Do’s and Don’ts for First-Time AI Users

When I look back at the last few years of running WISK, one of the biggest shifts in how I work came from embracing AI tools. Not just in theory, but in a very practical and personal way.

I used to juggle product decisions, customer calls, emails, marketing reviews, hiring, and planning all in a single day. There were moments where it felt like I was operating on fumes. I wasn’t looking for shortcuts. I just wanted clarity and breathing room.

When AI tools started getting better, I tested everything I could. I experimented with writing assistants, meeting tools, automation engines, and data helpers. Not every tool made it into my workflow, but the ones that did made a noticeable difference. Today, I use AI every day because it strengthens my thinking and removes friction in my work.

If you are using AI for the first time, here is the same guidance I eventually learned through trial and error.

1. Do: Start With One Workflow That Slows You Down

My entry point into AI wasn’t flashy. I used it to handle clutter.

I started with ChatGPT to help rewrite long messages and simplify complex emails, and that alone saved me hours every week. It was a simple example of how one tool could immediately remove friction from my day.

Later, I added Sembly for meeting notes and summaries, which became another practical example of how AI can support presence during calls without worrying about documentation.

From there, I began using simple automation tools to handle repetitive tasks in my schedule. These were just a few examples of what worked for me, and they showed me how different AI tools can support different parts of your workflow depending on what you need most.

I did not start with a big plan. I started with a single pain point. That is where AI becomes meaningful.

2. Don’t: Expect AI Tools To Guess Your Intent

In the beginning, I would ask AI something short like “improve this” and then wonder why the results felt bland.

AI tools need clarity.
Context.
Examples.
Direction.

Once I started treating these tools like team members that needed a proper brief, everything changed. The quality of the output improved instantly.

3. Do: Use AI As a Multiplier for Your Best Work

The AI tools I use the most are the ones that multiply my energy.

ChatGPT helps me refine ideas, write faster, and pressure test decisions.
Sembly captures meetings so I can focus on people rather than note taking.
Simple automations reduce repetitive work so I can stay focused on strategy.

There are also many other AI tools available today that support research, planning, content creation, and daily decision making, and the right mix often depends on the workflows you want to improve.

AI does not replace my judgment. It amplifies it.

4. Don’t: Trust Outputs Without Reviewing Them

I learned this lesson early.

AI can be incredibly helpful, but it still makes mistakes. I always run a quick review before sending anything to a customer, a partner, or my team.

This thirty second habit maintains quality, protects accuracy, and keeps my voice consistent.

5. Do: Iterate Until It Feels Right

The first version is never the best version.

The real magic happens when you take the output, add feedback, and ask the AI tool to refine it. Every time I do this, the final version feels sharper, more aligned, and more usable.

Iteration is where the value lives.

6. Don’t: Paste Sensitive Information Into Any Tool

Even with better privacy features today, I avoid placing sensitive financials, passwords, or private client details into AI tools. Unless you are using a fully private enterprise environment, it is better to stay cautious.

Good digital hygiene keeps you safe.

7. Do: Build a Personal Library of Prompts and Workflows

Over time, I saved the prompts that consistently worked for emails, content, systems documentation, and decision making. I also saved templates for meeting summaries and task breakdowns inside my AI tools.

This became a personal toolkit that saves me hours.

A good prompt library acts like your own playbook, ready whenever you need it.

What I Learned from Using AI Every Day

My productivity scaled when I focused AI on the tasks that slowed me down the most.

Every tool I kept in my workflow made me think clearer, not lazier. It strengthened my ability to communicate, plan, and prioritize.

The more consistent I became with using AI tools, the more predictable and helpful they became.

Treating AI tools like collaborators created better results than using them as shortcuts.

The biggest benefit wasn’t automation. It was mental space. It reduced unnecessary friction and gave me more time to do deep work.

A New Way of Working

We are entering a time where the people who know how to partner with AI tools will naturally move faster and think better.

The advantage doesn’t come from being technical. It comes from being intentional.

AI tools slowly become part of your operating system. They help you cut through noise, analyze problems with calm, and make decisions with clarity.

You do not need to master everything at once. Start with one workflow. Learn what the tool can do.

Build from there.

Over time, you create a personalized AI stack that supports your mind, your work, and your leadership.

If you want me to share the tools I use daily along with the exact prompts, workflows, and habits that make them effective, reply to this email.

I always enjoy sharing what is working behind the scenes.