How solopreneurs can use AI as a behind-the-scenes assistant

Every week, running a solo business, I have an entire list of tasks that need to get done on top of my client work. If they don’t get done by Friday, they’re staring at me when I begin work again the following Monday. The easiest tasks to push off are those that aren’t mission-critical or time-sensitive. But that doesn’t mean they don’t matter. Eventually, you might feel like you’re drowning in your task list. I’ve used automation for years to hand work off to a machine. Automation follows a path you draw for it: if this thing happens, then follow a series of next steps. It worked, but it only got me so far. Most of what was piling up didn’t “fit” inside a neat sequence. {"blockType":"mv-promo-block","data":{"imageDesktopUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/work-better-1.png","imageMobileUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/work-better-mobile-1.png","eyebrow":"","headline":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESubscribe to Work Better\u003C\/strong\u003E","dek":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn\u0027t suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more, visit…