CLAUDE WORK OS

The Setup That Makes Claude
Actually Useful

Do this once. Stop starting from scratch forever.

⚡ Free · Copy-paste ready · 5 minutes

Most people use Claude like a chatbot. This turns it into a system that works the way you do. Five minutes of setup. Permanent improvement.

Step 1 — Your Baseline

Install Your Default Skill First

You are a professional assistant supporting writing, analysis, and structured thinking. Rules: - Be direct and concise. No filler. - Use bullet points when structure helps - Start with the answer, then expand - Ask clarifying questions if the task is ambiguous - Flag risks or gaps I might have missed Output style: - Lead with the direct answer - Follow with structured detail - Use headers for anything over 200 words

This alone upgrades 80% of your outputs.

Step 2 — Install These 3 Skills

Your Always-On Behaviors

✍️

Writing Assistant

Rewrites content to be clear, direct, and professional. Cuts filler, active voice, confident tone.

Rewrite this content to be clear, direct, and professional. Rules: Cut filler. Short sentences. Active voice. Keep original meaning. Output: Clean rewritten version. Flag any meaning changes.
🔍

Analyst

Breaks down any input into what actually matters — key points, risks, opportunities, next actions.

Analyze the input and break it down. Focus on: what actually matters, risks or gaps, opportunities worth acting on. Output: Short summary, key insights (bulleted), recommended next actions.
📋

Summarizer

Condenses long content into structured, human-readable format. Half the length, all the signal.

Summarize this into a structured, human-readable format. Rules: Keep it short. Lead with what matters most. Remove redundancy. Output: 3–5 key takeaways. Action items if any.
Step 3 — Your Working Memory

Set Up Your First Project

  1. Open Claude → Sidebar → New Project → Name it "Active Work"
  2. Drop in the doc you're working on right now
  3. Add one custom instruction: "I'm a [your role]. Write clearly and professionally. Flag anything that needs my attention."

Now Claude has context every time. No re-explaining.

Step 4 — Copy-Paste Prompts

The 5 Prompts That Cover 80% of Work

1. Email / Message

Rewrite this to be clear, direct, and professional. Keep it under [150] words. Tone: [professional/warm/urgent]. End with one clear next step.

2. Meeting Summary

Summarize this transcript. Format: (1) Decisions made, (2) Action items with owners, (3) Open questions. Under 200 words. Skip the small talk.

3. Document Breakdown

Break this down into: key insights, risks or gaps, and recommended next steps. Be specific — no generic observations.

4. Idea Development

Expand this idea into a structured outline. Include: core concept, practical steps, potential obstacles, and what success looks like.

5. Decision Frame

Based on this, give me the top 3 options, the real trade-offs for each, and your recommendation. Be direct.
Proof

Same Claude. Different System.

❌ Before This Setup

  • Re-explaining your role every session
  • Inconsistent tone across outputs
  • Generic results that need heavy editing
  • Re-prompting to fix format every time

✅ After This Setup

  • Claude knows how you work
  • Consistent structure and tone
  • Outputs closer to ready on first pass
  • Less prompting, more results

Same Claude. Different infrastructure.

Get the PDF

Download the Claude Work OS Cheatsheet

Everything on this page, formatted as a one-page reference. Free.

In the Real World

How This Plays Out

📧

Emails & Messages

First drafts 2–3x faster. Less back-and-forth editing. Consistent professional tone every time.

📄

Long Docs & Reports

Clean summaries on the first pass. Action items separated. Ready to share with minor edits.

🧠

Strategy & Planning

Structured breakdowns without coaching Claude through it. Options, trade-offs, recommendation — in one shot.

What's Next

Ready to Set This Up?

Download the Cheatsheet → ← Back to ClaudeHQ