A day in the life : Day 449

This week, I ran into a small but uncomfortable issue with email tone. I used one of those trending AI email draft tools to save time, and on the surface, it worked. The message was clear and polite. But the reply I got back felt colder than expected, and I realized my email probably sounded too formal for the situation. Nothing broke, but the exchange felt off.

That made me pause. These tools are everywhere right now, promising faster communication and fewer mistakes. What they don’t show is how easily tone can drift when you rely on defaults. The words were correct, but they didn’t sound like me. I ended up sending a short follow-up to soften things, which fixed it quickly. Still, it was a reminder that speed isn’t the same as clarity.

I adjusted after that. I still used drafts, but only as a starting point. I read everything out loud once before sending, just to hear how it landed. That extra minute made a difference. One conversation that could’ve stayed stiff turned normal again with a few small edits.

The weather’s been shifting toward rainy afternoons, which usually slows me down. I’ve noticed heavier meals don’t help on these days, so I’ve been keeping lunches lighter and saving warm food for the evening. That change keeps my energy steadier, especially when dealing with back-and-forth communication.

By the end of the week, emails felt easier again. Not faster, just smoother.

This trend isn’t useless. It just needs restraint. Tools are good at structure, not nuance. The moment you stop checking how something sounds, you risk creating distance without meaning to.

Sometimes the fix isn’t changing the tool or the process. It’s staying present for the last step. Reading once more. Adjusting a line. Making sure the message sounds human before it leaves your screen.