Happy Friday Reader!

You know what I hear all the time?

"I have no time to play with AI!"

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Whether it’s a 19-year-old student swamped with studying, a 45-year-old professional juggling a full-time job, three kids, aging parents, or a 65-year-old woman in retirement, that line keeps coming up.

Honestly, I get it. But here’s the thing—I can’t hear it anymore.

We’re all busy. You, me, even my 7-year-old, who insists she has no time to clean her room.

If the idea of ‘playing’ with yet another AI tool feels like adding one more thing to an already overflowing plate, it’s time to rethink - it’s ironic because giving you time back is exactly what AI was designed to do.

Many women I work with, especially from the younger generation, struggle to see how AI can truly help at work—and that’s why they don’t take the time—because they lack the on-the-job experience of dealing with the repetitive, manual tasks that senior subject matter experts often face

So, let’s start somewhere else—your personal life.

Starting Small, Starting Personal

Here’s my confession: every week on Friday, I lose at least three hours—yes, three whole hours—trying to plan childcare. It’s like an endless puzzle of business meetings, school schedules, playdates, and nanny hours that completely drains my energy.

One day, my husband finally said, "I can’t hear this complaint anymore, Simone. Why not give ChatGPT a try?"

My first reaction, even though I’m all about AI, was,

"It’s too complicated for ChatGPT—too many variables.

You don't understand (because you never do it :-))

The only person who can do this right is me."

But then he grabbed my laptop, typed up a prompt in five minutes, asked it to organize everything, and BOOM—three hours of my life reclaimed.

Was it perfect on the first try? No. But it wasn’t bad either. I could see the potential.

I wasn’t thrilled to be proven wrong (ugh), but I was thrilled to get more "me time."

This is what I mean by "playing" with AI. It’s not about nailing the perfect prompt or solution to your problem right away. It’s about identifying something you’re doing manually that’s driving you nuts, then finding an AI tool to take it off your plate and seeing what happens.

Now, our weekly family calendar doesn’t quite run itself yet (but soon, the Open AI agents arrived yesterday 😊), but it only takes me 15 minutes instead of three hours. And that? That’s a big win in my book.

How AI Can Make Your Life Better

Still skeptical? Let me make this more practical.

Think of one thing in your personal life that drives you nuts or eats up too much time. Got it? Great.

Here are some of my favorite use cases:

• Get Fitter: Want to exercise, get stronger, or hit your protein goals but don’t know where to start? AI can plan your workouts and meal plans based on your age, family situation, and preferences. I use tools like SnapCalorie and Oura to collect data, feed it into ChatGPT, and voilà—personalized plans that track my progress and tweak themselves as I go. I even created my own Perimenopause custom GPT—a holistic personal coach in my handbag.
• Travel Planning: Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity can craft itineraries, and even suggest where to grab the best tacos. Bonus? In the end, I email my schedule as an .ics file, so it syncs right to my calendar.
• Level Up a Hobby (or Your Kid’s Homework): Use Napkin AI or Notebook LM to collect resources—YouTube links, websites, Google Docs—and let AI turn them into infographics, a custom podcast or summary. Perfect for diving into your favorite topic or tackling boring school projects.
• Troubleshooting: From baking sourdough to fixing a dishwasher or gardening, AI has tips, tricks, and tailored advice. With ChatGPT Vision (a feature not many people use yet), you can even video chat or share screens for real-time, personalized solutions.

The best part? Doing it together with family or friends—it’s surprisingly fun.

Just last night, we were all on the couch, and my girls took over. It was fascinating to see their questions, from poo-poo jokes to Taylor Swift lullabies to updates on the fires in LA. They even turned ChatGPT Vision into a judge for how clean their room was.

But the funniest moment? When they asked ChatGPT who Dad is married to.

Spoiler: the first answer was Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica—not quite right, but hilarious.

That was the one time I turned "train data" back on to ensure ChatGPT now knows the correct answer: Simone Lis—the best wife, businesswoman, and mom on the f****** planet. 😊

How would you train the chatbot about yourself?

Your AI Future Starts Small and Personal

So, the next time you catch yourself saying, "I don’t have time to play with AI," pause.

Ask yourself this: What’s one thing in my life that could be just a little easier?

Starting small and personal is the key to seeing the value of AI for yourself. Try using an AI tool to tackle a small challenge you’re facing.

Even if it saves you just 15 minutes, that’s 15 minutes you can spend on something that matters—like finally finishing that Netflix polo series. (Not sure why I’m suddenly into polo athletes... maybe it’s the sport? Or their Instagram-ready lifestyle. Let’s be honest, probably the latter.)

Ready to Start?

If you’re ready to take it up a notch and explore what AI can do not only for your personal life but also for your career—helping you earn that pay raise, promotion, and the praise you deserve—I’ve got something just for you (especially if you’re one of the lucky ones who speaks German and identifies as a woman).

My next Bitkom "Future-Ready Woman" masterclass kicks off on February 20.

This is your chance to join 15 incredible women on a hands-on journey to integrate AI into your career and life. Together, we’ll tackle your biggest challenges, demystify the tools, and build systems that work.

Click here to learn more about the masterclass.

You don’t need to be a tech genius—just curious, open-minded, and willing to play and experiment.

Let’s do this together.

💞 From Venice Beach,
Simone

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