Installing AI for Real Work
How to use AI directly with your files, notes, and systems
AI stops living in a separate chat window. Instead, it works with your real files and systems—giving you durable context, predictable output, and results that fit your actual work.
Registration opens soon
See what you'll learn →
AI is powerful — but it's not where your work is.
- Context resets with each new chat. Every conversation starts from scratch, so you're constantly re-explaining what you're working on.
- Copy/paste becomes the workflow. You spend more time moving information in and out of the chat window than actually working.
- Output doesn't fit into your systems. AI gives you paragraphs when you need bullets, or suggestions that don't match your formatting.
- Real work lives in documents, folders, PDFs, and notes. But your AI assistant can't see any of it.
Stop using AI next to your work. Use it with your work.
Imagine this: You point AI at your project folder and ask, "What's blocking this from moving forward?" It reads every file, understands your context, and gives you a clear answer. No copy-paste. No re-explaining. You have a conversation about your actual work, not a summary of it.
That's the difference between a chatbot and a real assistant.
When AI has access to your actual files and folders, context becomes durable. When you give it clear instructions and rules, output becomes predictable.
This is:
- Practical integration
- Controlled access
- Predictable output
- Real artifacts
This isn't:
- Prompt hacks
- Replacing your tools
- Automating everything
- AI theory
What you'll be able to do after this course
- Run Claude Code locally (terminal or desktop app) on your Mac
- Give AI scoped folder access safely—only what you choose, nothing more
- Create simple instruction rules so AI follows your formatting and preferences
- Review a project folder and surface loose ends or missing next actions
- Turn notes into structured next actions without breaking your existing system
- Use AI as an editor, reviewer, or research assistant on real files
- Triage an Inbox folder of documents and extract what matters
- When appropriate, connect AI to tools like your calendar or task system to reduce manual re-entry
Real examples of what this looks like
Dates → Calendar Events
Extract meeting dates and project deadlines from emails, PDFs, or planning documents. Add them to your calendar with proper formatting and reminders—no manual re-entry.
Project Folder Review
Point AI at a project folder. Get a clear view of what's done, what's missing, and what needs attention next—without manually reviewing every file.
Writing & Editing in Context
Get editorial feedback across multiple drafts and documents. AI sees the whole project, understands your voice, and suggests improvements that fit your style.
Inbox Triage
Drop files into a folder. AI extracts what matters—notes to your system, tasks to your list, events to your calendar—and leaves the rest organized.
What People Say About R.J.'s Courses
"To say something is life-changing—that phrase gets tossed around a lot, but this literally feels like an inflection point. There's a 'before this course' and an 'after this course' for me. I'm in control of my life in a way that I simply was not previously."
— Steve Hoffman, author of A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France
Fundamentals of Action-Powered Productivity
"I love knowing what everyone on my team is working on without constantly chasing them. Nothing slips through the cracks. There's a record right there so when we meet, I can say, 'Oh yeah, you were doing that, how's it going?' and they don't feel like I'm getting after them."
— Carol Leather, Content Team Lead at an online business platform
Tana for Leaders
"Seeing how R.J. just whipped up tags and systems on the fly showed me I can start small and let it evolve. Before this, I felt I needed to understand every detail about how everything would interact before starting."
— Stephen Dean, Chief Information Officer at a medical organization
Tana for Leaders
Who Am I and Why Am I Qualified to Help You?
I'm R.J. Nestor, and I've spent 20+ years helping people do what they mean to do. I'm the author of The Rhythms of Productivity and the forthcoming Solve for Now. My courses are used by hundreds of knowledge workers worldwide, and my Action-Powered Productivity methodology has helped professionals across industries transform how they work. What sets me apart is my ability to translate complex technical capabilities into practical, accessible solutions that deliver immediate results—whether you're integrating AI into your workflows or building productivity systems from scratch.
Live, hands-on, and practical
- 6 live sessions, 60 minutes each. Real-time learning with the ability to ask questions as we go.
- Live demos on Mac. You'll see exactly how to install, configure, and use these tools with real examples.
- Q&A included. Bring your questions, your edge cases, and your specific workflows.
- Replay included. Can't make it live? Watch the recording on your own schedule.
- Bring your current system and real work. This isn't theory—you'll leave with a setup that actually works for you.
