You Don't Need Another App: Build a Shortcut Instead

There’s an app for that…but why not take back control and make your own?

What even is Shortcuts?

Think of Shortcuts as a way to write mini custom apps for your iPhone. Whether automating daily tasks or creating something entirely new, Shortcuts gives you the power to make your phone truly work for you.

I’ve always been vaguely aware of the “Shortcuts” app on my phone and have had some simple premade ones that I never did much with (like “How many days until _____”), but I only recently really started using them. I was always intimidated by the workflow, and when I tried to make them previously, they often did not work out the way I had hoped for them to and I would get frustrated and give up.

I found myself wanting a way to quickly log various aspects of my day - what I ate, how I felt, what I did - but I didn’t want to download separate apps for food tracking, mood tracking, and activity tracking. I wanted something simple, quick, and customizable.

The Solution: A Custom Shortcut

Instead of searching for the perfect app (which probably doesn’t exist), I decided to create a shortcut. Here’s what I did:

1. Created a new shortcut called “Daily Log”
2. Added a menu that lets me choose what I want to log (Food, Mood, or Activity)
3. Set up text prompts to gather the relevant information
4. Used ChatGPT to help format and categorize the data
5. Saved everything to a simple text file in iCloud

The best part? It took me less than 30 minutes to set up, and now I have exactly what I wanted - a quick way to log different aspects of my day, all in one place, exactly the way I want it.

Why This Approach Works Better

1. Complete Customization: Unlike apps that force you into their way of doing things, a shortcut can be modified to work exactly how you want it to.
2. No Extra Apps: Everything runs through the Shortcuts app, which is already on your iPhone.
3. Integration with Other Tools: My shortcut can talk to other apps, send data wherever I want, and even use AI to help process information.
4. Free and Private: No subscription fees, no ads, and my data stays on my device.

Getting Started with Your Own Shortcuts

If you’re new to Shortcuts, don’t worry! Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Start small - pick one simple task you want to automate
2. Use the built-in actions first to understand the basics
3. Look at other people’s shortcuts for inspiration
4. Don’t be afraid to experiment and modify things

Remember, the goal isn’t to create the most complex shortcut possible. The goal is to solve your specific problem in a way that works for you.

The Power of AI in Shortcuts

One of the most exciting developments in Shortcuts is the ability to integrate with AI tools like ChatGPT. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities:

• Use AI to analyze and categorize your data
• Generate summaries of your logs
• Get personalized recommendations based on your entries
• Format your data in different ways for different purposes

Conclusion

The next time you find yourself thinking “I need an app for that,” consider whether a custom shortcut might be a better solution. With a little creativity and the power of tools like ChatGPT, you might be surprised at what you can create.

Remember, the best tool is often the one you build yourself, because it does exactly what you need it to do, nothing more and nothing less.

Happy automating!