Keeping Your Brain Sharp In the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now, and in many ways, it’s starting to consume how we work and think. Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed something interesting: When I’ve asked people for advice, more than once, I’ve been told to “just ask ChatGPT” instead of getting their own thoughts.
In the nonprofit marketing space, especially, this is something to be mindful of. You don’t want to be the person who can’t hold a conversation or work through an idea without relying on an AI tool. While AI can absolutely be helpful, it should stay in its lane. It’s meant to support your thinking, not replace it.
We’re not saying avoid AI at all costs. That’s unrealistic, and honestly, unnecessary. But if we’re going to use these tools, we need to strike a balance. Our own ideas, instincts, and critical thinking should come first. AI should help organize, refine, or expand on those thoughts — not generate them from scratch.
With instant access to information at our fingertips, keeping our minds sharp takes a little more intention. Read on for our advice on developing a healthy, functional relationship with AI tools when using them to support your digital marketing work.
Prioritize Mindfulness Time
Make space in your day for intentional moments. This could mean reading a book or article without skimming, journaling to connect with your own thoughts, or stepping away from screens for a short period — or altogether. When you give your mind space to wander and reflect, you’re reinforcing the fact that you don’t need constant input to think clearly or creatively.
Strengthen Your Opinion Muscle
One of the biggest risks of relying too heavily on AI is how easy it becomes to outsource our opinions. But AI simply can’t replace judgment or lived experience.
In marketing and nonprofit work, having an opinion matters. Clients, partners, and teams need perspective! Strengthening your opinion muscle means practicing forming and articulating your thoughts before turning to a tool for validation.
Try asking yourself a simple question before you research or prompt: What do I think about this? Even if your answer feels incomplete or messy, starting there helps you build confidence in your own thinking. Over time, this practice makes it easier to hold meaningful conversations and approach challenges with clarity.
Learn a New Skill
Instead of outsourcing everything to AI, invest time in learning a skill that strengthens your role as a marketer. This could mean practicing copywriting without a prompt, learning the basics of coding or website structure, or digging deeper into analytics and reporting.
When we rely too heavily on AI, it’s easy to consume information quickly without really absorbing it. Learning a skill from the ground up forces you to practice patience and stay mentally engaged.
Think Before You Prompt
Take a second to pause and outline your thoughts before opening an AI tool. Jot down any ideas or questions you have. Remind yourself that a rough draft is so important when creating any output or deliverable. You can’t expect to get it perfect on the first try. Using AI to refine and not originate these thoughts will give you better outputs, AI works best when it’s responding to you, not replacing you.
Use It, Don’t Abuse It
Take an honest look at how you’re using AI in your day-to-day work. If you’ve started turning to it as a first step instead of a support tool, it might be time to reassess. You are the one with the ideas, empathy, and lived experience. AI can help organize your thoughts, catch grammatical errors, or spark inspiration, but it should never replace the thinking behind the work.
The most valuable work still starts with human thought. Tools that support creativity, innovation, and imagination will continue to change over time, but the novelty of unique, human-borne ideas will always endure.
The reality is that AI isn’t going anywhere; the goal isn’t to reject it altogether or to give in and let it take over entirely, but rather to stay grounded in what makes our work meaningful in the first place. When we slow down, practice thinking for ourselves, and use AI as a tool rather than a crutch, we not only protect those skills but also improve upon them by engaging in mindfulness and creating with intention — and these efforts will undoubtedly be reflected in the work you deliver.