From Idea to Automation - How ChatGPT Helped Me Make My Computer Work for Me

This information is also available on my YouTube Channel at: https://youtu.be/ZPXKBKWx1uk

If you prefer, you can also listen to this information on my Podcast at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hsqqVeP35KO7Uqh2gKPbH?si=TDp-HrdKQwOQLkDFWrLVaA

We all have little routines in life — some we enjoy, some, not so much.

For me, one of the things I should do every day at a set time is wrap things up on the computer. It’s too easy to lose track of time, dive into “just one more thing,” and before you know it, it’s past bedtime.

So I had a simple idea:

“What if my computer could give me a friendly nudge at 5 PM to shut down, with an option to snooze if I’m not ready yet?”

Sounds simple enough, right? But here’s the problem — I’m not a programmer, and I didn’t have hours to research how to make it happen - That’s when I asked ChatGPT.

The Ask - I typed in my request exactly as it came to mind:

Remind me daily at 5 PM to shut down

Give me an option to snooze for an hour if I’m not ready

Let me dismiss the reminder entirely if I’ve got something important going on

Make it pop up so I can’t miss it - And… play a short sound before the popup so I get a heads-up

No technical mumbo-jumbo - Just what I wanted, in plain English.

The Process - Here’s the magic - ChatGPT took my everyday-language request and turned it into a step-by-step plan that I could actually follow.

It Chose the best tool for the job (PowerShell, in this case)

It Wrote the necessary instructions for me — no guesswork

It Guided me through setting it up so it would run automatically at 5 PM

It Showed me how to create my own custom sound file and make it play before the reminder

It Tweaked everything when I said, “Hey, can we add more options?”

I didn’t have to learn to code - I didn’t have to spend hours in Google search results - I just had to know what I wanted and ask.

The Result - Now, every day at 5 PM, my computer:

Plays a short alert sound I created — my own audio cue that “the day is wrapping up”

Pops up a message asking if I want to:

Shut down - Snooze for an hour - Skip the reminder entirely for the day

Lets me get on with my evening — without the risk of getting lost in another “just five more minutes” spiral

It works exactly the way I imagined and, the whole process took less time than making a sandwich.

Why This Matters -  I didn’t just get a shutdown reminder - I got proof that I can make my computer work for me in ways I never thought possible — and so can you.

With tools like ChatGPT, you don’t need to:

Be a programmer - Know the right terminology - or, Spend weeks learning something new

You just need to describe your problem in everyday language, and let the AI figure out the “how.”

Your Turn - If you’ve ever thought:

“I wish my computer could just…”

“I hate having to remember to…”

“There must be a faster way to do this…”

…then you already have your first project.

Ask ChatGPT - Tell it what you want - Be specific about your goal, not the method. 

And before you know it, you’ll have a personalized, automated solution that saves you time, energy, and frustration.

💡You don’t have to be a tech wizard to make technology work for you - You just have to start the conversation.

Your Challenge for Today:

Before you leave this blog or go to another video, think about one task you do every day or every week that’s repetitive, time-consuming, or easy to forget.

It could be:

A file you always back up manually

A report you open the same way every Monday

A reminder you always mean to set but forget until it’s too late

Now, ask ChatGPT to automate it for you.

Start with plain words, just like I did. 

Stay safe, stay secure and you might be amazed at how quickly you can go from “wouldn’t it be nice if” to “wow, it’s already done.”

(AI was used to aid in the creation of this article.)

“Thanks for tuning in — now go hit that subscribe button and stay curious, my friends!👋”