As a freelance developer, the author saved nearly 10 hours every week by automating repetitive tasks with Node.js scripts.
One of the automation scripts involved auto-generating client reports, reducing a 45-minute weekly task to a fully automated process.
Another script focused on auto-resizing images for an e-commerce client, saving them approximately 3 hours weekly by simplifying image processing.
The author also developed a script for batch uploading product data, cutting down manual data entry time for the marketing team by 2-3 hours per update.
Automation not only saved time but also led to fewer errors, consistent quality, improved client relationships, and increased creative energy.
Key lessons learned include automating tasks after repetition, logging extensively, avoiding hardcoding secrets, and creating reusable scripts.
Starter templates for automation scripts and useful packages like node-cron, sharp, axios, csvtojson, chokidar, and nodemailer are available on GitHub.
The article encourages readers to identify repetitive tasks in their workflows and automate them to focus on more meaningful work that requires creativity and expertise.
The goal of automation is not to eliminate all tasks but to streamline tedious activities for enhanced productivity and job satisfaction.
Readers are invited to share their time-consuming tasks for potential feature in future automation articles, promoting a collaborative approach to workflow optimization.