Smarter strategy workflows for solopreneurs, creators, and system-sensitive minds.
The Problem Most People Have with AI
AI was supposed to help us work smarter.
Instead, it often feels like we’re working for the tools.
You’re told to:
- Set up 17 dashboards
- Sync 4 calendars
- Prompt like a wizard
- Automate everything and hope clarity emerges
But for solo strategists, creatives, or independent thinkers, that approach becomes a productivity trap. You end up reacting to your tools instead of leading your work.
I decided to flip the script.
🧭 The YLS360 Principle: Your Rhythm Comes First
At YLS360, our core belief is that systems should serve the human, not the other way around. That applies to wellness. It applies to how you think. And yes—it applies to how you use AI.
So instead of building my day around AI, I built AI into my existing rhythm.
No complexity. No overwhelm. No worshipping the machine.
🔄 My 5-Step Flow: AI as Support, Not Centerpiece
Here’s how I use AI in my solo strategy work — without sacrificing clarity, intention, or mental energy.
🧠 1. Start with the Question (AI off)
Every day starts with one simple habit:
I write the question I’m solving for — by hand. No screen. No data yet.
Example:
“Why are conversions dropping after day 3?”
📦 2. Only Then: Bring in the Tools (on my terms)
I trigger custom data scrapers when I need them.
I use AI to clean spreadsheets — not design my business.
I analyze trends based on my hypothesis — not “whatever the model finds.”
🎨 3. Visualization, Not Just Output
AI gives me code for fast visuals. I polish them with care.
No bloated BI tools. Just insight delivered clearly.
🗣 4. I Write First, Then Ask AI to Tighten
My voice comes first.
AI edits come later — under instructions, with tone boundaries.
🧰 My Tools (Simplified & Sustainable)
| Purpose | Tool | Why It Works for Me |
|---|---|---|
| Collect | Manual Python Scraper | Only runs when I trigger it |
| Clean | Claude + Pandas | One-shot fixes, no setup |
| Analyze | Prompted LLM | Hypothesis-driven, no data sprawl |
| Visualize | Vega-Lite + Observable | Code to PNG in 2 minutes |
| Write | Markdown + AI polish | My ideas, AI cleanup |
🔒 Boundaries I Keep with AI
- I don’t let AI set the tempo
- One task = one prompt
- If AI takes >15% of the project, I rethink the process
- No subscriptions unless I use them weekly
- Delete the agent after the job
🔗 Want the Full System? Read the Original Essay
If this resonated, the full breakdown is live now on Medium — complete with prompts, tool stack, and a deeper systems view:
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Because the goal isn’t to do more — it’s to live and build on purpose.
