The Hidden Ingredient Behind AI Productivity

AI can help you get more done. The technical side isn't the hard part. Its biggest strength is natural language processing, which means anyone can give it tasks using simple words. You don’t need to be an expert—just know what you want to accomplish. But getting high-quality results is another matter.

Let’s look at an example. If I ask AI to write an article about productivity, here’s what it gives me:

In today’s fast-paced world, AI has emerged as a game-changer in productivity. With its ability to process vast amounts of data, automate repetitive tasks, and provide intelligent insights, it seems like the perfect solution for getting more done in less time.

Phrases like "today’s fast-paced world," "emerged," and "game changer" are its favorite buzzwords. If you just copy and publish the AI’s response, you’re only adding to the growing pile of generic articles that keep repeating the same ideas.

This is NOT productivity. If you want to be more productive, you should focus on high-quality results at an efficient pace. And that’s not as simple as just telling AI what to do. I know this firsthand because AI is deeply integrated into my daily life.

My software development team consists of six different AI assistants, each with its own role. Recording voice memos on the go? That’s old news. If I record a memo, an AI assistant converts my scattered thoughts into proper to-do lists, brainstorming ideas, or article drafts. My calendar is managed by AI, and if I take a screenshot, another AI agent automatically sorts it into the right folder.

My productivity system is custom-built and fine-tuned to match my goals and personal needs. I use different services, along with tools that connect them to each other. It’s not cheap, but it’s cost-effective—you get an entire team for less than what you’d pay a single employee.

Despite all this, I haven’t written a single Substack article in the past month.

Was I doing something wrong? Yes, I was. But it wasn’t a technical issue. It had nothing to do with not knowing how to get things done. And it wasn’t a failure of my productivity system either. In fact, it worked so well—that was the problem.

There’s a hidden trap in all this productivity optimization. The more fine-tuned my system became, the more productive I was—and the more automation pulled me into its process. Doubling my productivity wasn’t enough. I knew I could triple it.

There was a never-ending cycle of optimization—like an engine that runs perpetually. At first, you don’t even notice what fuels it. It seems like free energy. Until one day, you realize the sacrifices you’re making to keep the productivity engine running.

It has a cost—but it also presents an opportunity. There’s a right way to build an AI-assisted productivity system. And there’s a hidden ingredient.

Being Disconnected While Staying Connected

To stay truly connected to what matters, you sometimes need to step back. The whole point of optimizing a productivity system is to create more time and space for yourself. In theory, the more mundane tasks I eliminated, the more balanced my life should have become. But in reality, I poured all that extra energy into becoming even more productive.

AI wasn’t the problem—neither was the system or the results. The issue was how I saw it. I treated productivity as a straight path forward, always pushing for more. But I hadn’t yet understood what it really meant to be disconnected while staying connected.

1. Disconnected from the Noise, Connected to What Matters

AI can write your emails, summarize your meetings, and organize your notes before you even think about them. But being plugged into an endless stream of automated tasks doesn’t mean you’re truly engaging with life in a meaningful way. Disconnection here isn’t about shutting off technology—it’s about filtering out the clutter. Your entire AI-powered productivity system means nothing if you haven’t figured out what actually matters beyond those productive hours.

2. Disconnected from the Race, Connected to Your Own Pace

Productivity can feel like a treadmill—always promising that with just a little more speed, a little more automation, you’ll finally "catch up." But the finish line keeps moving. At some point, you realize the real power of AI isn’t in pushing yourself harder, but in creating space to work with purpose. Stepping back doesn’t mean doing less—it means doing what actually moves the needle, on your own terms.

3. Disconnected from Automation, Connected to Creativity

The more you automate, the more tempting it is to let the system take over. But creativity needs resistance. It needs moments of friction, of staring at a blank page, of making unexpected connections. True productivity isn’t about removing yourself from the process—it’s about knowing when to let AI handle the mechanics and when to stay in the mess of real thinking.

I’m learning to be more productive—on my own terms. I haven’t given up on my AI assistants; I still get three times more done than I used to. But my view on productivity has changed.

Now, I start my day by journaling about what I want to enjoy that day—something completely unrelated to work. Below that, I list my other priorities. And instead of using my efficiency just to get more work done, I use it to make space for that first item.

This is the hidden ingredient of AI productivity. If you want to live boldly, AI can help. But it should bring you happiness, and it should work on your terms.