I'm learning new technologies now a days since I have been Laid off to keep myself updated and writing blogs to share my learning journey. But here's the thing—writing helps me learn once, but it doesn't help me remember.
I needed a way to actually retain what I was learning without spending hours manually creating flashcards or revision notes.
💡 The Solution
While learning Automation alongside, it gave me an idea (Obviously in washroom) to build an automation where I will receive Interview type questions from my learning blogpost throughout a day. So, I built an automation system that turns my learning blogs into interview-style questions delivered to my iPhone throughout the day!
Here's the magic: I write once, revise automatically, forever.
🏗️ How It Works
📝 Step 1: I Write Learning Blogs
I continue documenting what I learn on my website under the "Learning" category. Nothing changes in my writing workflow.
🔍 Step 2: n8n Monitors New Content
An n8n workflow watches my RSS feed. When a new blog drops, it automatically gets added to Google Sheets with a "Pending" status.
🧠 Step 3: AI Generates Questions
A second workflow kicks in:
- Fetches the full blog content
- Feeds it to Groq LLM
- Generates 12-15 interview questions with concise answers
- Stores everything in Google Sheets
- Marks the blog as "Done"
📡 Step 4: API Serves Questions
A webhook endpoint acts as my question server:
- Tracks which questions I've seen
- Returns 2 questions at a time
- Automatically moves to the next blog when done
📱 Step 5: iPhone Delivers Daily
iPhone Shortcuts runs 4 times a day (10 AM to 4 PM, every 2 hours):
- Calls the API
- Shows questions as interactive alerts
- I read, think, then reveal the answer
- No apps needed—pure iOS magic!
🛠️ Tech Stack
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| 🔄 Automation | n8n |
| 🤖 AI Questions | Groq API |
| 📊 Storage | Google Sheets |
| 📱 Delivery | iPhone Shortcuts |
| 📡 Monitoring | RSS Feed |
⏰ Daily Schedule
- 10:00 AM ☀️ Questions 1-2
- 12:00 PM 🌤️ Questions 3-4
- 2:00 PM ☁️ Questions 5-6
- 4:00 PM 🌥️ Questions 7-8
By the end of the day or 2, I've reviewed one complete blog through spaced repetition!
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🎯 Why This Works
✅ Active Recall: I'm testing myself, not just reading
✅ Spaced Repetition: Questions spread throughout the day
✅ Zero Friction: Completely automated, no manual work
✅ Interview Ready: Questions are formatted like real interviews
✅ Consistent: Runs daily without me thinking about it
📈 The Results
Since launching this system:
- 🧠 Better retention of technical concepts
- 💪 More confidence explaining topics
- ⏱️ 5-10 minutes every 2 hours vs. hours of manual revision
- 📚 Every blog becomes a long-term learning asset
- 🎯 Always prepared for technical discussions
🚀 Key Learnings
1. 🎨 n8n is Amazing
Visual workflow builder made complex automation simple. No code needed for most of it!
2. 🤖 LLMs for Content Transformation
Groq API generates high-quality interview questions automatically. Game changer.
3. 📱 iPhone Shortcuts Rock
Native automation without installing apps. Clean and efficient.
4. 📊 Track Your Progress
Adding Index and Status made the system smart and scalable.
5. 🔨 Build in Phases
Started simple, added features gradually. Each piece worked independently first.
🔮 Future Ideas
💡 Difficulty Tracking: Repeat questions I struggle with more often
🎤 Voice Mode: Use Siri for hands-free learning
📊 Analytics Dashboard: Visualize my learning progress
🌐 Multi-Source: Include videos, courses, documentation
👥 Share Question Sets: Collaborate with study groups
🎬 Want to Build This?
Quick Start Guide:
- ⚙️ Set up n8n (cloud or self-hosted)
- 📊 Create Google Sheets with two tabs (Blogs & Blogs_QA)
- 🔑 Get Groq API key (free tier available)
- 🔗 Build workflows: RSS Monitor → Q&A Generator → API Endpoint
- 📱 Create iPhone Shortcuts to call your API
- ⏰ Schedule automations for your preferred times
Time Investment: 4-6 hours to build usually but as I am new to automation, it took me little more time and brain as its still rusted. Restarting Learning takes time.
Long-term Value: Priceless ♾️
💭 Final Thoughts
This automation transformed my learning approach. I don't just consume content anymore—I systematically retain and recall it.
The best part? Once set up, it runs forever. Every blog I write becomes part of my revision system automatically.
Learning isn't about how much you read—it's about how much you remember. This system makes sure I remember.
What's your approach to retaining what you learn? Drop a comment below! 👇