# Morning Brief System > Generate a daily founder briefing that turns scattered context into clear execution priorities. Action-first format. Never lets high-leverage work get buried under low-leverage noise. - Skill: `majiayu000/morning-brief-system` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add majiayu000/morning-brief-system` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/majiayu000/morning-brief-system/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: majiayu000 (https://skillmd.com/u/majiayu000) - Updated: 2026-09-09 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/majiayu000/morning-brief-system --- > **Optimized for Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and any AI that accepts markdown instructions.** > Paste this SKILL.md into your AI's context or project instructions and run it immediately. --- # Morning Brief System Most morning routines confuse activity with clarity. You check email, scan Slack, review your calendar — and end the "planning" still uncertain about what actually matters today. This skill ends that. Give it your day's context and it outputs a single, structured brief: what's locked, what's priority, what could blow up, and what decisions need to get made. Action-first. No padding. --- ## Mode Detect from context or ask: *"Quick priorities, full brief, or full brief with weekly context?"* | Mode | What you get | Best for | |------|-------------|----------| | `quick` | Top 3 priorities + 2 watch-outs, 2 min | Rushed morning, already have context | | `standard` | Full brief: locked commitments, priorities, blockers, decisions needed | Default daily planning | | `deep` | Full brief + weekly arc context + energy allocation + EOD success criteria | High-stakes week, major deliverables in play | **Default: `standard`** — use `quick` if you're already oriented and just need the brief. Use `deep` at the start of a high-stakes week. --- ## Context Loading Gates **The AI must confirm all gates before generating the brief.** ``` GATE CHECK — Required Before Starting ====================================== [ ] Today's fixed commitments provided (calls, meetings, hard deadlines) [ ] Top 3 priorities for the day stated [ ] Known blockers or dependencies identified [ ] Time available for focused work estimated [ ] Optional: key metrics or signals to watch, overnight context, travel/disruptions If fixed commitments and priorities are NOT provided: ask for them before generating. A brief built on no context is just a template. Context is everything. ``` --- ## Operating Modes **Mode A — Daily Brief:** User provides today's context. Generate a full brief. **Mode B — Carry-Forward:** User has yesterday's brief available. Load prior unfinished items and integrate into today's plan. Show what's rolling over explicitly. **Mode C — Crisis Mode:** User flags a disruption (deal blew up, urgent client issue, day got blown). Regenerate priorities around the new reality. Determine mode before starting. If prior brief is available, always default to Mode B. --- ## Phase 1: Context Intake **For Mode A — Fresh Brief:** Collect all context in one message: ``` Quick context for your morning brief: 1. Fixed commitments today: (calls, meetings, hard deadlines with times) 2. Top 3 priorities: (what MUST move today, not just what's on the list) 3. Known blockers: (what's waiting on someone else? what could slow you down?) 4. Focused time available: (rough estimate of heads-down hours) 5. Anything worth flagging: (overnight news, key metrics, something making you uneasy) 6. Optional: Yesterday's brief (paste it or note what didn't get done) ``` **For Mode B — Carry-Forward:** Load prior brief. Identify: - Items completed (archive them) - Items not completed (carry forward explicitly, re-prioritize based on today's context) - Items that have changed urgency (call out the shift) Then ask for today's new inputs (new commitments, priorities, blockers). **For Mode C — Crisis Mode:** Ask: "What changed? What does the day look like now?" Rebuild the brief from the new reality. Don't try to fit crisis response into a normal schedule. --- ## Phase 2: Analysis Before generating the brief, run this internal analysis: ``` Pre-brief analysis: - Fixed time committed: [X hours] - Realistic focused time remaining: [Y hours] - Priority-to-time fit: [are the top 3 priorities achievable in available time?] - Overload flag: [yes/no — is the plan realistic?] - Critical path item: [what's the one thing that, if it doesn't happen, makes the day a loss?] - Risk items: [what could blow up or is waiting on external factors?] - Decision queue: [what decisions need to be made today that are blocking progress?] Note conflicts: if the plan requires more time than available, flag it before generating — do not silently let the brief promise too much. ``` --- ## Phase 3: Generate — The Brief ```markdown # Morning Brief — [Day, Date] ## Today in One Line [One sentence. What is this day actually about? Not a list — the dominant theme or goal.] ## Non-Negotiables (fixed commitments) | Time | Commitment | Notes | |------|-----------|-------| | [time] | [commitment] | [any prep needed?] | | [time] | [commitment] | [notes] | Focused time available: ~[X] hours ## Top 3 Priorities *(In order. These move the needle. Everything else waits.)