Using AI to Enhance and Better Everyday Life

For me, AI was extremely daunting when it first came out. I had so many questions. It does what? How do I ask it something? Do I have to say please? How detailed do I need to be in my request? Which AI platform is best for me? I played around with ChatGPT to help me revamp my resume, come up with a few healthy recipes by listing what ingredients I had on hand (bookmark this idea because it's super handy!) and asked for spelling words that my 4th grader could practice.

I haven't used it yet for any writing assistance (yes, it's really me speaking to you in all of my posts!) but I have asked it to give me writing prompts which I use regularly every day to get my creative juices flowing. Outside of that, I didn't use AI for much more... until one day I had lunch with a friend. She told me she used it to plan her trip to Paris with her family. She made a general outline of her trip requirements: dates, overall budget, desired hotel location, attractions they wanted to visit and suggestions for what else to do with a family of 4, food preferences for restaurant recommendations, day trips, local favorites, recommendations for best way to get around (by foot, uber, metro, etc) and on and on. She told me she received such a detailed itinerary that kept them well within the confines of her budget that it was like having a personal travel agent at her fingertips. What she would have normally spent hours searching for in flights, hotels, tickets, restaurants was given to her within 25 seconds. Ok... tell me more...

I began seeing Tik Toks about great ways to use AI and started going down all sorts of rabbit holes. I am happily stunned by the power of AI to help my everyday life (but also sort of looking through my fingers at some of the other implications it has on the world - but let's keep this postive, shall we?). I'd like to share some of the ways I use it in order to make my day-to-day just a bit more manageable.

An Overview of Different AI Systems

There are many types of AI systems, each designed for specific tasks and applications. Many of them aren't applicable to your daily life assistance but in order to focus on what will be of assistance to you, we will focus on large language models (LLM) designed for natural language processing (NLP) tasks, such as answering questions, generating text, and engaging in conversation. Here is an overview of the various programs and their areas of speciality:

Comparison Table

While I have only used a handful of these, my go-to's are DeepSeek, ChatGPT, Jasper Chat and Perplexity AI. For any of you content creators, I also just started use Blaze.AI and as I become more familiar with it, I'll update this post with my thoughts. Feel free to try them all out to see what suits your needs best!

Prompts to Make Life Easier

Meal Planning

With crazy grocery prices at the moment, we've been trying to meal plan each week so we are only buying the essentials and avoid extra spending (no, I don't need that random extra bag of Animal Crackers). Use really detailed AI prompts reflecting your family's tastes such as:

• Give me 5 days of meals and necessary recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family of 4 with two kids under age 10 that are picky eaters. Do not include anything with broccoli or oats. Breakfast should always include at least 20 grams of protein and no carbs. Weekly grocery budget is $100. Include the grocery list and arrange the items by the aisle they can be found in at Costco.

• Provide 3 heart healthy dinner recipes for two people that are also high in fiber and protein. Include the grocery list needed that stays within a $60 budget.

• I need separate lunch ideas for a toddler, 9 year old and 17-year old. Lunch ideas should include the necessary required nutrition for each age range. Lunches will be packed in bento boxes and need to fill 6 slots in each bento box. Organize the grocery list by aisle at Trader Joes and keep the budget under $40.

Job Hunting

There are a million amazing ways to use AI for job hunting. Given it's no longer a world of sending off a generic cover letter with a singular resume, you have to create a submission that makes you stand out, which means tweaking each and every entry which can be incrdibely time consuming. Great AI prompts for job hunting:

• Help me tailor my resume for a [specific job title] position in [industry]. Here’s my current resume: [paste resume]. Highlight key skills and experiences that align with the job description: [paste job description].

• Write a professional cover letter for a [specific job title] role at [company name]. Here’s the job description: [paste job description]. Include my relevant experience: [paste experience].

• Provide a list of networking strategies to connect with professionals in the [industry] field. Include tips for LinkedIn outreach and informational interviews.

• Generate a list of common interview questions for a [specific job title] role in [industry]. Include behavioral, technical, and situational questions.

• Write a personal branding statement for my LinkedIn profile that highlights my expertise in [specific skill/industry] and my career goals.

Travel Planning for Family Trips

A friend of mine alerted me to using AI for planning an upcoming trip. I was complaining that I was trying to juggle finding hotels within a certain budget, the best area attractions that would appeal to both adults and kids, scouting the best places to eat, etc. She said she planned an entire trip to Italy for her family of 5 by using AI to guide her. So I gave it a try and it was beyond helpful. AI prompts for travel planning takes the guesswork out of planning a family vacation and is especially helpful if you've got specific budget guidelines.

• Plan a 5-day family-friendly itinerary for a trip to Orlando, Florida, including activities for kids aged 6 and 10, budget-friendly dining options, and travel tips.

• List the best all-inclusive resorts for families with young children in Mexico. Include details about kid-friendly amenities and activities.

• Suggest unique, less touristy vacation spots for families who enjoy outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, or relaxation.

• Suggest a 7-day family road trip route starting from Chicago, IL. Include stops for kid-friendly attractions, scenic views, and affordable accommodations. If national parks are along the route, include those.

• Create a packing list for a family of 5 traveling to Boston in May. Include essentials for kids aged 3 - 12.

• Provide safety tips for traveling with kids to Puerto Vallarta, including health precautions and emergency contacts.

