What is DRY?
"Don't Repeat Yourself" is a principle that promotes efficiency: avoiding duplication of efforts, processes, or information. It originated in software development, but is applicable to almost everything in life.
Everyday analogy:
Imagine you have three shopping lists: one on your phone, another on the fridge, and a third in your head. If you update one but forget the others, you'll end up with too much soy milk or no eggs. DRY is having a single, centralized list.
Why does this matter? 📌
Every time you avoid repeating yourself:
You gain time to learn new things.
You reduce errors (human and technical).
You focus on the creative, not the repetitive.
Where to apply DRY?
1. In daily life
- Automate repetitive tasks: Use voice reminders. Example:
"Hey Siri/Google, remind me to buy bread at 7 PM" - Templates for frequent emails: If you always write the same message to colleagues, save it as a
Quick Replyin Gmail.
2. In software development (and AI!)
- Reusable functions: Instead of copying and pasting code, create a function that you can call whenever you need it. Python example:
def greet(name): print(f"Hello, {name}. Welcome to the DRY world!")
Use the function as many times as you want:
greet("Ana") greet("Luis")
- Prompt engineering: If you use AI like ChatGPT, save effective prompts in a library. Example:Act as an AI tutor for beginners. Explain [concept] with a simple analogy.
### 3. In project management
- Centralized documentation: Use tools like Obsidian, Notion, Evernote, or Trello to avoid wasting time searching for information in chats, emails, or scattered notes.
- Report templates: If you send a similar report every Monday, create a standard format and only update new data.
### 4. In AI learning
- Learning log: Write down commands, common errors, and solutions in one place. Example:When my AI model isn't training, I check: 1) the input data, 2) the learning rate hyperparameter.
- Code libraries: Reuse snippets to preprocess data or visualize results instead of writing them from scratch each time.
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> ## DRY + AI = 🤯
> AI is the perfect ally for applying DRY:
> - Automation with tools like Zapier: Connect apps so that when you receive an email with an invoice, it is automatically saved to Google Drive and recorded on your expense report.
> - Voice Assistants: Use "Routines" in Google Assistant so that when you say "Good morning", the lights turn on, the weather is read, and your daily checklist opens.
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## Practical Exercise
1. Identify a repetition in your routine (e.g., answering the same questions at work).
2. Create a DRY solution: Make a template, automate the process, or document the steps.
3. Log it in your log: Note what you saved (time, mistakes, or stress).
### 📌 Learning Log PRO-TIP:
Use hashtags like #DRY or #Automation to quickly find your solutions.
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> ## 🧠 Now it's your turn! Review your daily routine: Where can you apply DRY today?