Most agent prompts fail because they’re written like notifications:
- “Time to do X.”
But an agent reminder is a conversation. The prompt needs to make cooperation easy:
- offer exits (done/snooze/skip)
- respect context (windows, focus time)
- stay short enough to read in a busy channel
This post is a micro-library of prompts you can reuse for habit agents and todo agents—especially in OpenClaw-style workflows where agents show up across ChatGPT, Telegram and Slack.
If you want the OpenClaw starting point:
Prompt patterns (what to keep consistent)
- One ask per message (don’t stack three questions).
- One default next step (“snooze 20m” or “shift to 7:50”).
- One escape hatch (“skip today”) without guilt.
Nudges (first reminder)
- “Window’s open. Want to do {habit} now, or shift it later?”
- “Quick check: do you want {habit} now, or should I remind you closer to {time_window_end}?”
- “Two-minute version today, or full version later?”
Completions (make ‘done’ easy)
- “Nice. Marking {habit} done.”
- “Done. Want to keep momentum with {next_step}, or pause here?”
Snoozes (default + flexible)
- “Got it. Snoozing {habit} for 20 minutes.”
- “Snooze for 20m, or pick a time: 30m / 1h / later today?”
- “If you’re in a focus block, say ‘quiet mode’ and I’ll hold reminders until it ends.”
Skips (data, not shame)
- “No problem—skipping today. Want to keep tomorrow the same?”
- “Skipped. If this is happening often, we can adjust the window.”
Resets (when a streak breaks)
- “Streaks break. Want to treat tomorrow as a clean restart?”
- “If this habit isn’t fitting your week, should we shrink it (2-minute version) or move the window?”
Gentle follow-ups (avoid spam loops)
- “Last check in this window: do you want to do {habit}, or skip today?”
- “I’ll go quiet after this. If you want to reschedule, say ‘move to {tomorrow}’.”
Example conversations (short)
Habit reminder
Buffy: “Morning startup window is open. Water + stretch now, or plan first?”
You: “Snooze 20.”
Buffy: “Done. I’ll check back in 20m.”
Task follow-up
Buffy: “Your report is due tomorrow. Want a 15-minute start now, or schedule a focus block?”
You: “Schedule a focus block.”
Buffy: “Got it—what time window works best?”
Where this fits in Buffy’s design
These prompts work best when they’re connected to a behavior engine that understands:
- activities (habit/task/routine)
- time windows + context
- event history + memory
Related posts:
Where to go next
- Next step: set up one habit with a time window, then use these prompts for nudges/snoozes/skips: How to Get Started With Buffy Agent in 5 Minutes