The 6-session roadmap
Six focused sessions to move from chat-based AI to a real work assistant integrated with your files and systems.
Session 1: From Chatbot to Real Work Assistant
Session 2: Installing Claude Code + Setting Safe Boundaries
Session 3: Teaching AI Your Rules
Session 4: Project Clarity: Reviewing Work and Surfacing Next Actions
Session 5: Document-to-Action: PDFs, Notes, and Inbox Triage
Session 6: Bridging into Your Tools: Calendar + Systems
Enroll for $117
- 6 live sessions (60 minutes each)
- Live demos on Mac with real examples
- Q&A during every session
- Full replay access for every session
- Practical workflows you can use immediately
Starts: January 27, 2026
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Eastern (except week 2: Monday & Thursday)
Sessions: Jan 27, Jan 29, Feb 2, Feb 5, Feb 10, Feb 12
Refund Policy: Attend week one (January 27 & 29) and do the work. If this isn't for you, request a full refund—no questions asked. After January 31, no refunds will be offered.
What You're Getting
Try It Risk-Free
Attend the first week of sessions (January 27 & 29) and do the work. If you're not convinced this will transform how you work with AI, email me and I'll refund 100% of your payment. No questions asked.
After January 31, all sales are final.
Registration opens soon
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. The assistant (Claude Code) runs on your computer, but the AI model itself is cloud-based (Claude Sonnet 4.5, via your Claude Pro subscription). You control which folders the assistant can access, so the AI only sees what you explicitly allow.
It's not a model running entirely on your device, but it is a locally installed assistant with controlled access to your files. This same approach works with Google Gemini and OpenAI's CLI tools as well—all functionally equivalent options for integrating AI with your local files.
No. You'll need to be comfortable installing software and working with files and folders, but you don't need programming experience. The course is designed for people who want practical results, not for developers. If you can organize files on your computer, you can do this.
The course is Mac-focused. All demos will be on Mac, and the instructions are optimized for macOS. While Claude Code does work on Windows and Linux, this course is oriented toward Mac workflows. If you're on Windows, you'll need to adapt some steps on your own.
You'll need a Mac and a willingness to install Claude Code. That's it. We'll walk through the installation process together during the course, so you don't need to set anything up in advance.
Yes. Every session will be recorded and available for replay. You'll have access to all recordings so you can watch on your own schedule or review specific sessions later.
No problem. All sessions are recorded and you'll have full access to the replays. While live attendance gives you the chance to ask questions in real-time, the replay format works just as well for learning the material.
Yes, with the right setup. We'll cover how to connect Claude Code to external tools like Google Calendar using Model Context Protocol (MCP). This is optional but powerful—it allows AI to add events, create tasks, or interact with other systems you use. You'll learn when this makes sense and how to set it up safely.
This is about integration first, with automation as a natural next step. You're building a workflow where AI assists you with real tasks—reviewing files, extracting information, formatting output—while you maintain control and visibility. Once you have the integration working, you can choose to automate the patterns that make sense for your work. Think of it as building a capable assistant that can handle routine tasks when you're ready.
Yes. To use Claude Code with full functionality, you'll need an active Claude Pro subscription ($20/month). This gives you access to Claude Sonnet 4.5, the AI model that powers Claude Code's capabilities. The $20/month subscription is separate from the course enrollment fee.
Think of it this way: the course teaches you how to use the tool effectively for your real work, while the Claude Pro subscription provides access to the AI model itself.
Yes, absolutely! The core concepts and workflows you'll learn apply equally to Google's Gemini CLI and OpenAI's command-line tools. These tools are functionally equivalent—what you learn to do in one, you can do in the others.
The course focuses on Claude Code because it's what I use and recommend, but if you prefer Gemini or OpenAI's tools, you're welcome to use those instead. The principles of giving AI controlled file access, setting instruction rules, and integrating with your systems work the same way across all three platforms.
Course enrollment: $117 (one-time payment)
Claude Pro subscription: $20/month (ongoing, required for Claude Code)
Total to get started: $117 + $20 = $137.00 for your first month. After that, you'll continue the $20/month Claude Pro subscription as long as you want to use Claude Code.
If you choose to use Google Gemini or OpenAI CLI instead, check their respective pricing—they have comparable subscription models.