Give AI a Try

I’m a massive fan of technology, and I especially enjoy experimenting with new tools. I am fascinated by the advances in AI. Many conversations about the tools focus on workplace integration—efficiencies, job replacement, automation—but there are so many exciting ways we can test them outside of work. 

For instance, you and a friend want to start a book and supper club. You can ask an AI tool to suggest books based on genres, authors, or themes—maybe historical fiction featuring women as the main characters. Once you’ve selected “The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah, you can prompt the tool to create a list of discussion questions for the group and recommend a themed menu with dairy-free options for your group. 

Now, you’ve got a lively night of discussion ahead of you, complete with a delicious meal of coq au vin, poached pears, and suggested wine pairings!

Around the home, some of us have a green thumb, and some of us aspire to keep just one houseplant alive. Whichever describes you, AI tools can help. Prompt the tool to suggest plants that suit your climate, align with your sustainability goals, and won’t threaten your pets’ health. If you need to, clarify that you’d like easy-to-main varieties and ask for recommended timelines for planting, pruning, and fertilizing. Maybe you’ll be the next contender for Garden-of-the-Month!

Or maybe you’ve been looking for a creative outlet. AI tools can get you moving in the right direction with prompts for journaling or songwriting and design tools can help you create new visual elements to your artwork. 

If you’ve read some of my other writings, you know I prioritize self-care and personal growth. AI tools can be a great partner in your efforts with guided meditations, experiential learning opportunities, and personal finance tools. For instance, maybe you’re interested in regaining your long-lost fluency in a foreign language. Prompt an AI tool with the skills you’ve retained to receive a plan that includes suggested exercises, like watching in-language news, and a weekly schedule to keep you on track. 

Make road trips go faster with games from AI! Prompt an AI tool to create trivia questions to challenge yourself or your friends and family—and then get suggestions for a team name for your next local trivia night!

Below is a list of things to try with AI to help you focus on the “life” part of work-life balance. As with any technology, AI can’t replace human intuition or logic, so do your research on any suggestions that might affect the health or safety of you or those around you!

I’m curious: what interesting ways have you used AI, and what were the results?

Hobbies and Interests

Cooking and Recipes

• Meal Planning: Help plan weekly meals, including shopping lists, advanced prep work, and cooking timelines. 
• Special Diets: Provide recipes and tips for vegan, gluten-free, keto, or other specific diets.
• Cooking Techniques: Explain techniques like sous-vide, fermentation, or bread making.
• Culinary Trends: Share information about food trends, origins, and popular dishes.
• Ingredient Swaps: Suggest alternatives to ingredients listed in a recipe. 

Travel and Tourism

• Destination Guides: Create detailed guides that highlight your areas of interest—art? hiking? history? 
• Travel Tips: Offer advice on packing, finding cheap flights, and staying safe while traveling.
• Cultural Insights: Provide information on local customs, traditions, and languages.
• Unique Experiences: Suggest unique travel experiences like hot air balloon rides, wildlife safaris, or cultural festivals.

Fitness and Wellness

• Workout Routines: Design personalized workout plans for various fitness levels and goals.
• Yoga and Pilates: Share routines and videos for yoga and Pilates.
• Nutrition Advice: Offer tips on healthy eating and balanced diets.
• Mental Wellness: Provide resources for managing stress, anxiety, and improving mental health.

Books and Movies

• Book Recommendations: Suggest books based on genres, authors, or themes you like.
• Movie and TV Show Lists: Create lists of must-watch movies and shows in different genres.
• Book Clubs: Help start and organize a book club, including discussion questions.
• Film Analysis: Offer insights and analysis of films and their themes, cinematography, and direction.

DIY Projects

• Home Decor: Share ideas for DIY home decor projects like painting, furniture upcycling, or crafting.
• Crafts for Kids: Provide fun and educational craft ideas for children.
• Seasonal Projects: Suggest seasonal projects for holidays and special occasions.
• Gardening Projects: Offer tips for creating garden decorations, plant pots, and garden beds.

