At AI ToolBook, we’re constantly exploring new ways to leverage AI for greater productivity and smarter workflows. Monday mornings can be a whirlwind of tasks, emails, and meetings, and we wanted to see if we could automate some of these repetitive tasks. The challenge? Build a custom GPT assistant that could handle our Monday morning routine in just 30 minutes.

Spoiler alert: We did it. And it only took 30 minutes.

Here’s how we built our GPT assistant, automated key tasks, and made our Monday mornings (and every other day) more efficient.

How AI ToolBook built our GPT in 30 minutes

Step 1: Define the Tasks We Wanted to Automate

The first step was to evaluate the tasks that typically eat up time and energy first thing in the week. These are the repetitive tasks that, while necessary, could be handled more efficiently. For us, these tasks included:

• Email Summarization: Sorting through a flood of emails can be overwhelming. We wanted a system that could prioritize and summarize incoming emails.

• Meeting Reminders & Scheduling: With team members in different time zones, keeping track of meetings and sending reminders is a challenge.

• Task List Creation: Starting the week by manually compiling a to-do list takes time. We wanted something to do that for us.

• Social Media Updates: Scheduling posts ahead of time shouldn’t take long, but it often does. We wanted to automate this process without losing the personal touch.

Once we identified the tasks, we were ready to automate.

Step 2: Choose the Right GPT Model

Since we were focused on efficiency and a quick build, we decided to use OpenAI’s GPT-4 model. GPT-4 offers powerful natural language understanding, making it perfect for tasks like summarization, scheduling, and content generation. We knew it could handle the variety of tasks we needed, from email management to social media content creation.

Choosing GPT-4 for this project was a no-brainer — it has the capability to understand context, generate human-like responses, and handle a variety of writing styles. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with automation platforms like Zapier, which is key for scaling our tasks.

Step 3: Set Up Our GPT Integration

We didn’t want to get bogged down in coding, so we used Zapier to connect GPT with various tools we already use. By setting up a series of simple workflows (called “Zaps”), we were able to automate our Monday morning tasks quickly.

Here’s a breakdown of the integrations we set up:

• Email Summarization: We connected our email account (Gmail) to Zapier, so that every time a new email came in, it would automatically be sent to GPT for summarization. GPT would generate a brief summary with action items and send it back to us.

• Meeting Reminders & Scheduling: Using Google Calendar, we set up a Zap to generate reminders about upcoming meetings and automatically suggest adjustments to our calendar if needed.

• Task List Creation: We connected Trello (our task management tool) to Zapier so that GPT could pull in our project tasks and create a daily, prioritized to-do list.

• Social Media Scheduling: We integrated Buffer with GPT to automate the creation and scheduling of social media posts. GPT would analyze ongoing projects and generate content that matched the tone and objectives for the week.

Step 4: Fine-Tune the GPT Model

With the basics set up, we fine-tuned our GPT assistant to make sure it understood the specifics of our workflow. We tailored it to recognize our tone, writing style, and preferences for handling tasks. For instance, we trained GPT to use concise, actionable language for email summaries and to prioritize tasks based on deadlines and importance.

Fine-tuning wasn’t a complicated process. We provided GPT with a few sample tasks, emails, and social media posts to help it get the hang of things. In just about 10 minutes, GPT was producing personalized content that felt tailored to our needs.

Step 5: Sit Back and Let GPT Do the Work

Once everything was integrated and fine-tuned, we let the AI take over. As Monday morning rolled around, we sat back and watched as GPT seamlessly completed the tasks we’d set it up to handle:

• Email Summaries popped up in our inbox, summarizing incoming emails with the most relevant action points.

• Meeting Reminders were sent out, along with some schedule suggestions that optimized our time.

• Our To-Do List was automatically generated, with tasks sorted by urgency and priority.

• Social Media Posts were scheduled, with content written and ready to go.

It was like having an extra team member who didn’t need any coffee breaks — and could handle all the mundane tasks we usually procrastinate on.

Why It’s a Game Changer

By building our own GPT assistant, we saved time, reduced stress, and made our Monday mornings (and every other day) more productive. With automation taking care of our email, scheduling, task lists, and social media updates, we could focus on the work that actually requires our creativity and strategic thinking.

Building a GPT assistant isn’t just for tech experts or large organizations. With the right tools, anyone can create their own personalized assistant to automate repetitive tasks and streamline their workflow. All it takes is 30 minutes and a willingness to explore what AI can do.

What tasks would you automate with your own GPT assistant? Let us know in the comments below!