The problem isn’t a lack of ideas
Almost every business has more than one process it could automate: repetitive emails, data to re-type, reminders sent by hand. The problem is rarely finding one: it’s choosing where to start without wasting time on something that doesn’t matter much.
Three questions to ask before choosing
How often does it happen? A process that occurs twenty times a day is worth more than one that happens once a month, even if the second one feels more "important."
How many people does it involve? If the lost time adds up across several people, automation frees up more hours even at the same per-step duration.
How standardized is it? A process that always follows the same steps is easier (and faster) to automate well than one that changes case by case.
The most underrated criterion: errors, not just time
A slow but correct process costs hours. A slow process prone to errors costs hours twice: once to do it, once to notice the mistake and fix it. If a step often generates slip-ups (a wrong figure, a missed deadline), it’s often worth automating before a merely slow one.
A simple starting point
You don’t need a complex analysis: just list the 3-4 repetitive tasks that take up the most time every week, and for each one note how often it happens, how many people it involves, and how often it causes errors. The process with the highest score is almost always the right place to start.