5 Automated Workflows That Will Save You 10+ Hours This Week

(And Stop You From Hating Your Inbox)

We all have those tasks. The ones that aren’t hard, but they’re annoying. Copying data from an email to a spreadsheet. Sending the same “Thanks for your enquiry” email for the 50th time. Chasing invoices.

They’re the “death by a thousand cuts” of productivity. Each one only takes 2 minutes, but collectively, they steal hours of your week and drain your mental energy.

Here are 5 automated workflows I’ve built for clients (and myself) that you can steal to reclaim your time.

1. The “Zero-Touch” Lead Capture

The Old Way

A lead fills out a contact form. You get an email. You read it. You open your CRM/Spreadsheet. You copy the name. You paste it. You copy the email. You paste it. You write a reply.

The Automated Way

Lead fills out form Data instantly goes to CRM/Airtable “Welcome” email is sent automatically You get a Slack/Teams notification if they’re a high-value lead.

2. The Meeting Prep Bot

The Old Way

10 minutes before a call, you’re scrambling to find their website, their last email, and what you talked about last time.

The Automated Way

15 mins before a calendar event Automation searches your email & CRM for the attendee’s name Compiles a summary Sends it to you via Slack or Email. You show up prepared, every time.

3. The Invoice Chaser

The Old Way

Checking your bank account. Checking Xero. Realising Bob hasn’t paid. Feeling awkward sending a “Just following up…” email.

The Automated Way

Invoice due date passes System checks payment status If unpaid, sends a polite reminder. 3 days later? A slightly firmer reminder. 7 days later? Alerts you to call them.

4. The Client Onboarding Concierge

The Old Way

Client signs contract. You manually send a Welcome Packet. Then a “Here’s what to expect” email. Then a “Please fill out this form” email. It’s manual, and you often forget a step.

The Automated Way

Contract signed Automation triggers a sequence. Day 0: Welcome Email & Questionnaire. Day 2: Project Roadmap. Day 5: Check-in. Client feels taken care of; you haven’t lifted a finger.

5. The Review Generator

The Old Way

You finish a project. You’re tired. You forget to ask for a review. Or you ask 3 months later when the excitement has faded.

The Automated Way

Project marked “Complete” Wait 2 days Send email: “How did we do?” with a link to Google Reviews.

Which one will you build first?

You don’t need to do them all at once. Pick the one that causes you the most pain right now, and spend an hour setting it up. Your future self will thank you.

Start Small

Test Often

Iterate

Enjoy Freedom