Conversations that help you automate your office work. We showcase workflows made by the host and guests and we work through tough problems mapping out the steps so you can go find the tools that work for you. Make work suck less.
83. The AI Hype Train Is Over. Here's What To Do Next
AI got expensive — now what? With the era of flat-fee, "basically free" AI experimentation ending, businesses are facing real per-token costs and asking whether AI is actually paying for itself. This episode breaks down the true cost of AI in 2026, including hidden expenses like prompt maintenance and the "Hidden Liability Tax" of hallucinations, and walks through the real math of per-task economics versus human labor. We make the case for a "Simplify First" approach, showing why structuring your inputs and using deterministic code, like simple rules and flowcharts, often beats AI on cost, consistency, and reliability, and we explore the "Human Premium," the reason accountability, trust, and relationship-driven work still belong to people, sometimes because a human reviewing bad AI output costs more than just doing the task right from the start. We close with a practical Decision Matrix, a four-step "Tool Filter" you can use to audit your own workflows this week, and a challenge to figure out where you're using an AI sledgehammer on a problem a deterministic nail would solve better. If you're a founder, operator, or anyone responsible for an AI budget, this episode will change how you think about where AI belongs, and where it doesn't.
6 Jun 2026
82. AI Won't Fix Your Email Problem. Here's What Actually Will.
Everyone is drowning in email. The average office worker receives 121 emails a day and spends over 500 hours a year just managing their inbox — and AI tools that write and summarize emails for you aren't going to fix that. In this two-hour masterclass, we go all the way back to 1971 to understand what email was actually designed to do, trace exactly how it became the broken operating system of the modern office, and diagnose every trap businesses fall into when they use email as a database, a task manager, an approval system, and a knowledge base — none of which it was ever built to be. Then we prescribe the real fix: intake forms, proper systems, and processes designed so the email never needs to be sent in the first place. You'll leave with a framework for auditing your team's email habits, a maturity model for moving your processes to the right tools, and ten hard rules for every email you do send. If your team is drowning in threads, reply-alls, and "per my previous email" — this one's for you.
23 May 2026
80. Why You Should Focus on the Simple Stuff First
In this episode of Automate Office Work, host Justin Turman breaks down why jumping straight into flashy AI tools is a massive mistake for beginners, explaining that "AI doesn't fix broken processes—it just automates chaos faster." Instead, he advocates for an incremental approach to automation, sharing a foundational principle of organization over technology and introducing a 5-week action plan to transition from chaotic ad-hoc tasks to structured, automated workflows. By mapping out repetitive, low-judgment tasks first and using reliable, simple tools like basic forms and deterministic workflows, you can successfully eliminate the tedious 90% of office busywork. Tune in to discover how conquering the boring, low-hanging fruit builds organizational trust, compounds your time savings, and ultimately frees you up to focus on the high-value, strategic work that actually matters.
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