The Real Reason AI Feels Hard (And What To Do Instead)
A Saturday Quick Take: AI Isn’t Your Problem. Your Workload Is.
AI isn’t overwhelming because the tools are complicated.
AI feels overwhelming because your workday is complicated.
Picture a typical operator day:
You’re answering a 9 pm guest message about parking, mentally rearranging tomorrow’s cleaning schedule, double-checking rates for the weekend, and clicking between your PMS, Airbnb, and email… all while wondering why everything takes longer than it should.
In that reality, “learn AI” doesn’t sound helpful.
It sounds like homework.
I was reminded of this while listening to a tourism webinar recently — smart people with smart insights — and one point cut through the noise:
Small operators aren’t behind.
They’re simply exhausted.
Most people aren’t resisting AI.
They’re resisting one more thing asking for time they don’t have.
And that’s fair.
The real problem isn’t capability.
It’s capacity.
So instead of trying to “become more tech-savvy,” try something simpler and far more sustainable.
The Strategy
Look for the single part of your week that feels heavier than it should.
Not the most technical task.
Not the most essential task.
The one that drags every time you touch it.
It might be rewriting the same arrival instructions.
Or resending the checkout steps.
Or updating the calendar.
Or sorting guest questions.
That’s your starting point.
Because the moment you pinpoint the drag — the thing stealing energy — the path forward becomes obvious.
The Action
Today, pick one task you want to feel lighter.
Just one.
Then ask ChatGPT:
“Show me a faster, easier way to do this without losing my voice or my guest experience.”
Or, if you want to make it even easier:
“Here’s how I currently do this task: [paste your steps]. Rewrite it to save me time.”
Use the first version it gives you.
Refine anytime.
You don’t need to master AI.
You just need to let it take one thing off your plate.
A Real Example
A small short-term rental operator in Wisconsin, managing a 20-home portfolio, used Enso Connect to automate 75% of their guest messaging and check-in process.
The win wasn’t the software.
It was the relief of no longer typing the same messages every day.
Sometimes the biggest shift comes from removing one repetitive task.
The Result
When one task gets lighter, your whole week shifts with it.
Response times shorten.
Your team feels less stretched.
Guests sense more attention and less delay.
And you feel more in control, not buried.
Shaving even 10 minutes off five daily tasks adds up faster than people expect.
You don’t need more tech.
You need more margin.
Start small.
Lighten one task.
That’s how modern hospitality actually gets easier.