An Apple Shortcuts masterclassOctober 28, 20252 min read

Automate Your Life with Apple Shortcuts

TL;DR

  • Apple Shortcuts can automate all sorts of daily tasks
  • It takes some setup, but the time savings can be huge
  • Shortcuts can handle everything from text alerts to coffee orders

Why it Matters

If you're running a small team, being able to automate repetitive tasks is a game-changer. Apple Shortcuts is a powerful tool that can save you tons of time by automating all kinds of daily workflows.

According to The Verge, Shortcuts can do things like:

  • Automatically text your spouse when you leave the office
  • Silence notifications when you start reading a book
  • Randomly send you to a nearby coffee shop and place your order

The key is taking the time to set it up. But once you do, Shortcuts can shave minutes off your day, every day. That adds up fast when you're juggling a million things as a founder or small business owner.

Build Map

Here's how to start automating your life with Apple Shortcuts:

  1. Explore the Gallery: The Shortcuts app comes with a ton of pre-built automations you can use as-is or customize. Browse the gallery to find workflows that fit your daily routine.

  2. Create Your Own: Use the Shortcuts editor to build automations from scratch. It has a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, so you don't need to be a coder.

  3. Automate the Basics: Start simple by automating things like sending status updates, setting reminders, or launching your go-to apps. Once you see the time savings, you can get more advanced.

  4. Integrate with Other Apps: Shortcuts works with tons of third-party apps. Connect it to your calendar, email, notes, and more to supercharge your workflows.

  5. Schedule Shortcuts: Set your automations to run on a schedule or trigger them based on location, time of day, or other conditions.

The setup takes some time upfront, but the payoff is huge. Spend a weekend dialing in your most repetitive tasks, then sit back and watch Shortcuts do the work.

Trade-offs

ScopeRiskMitigation
Short termMediumStart with simple automations first
Long termLowBuild workflows that scale with your needs

Sources


Drafted with AI, reviewed by a human editor. Information only.

Drafted with AI, reviewed by a human editor. Information only.

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