There’s a specific kind of “silent stress” that most moms and founders know all too well. It isn’t the big projects or the high-level strategy, it’s the relentless hum of life admin. The “do we have enough milk?” pings, the hunt for missing soccer cleats, and the constant calendar Tetris that slowly eats away at your focus.
This fall, I decided to see if I could actually buy back that mental bandwidth. Instead of hiring a traditional virtual assistant or an expensive executive assistant, I ran an experiment with Duckbill. It’s essentially a high-tech AI assistant platform designed to handle the “life stuff” that usually clutters up your brain.
The goal was simple: stop managing the tasks and start making them disappear.
What I found was that Duckbill is incredibly effective at clearing the deck—and fast. If you’ve been thinking about outsourcing your mental load this year (and I think most of us probably should), here is my honest take on where it shines and what you should know before signing up
1. Task Scope & Execution
Duckbill: The dispatch desk for your life
Duckbill is a well-oiled machine. You don’t know who’s working on your task. That’s the point.
You submit a request in the app, “Bill” (their AI) steps in immediately with clarifying questions, and then someone executes. No relationship-building. No memory. Just output.
Real Duckbill tasks I submitted:
- Found a medical specialist who accepted my insurance
- Researched after-school activities for my son
- Helped with birthday party planning:
- Sourced decorations
- Found materials for a themed craft
- Secured a rental generator
- Purchased party favors
- Made hard-to-get dinner reservations in Europe
- Researched and booked a hotel for a trip
- Booked summer camps
- Scheduled swim lessons
- Submitted a claim for flight delay compensation
- Created a list of Michelin restaurants for an upcoming trip
- Calendared… a lot. Added school events, sports, social events, and trip details across multiple calendars
What stood out: The scope was wide. I never felt like I was “asking too much.” Tasks that I would’ve put off for weeks got handled within 24–48 hours without me needing to engage further.
2. Ease of Use
Duckbill: Fast, structured, no-nonsense
You submit a task through the app or by forwarding an email. The AI asks questions immediately, filling in the gaps. Then the right person on their team picks it up.
They’re not pretending to be a personal, know your life story, type of assistant. They just get it done.
⚠️ Which means… no one remembers you. Every task is a blank slate. That works great for clean admin, but requires you to be way more specific up front for tasks that require context or tone (like gifting or kids’ clothes shopping).
3. Privacy & Customization
Duckbill: Secure and systemized
- No consistent person = no long-term memory
- Tasks are completed by a rotating team based on availability and expertise
- You can submit sensitive info for specific tasks, but it’s not stored unless you request it
- The privacy policy is standard for startups, not medical-grade, but not sketchy either
4. Cost
You don’t track time, you just submit. Each task is classified (free to XL), and credits are deducted accordingly. One thing to remember is that Duckbill’s credit system leaves a lot up for interpretation and you really don’t know how the credits will land in weight until you submit the task.
Is Duckbill right for you?
Duckbill makes tasks disappear fast. No relationship, no hours to track — just submit, and it gets done. Perfect for admin-heavy seasons when you want mental clutter cleared without fuss. Quick, reliable, and efficient.
Try Duckbill: Use code NEWMODERNMOM for 50% off your first two months
This fall, I also had the opportunity to test out Faye, a similar concierge AI assistant. Read how it compares to Duckbill here.
Other ways to lighten the mental load as a working mom:
If you’re looking for more ways to streamline your day-to-day, here are a few other resources I’ve put together to help reclaim your time and energy:
- Have You Considered Hiring a House Manager?
- Podcast Episode: How to Hire a House Manager
- Podcast Episode: What to Outsource to Reclaim Your Time
- 15 Quick and Easy Life Hacks for Busy Parents
- Podcast Episode: ChatGPT 101 for Busy Moms
- 10 Tips on Mom Work Life Balance
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