Day 5: How to Spot Automation Opportunities
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Yesterday we looked at what makes a workflow AI-powered. You now know the difference between tasks that need judgement and tasks that just need rules.
Today we’re getting practical. How do you actually find opportunities in your own work?
The best opportunities are hiding in plain sight
You probably pass automation opportunities every day without noticing them. They’re disguised as “just part of the job” or “it only takes a few minutes.”
But those few minutes add up. And those repetitive tasks are exactly what automation is built for.
You just need to know where to look.
Five signs, a task should be automated
When you’re looking for automation opportunities, ask these five questions:
1. Do you do it repeatedly?
Weekly, daily, every project, every client. If it happens on a regular cycle, it’s a candidate.
2. Does it follow the same steps each time?
If you could write instructions for someone else to follow, it’s predictable enough to automate.
3. Does it involve moving information between tools?
Copying from email to spreadsheet. Pulling data from one system to update another. This is automation’s sweet spot.
4. Is it low-value but time-consuming?
Important enough that it has to happen, but not the kind of work that needs your brain. Admin. Data entry. Status updates.
5. Do mistakes happen when you’re rushing or tired?
If you’ve ever made an error because you were distracted or moving too fast, automation removes that risk.
The more “yes” answers, the better the candidate.
The “hit by a bus” test
Here’s another way to spot opportunities.
If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, which tasks would be hardest to hand over? Which ones live entirely in your head with no documentation?
Those tasks are risky. They depend on you being there, remembering to do them, knowing how they work.
Automation doesn’t just save time. It reduces risk. The workflow runs whether you’re there or not.
Start boring
Your first automation should not be ambitious.
It should be boring. Simple. Low stakes.
Why? Because you’ll make mistakes. You’ll learn how the tools work. You’ll discover edge cases you didn’t think of. You’ll use real data and it will break.
Better to learn those lessons on a simple internal report than on something client-facing and high-stakes.
Save the impressive stuff for when you’ve got a few wins under your belt.
Common mistakes to avoid
Automating something complex first. Start simple. Build confidence. Then tackle the harder stuff.
Automating a broken process. If the process in your business doesn’t work well manually, automating it just creates more chaos. Fix it first, then automate.
Automating things that change constantly. If the requirements shift every week, automation will just create more work for you. Look for stable, predictable processes.
Automating for the sake of it. Not everything should be automated. If the effort is greater than the impact, it’s not worth it.
Your homework
Over the next 24 hours, pay attention. Every time you do a task, ask yourself: could this be automated?
You’ll be surprised how many times the answer is yes.
Tomorrow, we’ll look at how automation projects actually run from start to finish. Knowing the process helps you plan better and avoid surprises.
Speak then,
Tim
Don’t forget your course workbook
Inside you’ll find:
- Daily AI prompts to reinforce each lesson.
- Exercises to spot opportunities in your own work.
- Space to capture automation ideas as they come to you.
Complete the exercises, and you’ll be ready for the full guide on Day 7.
Sign up for Notion (it’s free and it’s awesome).
Then get your course workbook.