Where does tech help, and where does it get in the way? Decide what you want to keep hands-on and what you’re happy to hand to a computer. Then walk away with a 1-page reminder for your desk, an AI prompt that respects your boundaries, and a 7-day check-in.
Control shifts across 5 stations, from physical human presence to autonomous machine runs. Two lines mark the biggest shifts in how you work.
Left side: 100% human thinking with zero generative AI. Right side: Machine begins drafting text, writing code, and brainstorming with you.
Left side: Human stays firmly in the driver's seat; AI cannot complete the task alone. Right side: Machine runs the entire task start to finish without human hands.
| Dimension | 1 · Super Green | 2 · Green | 3 · Green Robot | 4 · Robot | 5 · Super Robot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who drives? | 100% You Physical & hands-on | You think Tech passively stores | You think Tech routes mechanics | You steer AI aids, can't finish alone | Machine runs Hands-off start to finish |
| Generative AI | Zero AI All analog | Zero AI Passive tools only | Zero GenAI Smart rules only | AI Co-pilot Drafts & brainstorms | Full Autopilot Generates & executes |
| If you step away... | Task pauses Requires your hands | Task pauses Requires your typing | Task pauses Requires your decisions | Task pauses Needs your direction | Keeps running Runs without you |
Both levels use AI, but human control works differently. At Level 4 (Robot), AI handles heavy lifting (drafting, coding structure, synthesis), but you stay firmly in the driver's seat. The AI cannot complete the task end to end; if you stop, the work stops. At Level 5 (Super Robot), the machine executes the entire workflow from start to finish without human hands.
By hand, on paper, outdoors, or in person. Zero screens. The human touch is the whole point.
Basic notes, camera, or spreadsheets. You do the thinking; the tool just holds what you type.
You do all the thinking; tech handles the mechanics. Predictable setups, smart rules, and calendar links with zero generative AI.
AI significantly aids the task (drafting, brainstorming, coding structure), but you stay firmly in control. AI cannot complete the task end to end. If you step away, the work pauses.
The machine runs the entire task from start to finish without human hands. Scheduled jobs, automated pipelines, and background execution while you live your life.
There’s no right or wrong score here. The goal is simply choosing where your time and attention go.
Paste this into your Custom Instructions in ChatGPT or Claude so it knows your boundaries:
Three quick check-ins each day. No tracking apps, no push notifications. Saves in your browser:
A friendly line you can add to your email signature or welcome note:
When you catch yourself staring blankly at a screen, try one of these instead:
| When you feel like... | Try this instead... | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Clicking between browser tabs blindly | Look out a window at trees or sky for 30 seconds | Relaxes your eye muscles and widens your focus. |
| Stuck on what to write | Grab a pen and scrap paper for 3 minutes | Writing by hand unsticks your brain faster than typing. |
| Tired after video calls | Splash cold water on your face or step outside | Wakes up your nervous system without another screen. |
| Compulsively checking email | Take 3 slow breaths and listen to the sounds in the room | Brings you back to the physical room you're actually sitting in. |
Ready to paste into Apple Notes, Obsidian, Bear, or Notion:
Tara Tiger Brown leads forest therapy walks and also builds automated AI workflows. Forests on one side, automation on the other.
Her own setup shows how boundaries evolve: she writes all social posts by hand at Level 2, but is shifting routine drafting to Level 4 because business feeds now compete with automated bots. Crucially, she keeps the final sign-off herself.