Work Smarter, Not Longer: My AI-Powered 16-Hour Work Week

For years, the dominant narrative has been simple: work more hours, make more progress. Whether you’re a business owner or employee, we’ve all been taught that putting in longer hours is a badge of honor. But what if everything we were told about productivity and success is wrong? What if the future belongs not to those who hustle endlessly, but to those who think differently?

In this post (and in the youtube video linked here and podcast episode linked here), I share how I went from 100-hour weeks to a sustainable, joyful, and wildly productive 16-hour workweek. Powered by AI and guided by three core principles, this transformation has not only improved my business performance but also my health, creativity, and sense of purpose. This is how you work smarter, not longer.

Why Working More Is Not the Answer

Most people believe that to keep their business afloat, maintain job security, or earn that elusive promotion, they need to put in longer hours. It’s the default mode, especially in a world where technology has blurred the lines between work and life. But more hours rarely mean better results. In fact, they often lead to burnout, decision fatigue, and missed opportunities.

The real shift happened for me when I stopped viewing time as my most valuable asset and started focusing on leverage. AI, when partnered with intentional systems and creative thinking, allows us to dramatically reduce our working hours while achieving even greater outcomes.

Introducing the AI-Powered 16-Hour Work Week

I truly only have to work 16 hours a week, spread across two highly focused days, and in those hours, I accomplish more than I ever did working 80 or 100 hours. That’s because every hour is packed with intentional, high-leverage work. The secret is not a better to-do list or a new calendar app. It’s learning to work with AI instead of against it, and mastering the art of space, focus, and elimination.

This shift did not happen overnight. It took over a decade of experimentation, reflection, and mistakes. But now, both of my businesses, eLearning Partners and Athlete with Asthma, are thriving in their own way, and I’m living with more freedom, creativity, and impact than ever before.

The Power of Strategic Scheduling

The foundation of my 16-hour workweek is simple: I batch all of my deep work into two main days. For a long time, it was Wednesday and Thursday. Lately, I’ve been more flexible. Some weeks it's Tuesday and Wednesday, others it's a mix of half days depending on what's happening in life. The goal is not rigid consistency but intentional containment.

When I studied abroad in London in 2011, I scheduled all my college classes on two days a week so I could explore, travel, and experience life. That idea stuck. By containing work into just two days, I give my mind space to wander and problem-solve in the background. That space has become the source of my best ideas, breakthroughs, and business growth.

Principle One: Embrace the 80/20 Rule

The first principle that powers my AI-driven workweek is the Pareto Principle. Also known as the 80/20 rule, it states that 80 percent of outcomes come from 20 percent of actions. In other words, most of what we do daily does not actually move the needle. The key is identifying and doubling down on the 20 percent that does.

AI makes this process easier. I list out everything I do in a given week and then use tools like ChatGPT to help me evaluate, eliminate, automate, and delegate. I eliminate the tasks that create no real value, automate the repetitive ones, delegate where appropriate, and spend my own time only on what truly matters. This approach alone cut my workweek in half.

Want to go deeper? Take a 40-hour workweek. Twenty percent of that is eight hours. If you know what your high-impact work is, you can technically achieve most of your results in just one focused day. I choose to work two days because I run two businesses and love what I do—but you could go even further.

Principle Two: Use Parkinson’s Law to Your Advantage

Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. If you give yourself all week to complete a project, it will take all week. If you give yourself a tight deadline, you’ll find a way to get it done quickly. This is not about rushing. It's about focus.

When I worked 60 or 80 hours a week, I was constantly switching tasks, putting out fires, and context-switching. I had no breathing room. Now, with only 16 hours on the clock, my brain prioritizes faster. There’s no space for busywork. I know exactly what needs to happen in those hours, and I get to work.

It’s the same phenomenon you experience when writing a paper the night before it's due. Suddenly, clarity and productivity emerge. AI accelerates this even further. It helps plan, draft, refine, and execute faster. Not sloppier. Just faster. Time scarcity forces quality focus.

Principle Three: Automate to Thrive, Not Just Survive

Too many people use automation as a survival mechanism, to keep up or avoid falling behind. But automation, especially when powered by AI, should be used to thrive. The goal is not just to make things easier. It’s to design your life and work around what matters most.

For me, that includes weekly YouTube videos, podcast episodes, blog posts, and community engagement. I use AI to generate content ideas, create outlines, and draft copy. But I still show up as the voice and heart behind my work. AI handles the scaffolding. I bring the substance.

This mindset shift from “I have to do it all” to “I get to lead what matters most” is what creates space for true creativity, health, relationships, and joy. You don’t automate to remove your voice. You automate to amplify it.

AI Is a Creative Partner, Not a Threat

Let’s talk about fear. A lot of people see AI as a threat to their jobs, businesses, and way of life. I get it. The change is fast and it feels overwhelming. But here’s the truth: AI is not replacing people. People who understand AI will replace those who don’t. That’s why it is urgent to learn how to partner with it.

In my Future-Proof Learning Community, I teach business owners, educators, and creators how to use AI to build scalable systems, design transformational learning experiences, and cut their workload in half, without sacrificing quality. The result? More impact, more revenue, and more time to live life.

Scarcity vs Abundance: The Hidden Productivity Hack

There is one more piece that often goes unspoken in productivity discussions: energy. When you live in a scarcity mindset, thinking you have to do more, prove more, keep up, you drain your mental, emotional, and physical energy. When you shift to abundance, everything changes.

AI can only help you thrive if you believe it’s here to serve you. If you see it as a villain, you will use it reluctantly and with fear. But if you embrace it as a co-creator, you will unlock a level of possibility you never imagined. You will stop chasing more hours and start designing better systems. You will move from reacting to creating.

You Can Build Your Own AI-Powered Work Week

Whether you are a solopreneur, a teacher, or a team leader, the same principles apply. Use the 80/20 rule to eliminate low-value work. Set smart limits using Parkinson’s Law to focus your energy. And automate intentionally to do more of what only you can do.

Start small. Make a list of your weekly tasks. Ask AI to help you prioritize and streamline. Choose your “container” (maybe just one day per week to start). And commit to showing up fully, not frequently.

You don’t need to burn out to build a successful business. You don’t need to sacrifice your evenings and weekends to stay relevant. In fact, the opposite is true. The future belongs to those who can do deep work with less time and more vision.

If you’re ready to take the leap, I invite you to apply to the Future-Proof Learning Community. Let’s build a future where you work smarter, not longer, and thrive.