Everyday Life

Event Planning

• Party Themes: Suggest themes for birthday parties, weddings, and other events.
• Invitations and Decorations: Provide templates and ideas for invitations and decor.
• Activities and Games: Recommend activities and games for different types of events.
• Catering and Menus: Help plan menus and catering options for events.
• Seating Charts: Design seating charts for various types of events. 

Home Organization

• Decluttering Tips: Offer strategies for decluttering different areas of the home.
• Storage Solutions: Suggest creative storage solutions for small spaces.
• Cleaning Schedules: Create cleaning schedules to keep your home tidy and organized.
• Interior Design: Provide tips for arranging furniture and decorating your space.

Gardening

• Plant Care: Share tips on caring for indoor and outdoor plants.
• Garden Design: Offer ideas for designing flower beds, vegetable gardens, and more.
• Seasonal Gardening: Provide advice on seasonal gardening tasks.
• Sustainable Gardening: Suggest sustainable gardening practices like composting and water conservation.

Pet Care

• Training Tips: Provide training tips and techniques for dogs, cats, and other pets.
• Health Advice: Share information on common pet health issues and preventative care.
• Pet Nutrition: Offer advice on choosing the right food and treats for your pets.
• Fun Activities: Suggest fun activities and toys to keep your pets entertained.

Creative Pursuits

Art and Craft Ideas

• Drawing and Painting: Share tutorials and tips for drawing and painting.
• Craft Projects: Provide instructions for various craft projects, like scrapbooking, knitting, or jewelry making.
• Art Supplies: Recommend quality art supplies for different types of projects.
• Creative Challenges: Suggest creative challenges to inspire and motivate.

Writing and Journaling

• Writing Prompts: Offer prompts to spark creativity in writing stories, poems, or essays.
• Journaling Ideas: Share ideas for different types of journaling, like bullet journals, gratitude journals, or travel journals.
• Writing Feedback: Provide constructive feedback on your writing projects.
• Publishing Tips: Offer advice on self-publishing and finding publishers for your work.

Music and Instruments

• Music Lessons: Share tips and resources for learning to play various instruments.
• Music Theory: Provide explanations of music theory concepts.
• Songwriting: Offer advice and prompts for writing your own songs.
• Music Recommendations: Suggest music based on your taste and interests.

Personal Development

Mindfulness and Meditation

• Meditation Techniques: Share guided meditations and techniques for beginners.
• Mindfulness Practices: Offer tips for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.
• Stress Management: Provide strategies for managing stress and anxiety.
• Self-Care Routines: Suggest self-care routines to improve overall well-being.

Language Learning

• Learning Resources: Recommend apps, websites, and books for learning new languages.
• Practice Tips: Share tips for practicing speaking, listening, and writing in a new language.
• Cultural Insights: Provide information about the culture and customs associated with the language.
• Language Exchange: Suggest ways to find language exchange partners.

Personal Finance

• Budgeting Tools: Recommend tools and apps for budgeting and managing finances.
• Saving Tips: Offer strategies for saving money and building an emergency fund.
• Investing Basics: Provide information on basic investing concepts and options.
• Debt Management: Share tips for managing and paying off debt.

Fun and Games

Puzzles and Riddles

• Brain Teasers: Share challenging brain teasers and logic puzzles.
• Riddles: Provide fun and tricky riddles to solve.
• Crosswords and Sudoku: Offer printable crosswords and Sudoku puzzles.
• Puzzle Games: Recommend puzzle games and apps to play.

Trivia and Quizzes

• Trivia Questions: Create trivia questions on various topics for fun quizzes.
• Personality Quizzes: Suggest personality quizzes to learn more about yourself.
• Knowledge Tests: Provide tests to challenge your knowledge in different areas.
• Quiz Nights: Help organize a quiz night with friends and family.

Board Games and Card Games

• Game Recommendations: Suggest board games and card games based on your interests.
• Game Rules: Explain the rules and strategies for different games.
• Family Games: Recommend games that are fun for the whole family.
• Solo Games: Offer suggestions for solo board and card games.