Before you automate anything, do this 15-minute exercise

Most people jump straight into Zapier or n8n and get stuck. The tool isn't the problem. The problem is that the task hasn't been mapped out yet.

Every automation is the same shape: when THIS happens, do THAT.

Example: when someone fills in my contact form, add them to my spreadsheet, then send them a welcome email.

Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini:

"I want to automate a task I do every week. Here's how I do it now, step by step: [describe it]. Turn this into a simple automation plan: what starts it (the trigger), each step after that, and which tool I could use (Zapier, Make or n8n). Flag any step where a human should check before it continues."

Run a business? Map how you handle a new lead or a new client.

Work for a company? Map a weekly report you put together by hand.

Reply with the task you mapped. I'll pick a few and show you how to build them.

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Before you automate anything, do this 15-minute exercise