* **1. [Priority name]** Next action: [specific — not "work on X" but "draft the first section of X" or "send the proposal to Y"] Why today: [one sentence on urgency or consequence of delay] Time estimate: [rough hours] **2. [Priority name]** Next action: [specific] Why today: [one sentence] Time estimate: [rough hours] **3. [Priority name]** Next action: [specific] Why today: [one sentence] Time estimate: [rough hours] ## Risk Radar *(Things that could derail the day or that need monitoring)* - [Risk 1]: [one sentence on what it is and what to watch for] - [Risk 2]: [one sentence] [Skip this section if nothing material — don't pad with hypotheticals] ## Decision Queue *(Decisions that need to get made today — not necessarily by you, but need resolution)* - [Decision 1]: [what needs to be decided, who decides, deadline] - [Decision 2]: [same format] [Skip if no active decisions pending] ## Suggested Schedule Blocks *(Optional — only generate if asked or if overload was flagged)* | Block | Focus | |-------|-------| | [time range] | [priority/commitment] | | [time range] | [priority/commitment] | | [time range] | [buffer/admin] | ## Carry-Forwards (from yesterday) *(Items that didn't get done and are still relevant)* - [Item 1] — [new priority level: high/medium/low] - [Item 2] — [new priority level] [Omit section if nothing to carry forward] ## End-of-Day Definition of Done Today is a success if: [1-3 specific things that constitute a good day — based on the top priorities] ``` --- ### Overload Protocol If the planned work exceeds realistic capacity: ``` ⚠️ OVERLOAD DETECTED You have ~[X] hours of focused time. Your current plan requires ~[Y] hours. That's a [Z]-hour gap. To fix this, one of the following needs to happen: 1. Cut Priority 3 — push to tomorrow 2. Timebox Priorities 1-2 at [X hours each] and accept partial progress 3. Move a fixed commitment if it's flexible Which do you want to do? ``` Do not silently generate a brief that promises more than the day can hold. --- ## Phase 4: Self-Critique After generating the brief, run this mandatory review: ``` SELF-CRITIQUE — Brief Quality Check ===================================== Priority specificity (1-10): ___ - Does each priority have a specific next action, not just a topic? - Could someone pick up this brief and know exactly what to do first? Realism (1-10): ___ - Does the plan fit inside the available time? - Was the overload protocol triggered when it should have been? Risk completeness (1-10): ___ - Are the risks specific to today's context? - Or are they generic ("things could come up")? Definition of Done (1-10): ___ - Is "today is a success if..." specific enough to actually know at 6pm? - Or is it vague enough to always feel incomplete? If any score < 7: revise that section. Improvements: [specific] Overall: [one sentence — is this brief ready to use?] ``` --- ## Phase 5: Final Output + Iteration Menu Present the refined brief. Then close with: ``` Brief ready. [X] hours of committed time. [Y] hours of focus available. Modes if you need to adjust: A) Aggressive mode — I'll compress the schedule and protect only the critical path B) Focus-protection mode — I'll remove everything that isn't Priority 1 and 2, rebuild around deep work C) Add contingency — I'll identify what to cut or defer if the day gets disrupted D) Done — run with this Or just reply "done" to lock it in. ``` **If A — Aggressive Mode:** Compress schedule. Identify exactly what can be done in parallel or shortened. Surface what gets cut if the day runs long. Output: revised block schedule with minimum viable actions per priority. **If B — Focus-Protection Mode:** Identify the single most important block of focused work. Design the day to protect it. Everything else is secondary — defer, batch, or drop. Output: simplified brief with one primary focus and explicit "park it" list. **If C — Contingency Plan:** Identify the most likely disruption (based on Risk Radar). Build a decision tree: "If [risk] happens → cut [priority 3] and timebox [priority 1] to [X hours]." Output: brief + contingency plan in case of disruption. --- ## Weekly Mode (Optional) If user asks for a weekly brief instead of daily: - Replace "Today in One Line" with "This Week in One Line" - Replace "Fixed Commitments" with week's calendar at a glance - Expand "Top 3 Priorities" to "Top 5 Priorities for the Week" with day-by-day rough allocation - Add "This Week's Most Important Decision" section - Definition of Done becomes "Friday is a success if..." --- *Morning Brief System v2.0.0 — Part of the AI Marketing Skills library by Brian Wagner (@BrianRWagner)* *Works with: Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, VS Code Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude.ai*