Question: Is using AI tools for every single task actually making us better — or just keeping us busy?
Opinion: I used to swear by having an AI tool for everything — AI for meetings, AI for emails, AI for brainstorming, AI for scheduling. My tech stack was like a Swiss Army knife on steroids. But lately I’ve noticed something troubling: I’m spending more time managing my productivity tools than actually being productive. The irony isn’t lost on me.
Here’s what happened: I started my day checking Notion AI for my task list, then jumped to Motion for scheduling, hopped over to Otter.ai to review yesterday’s meeting notes, asked ChatGPT to draft an email, used Grammarly to polish it, and by 10 AM, I’d already context-switched through six different platforms. According to recent reports, there are now over 60 AI productivity tools available, and I was probably using half of them.
The breaking point came when I realized I was attending meetings about which AI tools to use for managing our meetings. Yes, you read that right. We were having meta-meetings about meeting tools. With 82% of employees at risk of burnout in 2025 and workers spending an average of 35 hours per month in meetings, I couldn’t help but wonder: Are we solving the problem or just adding layers to it?
Don’t get me wrong — AI tools can be game-changers. McKinsey’s recent report on “Superagency” shows how AI can genuinely amplify human creativity and productivity when used thoughtfully. The key word here is “thoughtfully.”
What I’ve learned is that AI tool fatigue is real. A Slingshot workplace survey found that using numerous apps actually leads to heightened stress. Every new tool promises to save time, but each also demands its own learning curve, subscription fee, and mental bandwidth.
So I’ve started being more selective. Instead of using an AI tool for every conceivable task, I now ask myself three questions:
- Will this genuinely save me more time than it takes to learn and maintain?
- Can I consolidate this function with a tool I’m already using?
- Am I automating something that actually needs automating, or am I just avoiding the real work?
The result? I’ve cut my AI tool stack by 70% and, paradoxically, I’m more productive than ever. I use AI strategically for complex tasks that genuinely benefit from augmentation — like analyzing large datasets or generating initial drafts for creative projects. But for simple tasks that take five minutes? I just do them myself.
Interestingly, only 45% of managers have invested in automation, suggesting that many organizations are still finding the right balance. Maybe they’re onto something.
Invite: Have you kept AI tools in your routine for everything — or have you moved on to a more selective approach? What’s your take on the AI productivity paradox?
I’d love to hear about your experience. Are you all-in on the AI revolution, or have you found that sometimes the old-fashioned way is still the best way?
Sources:
- The best AI productivity tools in 2025 – Zapier
- The State of Workplace Burnout in 2025 – The Interview Guys
- Meeting Statistics, Culture, Productivity, and Costs – Iseo Blue
- AI in the workplace: A report for 2025 – McKinsey
- Overcome Meeting Burnout & Boost Productivity – Pumble
- 10 Workplace productivity statistics for 2025 – SC Training