The AI Advantage: Turbo Thinkers'© Guide to Overcoming Blocks
This is where Generative AI can help — if you use it wisely. In particular, generative AI can be useful in three major ways: reducing your cognitive load by automating some structured tasks, boosting your cognitive capacity for unstructured tasks, and improving the learning process for your job. Source: “How Generative AI Will Transform Knowledge Work” by Maryam Alavi and George Westerman
For high-achieving Turbo Thinkers©, AI serves as a valuable ally in overcoming emotional blocks that hinder access to our executive function skills. How often have you found yourself gazing at a blank screen, cursor blinking, awaiting the eruption of genius? Time elapses, but how much? I don't know either. Turbo Thinking brains grapple with analysis paralysis, unable to decide where to commence. The task may carry too much negative emotion, such as fearing judgment, failure, incompetence, or inadequacy. This emotional struggle manifests in both professional scenarios, like responding to a long-ignored email, and personal situations, like composing a thank-you card for your mother-in-law. AI steps in as a solution, allowing us to delegate or automate emotionally charged tasks, overcoming the procrastination hurdle.
AI proves invaluable in helping Turbo Thinkers© combat perfectionism and complete tasks promptly, especially during final edits. It becomes a collaborative partner, facilitating the exchange of ideas and refining processes. Additionally, AI aids in organizing large projects, breaking them into manageable steps with a timeline that integrates seamlessly with our calendar, outlining the required resources for completion.
Positive well-being enhances our ability to self-regulate. By managing our thoughts, actions, and emotions, we gain better control over ADHD symptoms and access executive function skills. Leveraging AI to collaborate, delegate, automate, or eliminate tasks enables us to bypass negative thoughts and limiting beliefs, jumpstarting our productivity.
This HBR article elucidates how to leverage generative AI in our knowledge work today. As industries adopt AI-driven tools, companies are implementing safety measures. No need to wait for external changes – we can start using generative AI now for personal benefits. By understanding and actively using it, we contribute to making it safer and even more useful. With free web tools, we efficiently manage information overload, enhancing cognitive abilities. Let's incorporate generative AI into our knowledge work and guide colleagues in its wise use.