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David Sparks (MacSparky)

How I accidentally built a personal assistant

Published 1 day ago • 2 min read

THE ROBOT ASSISTANT FIELD GUIDE

Get 10% Off with Code: ROBOTLAUNCH

Hi Friend,

It started with email.

First, I connected Claude to my Obsidian vault and asked it to help me process my inbox. I have a "robot" label in my email. I tag messages that need action, and my assistant works through them. It'll log an expense from an email, routes things to the right project files, flag what needs my attention.

That went well. So I asked it to help with daily planning. Then task management. Then customer support. Then content publication. Then journaling. Then sponsor tracking, podcast production, weekly reviews, and a shutdown routine that wraps up my day in fifteen minutes instead of an hour.

At some point, I looked up and realized I'd built something. Not a chatbot I talk to when I have a question. A system. A persistent assistant that knows my projects, remembers what I told it three weeks ago about that contractor invoice, and handles the tedious stuff I used to spend hours on every day.

My mornings now start with a briefing. I say "morning briefing" and my assistant checks my calendar, scans my email for anything urgent, reviews my active projects, and gives me a rundown of the day. My evenings end with a shutdown routine where it reviews what happened, surfaces what needs attention tomorrow, and logs a journal entry.

It's not just the time saved, it's also the preservation of focus. I find having to go out of "the zone" to do donkey work kills my flow every time.

The Robot Assistant Field Guide teaches the method behind all of this. How to use Claude Cowork and Obsidian to build your own version. Not a copy of my system. Yours.

Ten foundation videos get you running. Then we go deeper in the 10-week workshop series starting April 2.

Code ROBOTLAUNCH for 10% off through March 30.

Your pal,
David

Get 10% Off with Code: ROBOTLAUNCH

Here's just a few of the early reviews…

My Morning Briefing Runs Before Coffee

I built a morning briefing that pulls my calendar, tasks, and weather into one summary. I check it before coffee every day.

Not Just Teaching: You Have A Robot Up and Running

You always know that a MacSparky Field Guide will show you new ways to use our computers. The Robot Assistant Field Guide is another great addition to the MacSparky Field Guide Collection. David doesn't just teach about what is possible, within minutes of finishing the first couple of videos you have the basis for the Robot up and running. The uses and potential are just amazing. – Brendan B.

It's Given Me The Tools and Knowledge To Be More Productive

I have used Foundational LLMs for some time for many tasks. However, getting LLMs to perform these tasks to my specific requirements has been challenging due to their need for highly structured instructions. The Robot Assistant Field Guide has been amazing because it has given me the tools and knowledge to use LLMs properly to make me more productive. I highly recommend the Robot Assistant Field Guide.

– Don P.

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David Sparks (MacSparky)

Where Apple Technology and Productivity Combine

In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.

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