Home Decorating Advice

Redecorating your home can feel like a daunting task, especially when you're balancing work, family, and endless to-do lists. AI makes it easy by offering personalized, budget-friendly decorating advice tailored to your style and needs. Whether you're refreshing a single room or tackling a full home makeover, AI can suggest color schemes, furniture layouts, and decor ideas that fit your lifestyle—all while keeping practicality in mind (think kid-friendly and pet-proof!). With AI, you can create a cozy, stylish space without the stress or time commitment.

• Suggest a modern yet cozy living room layout for a small space with a sofa, TV, and kid-friendly furniture.

• What are some affordable ways to update my bedroom decor to make it feel more luxurious and relaxing?

• Help me choose a color palette for my kitchen that’s bright, inviting, and easy to maintain.

• Recommend storage solutions for a playroom that are functional but still stylish.

• Give me ideas for decorating my front porch on a budget to make it more welcoming.

Cleaning Schedules and Tips

Keeping a clean and organized home can feel like a never-ending challenge - it's my most disliked task but I know there are some of you out there that like it. AI is here to make cleaning easier by creating customized schedules, offering quick cleaning hacks, and suggesting efficient routines tailored to your lifestyle. Whether you’re a working mom with limited time or a stay-at-home mom managing a bustling household, AI can help you maintain a tidy home without the stress. From breaking down tasks into manageable chunks to recommending eco-friendly cleaning solutions, AI takes the guesswork out of cleaning.

• Create a weekly cleaning schedule for a busy mom with two kids, focusing on high-traffic areas and quick daily tasks.

• Suggest 5 time-saving cleaning hacks to keep my kitchen spotless without spending hours scrubbing.

• What’s the most efficient way to deep clean my bathroom in under 30 minutes?

• Help me organize a monthly cleaning checklist to tackle less frequent tasks like washing windows or cleaning out the fridge.

• Recommend eco-friendly cleaning products or DIY solutions that are safe for kids and pets.

Time Management and Productivity

Between career demands, family responsibilities, and personal commitments, managing time effectively can feel like an impossible task. By acting as your personal productivity coach, AI can create customized schedules, prioritize tasks, and even suggest ways to streamline your daily routines. I use it for the days when I know I have a million things to accomplish and it helps me prioritze how much time I need to dedicate to each task and how to organize my day to get it all done.

• Help me create a daily schedule that balances work tasks, family time, and self-care, including time blocks for exercise and relaxation.

• Suggest ways to streamline my morning routine to get myself and my kids ready faster without the chaos.

• What are some strategies to prioritize my to-do list when I feel overwhelmed with tasks at work and home?

• Help me plan a weekly meal prep routine that saves time and reduces decision fatigue during busy weekdays.

• Recommend tools or apps to help me stay organized and on track with my personal and professional goals.

Budgeting and Financial Planning

From creating personalized budgets to tracking expenses and setting savings goals, AI provides tailored advice to fit your unique financial situation. Whether you’re saving for a family vacation, planning for retirement, or just trying to stretch your paycheck further, AI can simplify financial planning and help you make smarter money decisions—all while saving you time and reducing stress. Hot tip: you can upload a copy of your monthly bank statement and ask AI to identify areas in which you can reduce spending, save money or find more cost-effective alternatives to some of your monthly bills.

• Help me create a monthly budget for a family of four with a $5,000 income, including savings, groceries, and entertainment.

• Suggest ways to cut expenses and save an extra $200 per month without drastically changing my lifestyle.

• What are some practical steps to start saving for my child’s college fund while still paying off my mortgage?

• Help me track and categorize my monthly expenses to identify areas where I can save more.

• Recommend strategies to pay off $5,000 in credit card debt within a year while still covering daily expenses.

Self-Care and Wellness Ideas

AI is a great way to help prioritize your well-being by offering personalized wellness routines, quick self-care ideas, and mindfulness practices tailored to your schedule. Whether you’re looking for ways to relax after a long day, incorporate exercise into a packed routine, or simply find moments of peace, AI can guide you toward better mental, physical, and emotional health.

• Suggest a 10-minute morning routine to help me start my day feeling energized and focused.

• What are some quick self-care activities I can do during my lunch break to recharge?

• Help me create a weekly exercise plan that fits into a busy schedule and doesn’t require a gym membership.

• Recommend mindfulness or meditation techniques to help me unwind and reduce stress before bed.

• What are some affordable ways to practice self-care at home, like DIY spa treatments or relaxation exercises?

Kid-Friendly Activities

Those of us that are parents can likely admit we fall into the rut of using a screen to pass time for kids. I know I often feel paralyzed about what to offer to do and never know where to start. AI is a great way to provide suggestions when you're chalk out of coming up with ideas yourself.

• Suggest fun indoor activities for toddlers that don’t require screens. Include crafts, games, and educational ideas.

• Suggest simple and fun STEM activities for kids aged 5 - 7 using household items.

• What are some engaging activities for kids aged 8 - 12 during a family hike or nature walk? Include scavenger hunt ideas and nature journaling prompts.

• Suggest fall-themed activities for kids, such as leaf crafts, pumpkin carving, and seasonal kid-friendly recipes.

• What are some playful and educational activities for kids that teach math, reading, or science concepts to early elementary age children?

Use these AI tools by starting with simple prompts and refining them based on their needs. If you don't like the answer, keep asking for more! For example, if a meal plan doesn’t quite fit your family’s preferences, ask the AI to adjust it (e.g., "Make the meals gluten-free" or "Add more vegetarian options").

By incorporating these prompts into your daily routines, you can harness the power of AI to simplify tasks, reduce stress, and create more time for what truly matters—family, self-care, and personal growth.