As I dive deeper and deeper into this agentic world, I started to notice a few less-than-positive things.
1. AI doesn’t push back
Aside from token limits, AI will keep going for a long as you do. This means you can work longer and harder than ever, and AI won’t say, “Hey, you’ve been at this for a while. Why don’t you take a break?”
So it’s up to you to notice your limitations and respect them. Health timers work well for this, to take breaks every 60 or 90 minutes. Also limit your day to a reasonable amount of time.
2. Mind stress vs body stress
AI can zap all of your mental capacity. But it can also increase your body’s stress. I used to think you manage all stress the same way. Now I’ve noticed that my mind’s stress can be distinct from my body’s stress.
For example, I had a panic attack last week. While I didn’t feel mentally stressed at the time, clearly my body had its own agenda. So I’ve started managing my body’s stress independently from my mental health.
3. Limit screen time before bed
They say you shouldn’t look at a screen 2 hours before bedtime. This is good advice, and I’ve also started using night lights for my screen and phone. This means they turn slightly orange at sunset, reducing the bad blue light.
Keep in mind this doesn’t include ebooks, since their technology works differently.
The takeaway
Be mindful that you cannot keep up with an always-on AI. Be kind to your mind and body.