Claude Code has changed how I work. Not just for coding, but for research, writing, learning, organizing. If you’re wondering how to use Claude Code beyond basic prompts, this is what I’ve learned after months of daily use.
It manages my calendar. Researches SERP terms. Updates websites. Creates and manages Google docs, slides, and sheets. Keeps an eye on email.
The kind of work that used to sprawl across 20 browser tabs now happens in Terminal. My SaaS subscriptions are being replaced by API access and MCP servers that pull everything together.
The shift that mattered: AI stopped being a chatbot I visited and became infrastructure I work inside.
For me, the transition from “using AI” to “working with AI” happened slowly, then all at once.
Now, the old workflow feels like driving with the parking brake on.
I can’t explain how different it feels until you experience it. You stop thinking about which tool does what. You just describe the outcome you need and watch it happen.
Some people will read this and think I’m exaggerating. I’m not.
This is what happens when AI stops being a feature and starts being the foundation.
How to Get Started with Claude Code
Here’s what actually worked for me.
Start with Claude Code and one workflow you already do regularly. Research, writing, data cleanup, whatever. You want to see how AI handles something you understand, not learn new capabilities while also learning a new tool.
The part most people skip: context infrastructure. Claude needs to know your project structure, your conventions, where things live. Without that, every session starts from scratch. I wrote about this in The File That Changed Everything. It’s the difference between a toy and something you actually use.
Then start noticing when you reach for a SaaS tool. Ask yourself: could Claude do this through an API instead? Often yes. Often cheaper too.
Give it a month. I’m serious. The first two weeks feel awkward. You’ll wonder if you’re wasting time. Somewhere around week three it clicks, and then the old way of working feels like wading through mud.
The real barrier here isn’t technical. It’s deciding you’re willing to change how you work.
Not sure where AI fits in your business? Book an AI Strategy Session.