that ChatGPT or ClaudeAI can't figure out. Also, if it's a common enough problem, somebody else has probably
As a result of my automation mindset, I have been more consistent about the things that I used to forget to do. I also have simplified several multi-step tasks into a single mouse click, so I don't have to remember from one time to the next how to perform them. I have also developed several tools for other coworkers at my day job that they can use to make their work easier, and I have earned a reputation of being able to automate stuff.
More importantly, it has helped me to start thinking in different ways. Tedious tasks can be automated away a lot of the time, or at least made easier or faster. Time spent on tasks that you don't like can be freed up to do thinking or creative work.
If you have tasks in your job or business that fit the criteria I mentioned above, look into automating them. You don't even have to develop the tools yourself - VBA or Python programmers are literally everywhere and can build a solution that works for you.
Are there any tasks in your job/business that you now think could be automated? I'd love to hear from anyone who has thoughts about this.
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