16 - How to Use AI to Build a Routine That Fits You
I had a conversation with AI that started with a simple question about my bedtime routine and somehow ended up covering ADHD, extroversion, remote work, and retirement. If you’ve ever felt like a failure because someone else’s five-a.m.-cold-plunge morning routine never stuck for you, this one’s for you.
Confessions of a Productivity Apostate
I host productivity podcasts, and I still think there’s no single “right” system. Every guru sells the same package — wake at five, journal, cold plunge — and I tried, and it fell apart every time. Not from lack of discipline. It just wasn’t my pattern. AI didn’t hand me a routine; it helped me build my own from the ground up.
Rethinking the Bedtime Routine
I go to bed around 11, play a few phone games, listen to an audiobook, and fall asleep — and it works. But a sleep expert’s “your bed is only for sleep” advice made me second-guess it. AI drew the real distinction: there’s a difference between lying awake frustrated (the pattern sleep experts want to interrupt) and a genuine wind-down routine. Mine was already the second thing.
Productive vs. Restorative — and the Shutdown Sequence
Editing or recording podcasts right before bed activates my extrovert brain instead of calming it. AI helped me separate productive activities from restorative ones, and we built what I now call a “shutdown sequence” — vitamin D, reading, knitting, Bible reading, prayer, each one quieter than the last, borrowed straight from how IT servers gracefully power down.
Solving the Real Morning Problem
I assumed my morning fog was leftover insomnia. It wasn’t. AI asked what happened when I went birding, hit the gym, or traveled for work — and the pattern was obvious: I wake up around people. The pandemic just broke my old habit of built-in social contact before the workday started.
Ending the Exercise Negotiation
The real problem wasn’t willpower — exercise itself takes 20 minutes, but the negotiation with myself took hours. AI’s fix: keep a protein drink upstairs, exercise before ever going downstairs, before the day’s demands start competing for attention. It also helped me see this as bigger than mornings — I’m about seven years from retirement, and this was really about designing a low-friction life, not an optimized one.
What AI did wasn’t give me someone else’s routine. It helped me discover the one that was already mine.
Jill’s Links
http://jillfromthenorthwoods.com
https://www.youtube.com/@startwithsmallsteps
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps
Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com
By choosing to watch this video or listen to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are doing so of your own free will. The content shared here reflects personal experiences and opinions and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. I am not a software developer, data scientist, or AI professional. Any tips, tools, or suggestions offered should not be considered a substitute for professional technical advice. AI tools and platforms change frequently — always verify current features, pricing, and terms directly with the providers. You are solely responsible for any decisions or actions you take based on this content.
