Setting up Buffy in Telegram takes about 5 minutes. After that, your habit reminders arrive as Telegram messages — you reply "done", "snooze", or "skip" without opening another app.
This guide covers everything: connecting your account, creating your first habit, and understanding what to expect from reminders.
What you'll need
- A Buffy account — sign up at www.buffyai.org
- Telegram installed on your phone or desktop
Step 1: Sign in to your Buffy account
Go to www.buffyai.org and sign in. If you don't have an account yet, sign up first — it takes under a minute.
Step 2: Connect Telegram in your account settings
- Open Account (or Settings) from the Buffy dashboard.
- Find the Channels section and click Connect next to Telegram.
- Buffy will open a link to Telegram and introduce itself via the Buffy bot.
- In Telegram, click Start to authorize the connection.
Your Buffy account is now linked to your Telegram. Reminders for any habit or routine set to Telegram will arrive in this chat.
Step 3: Create your first habit or routine
The easiest way to create a habit is via ChatGPT (or any Buffy-connected surface). Tell Buffy what you want in plain language:
"Weekdays between 7:30 and 8:00, remind me to drink water. Send the reminder to Telegram."
Or for a simple routine:
"Morning startup weekdays 7:30–8:00: drink water, 10-minute planning, stretch. Remind me in Telegram."
Buffy will confirm the activity name, schedule, and channel. That's all it takes.
If you prefer to create habits directly in the Telegram chat, you can also message Buffy there:
"Create a habit: 5-minute walk after lunch, weekdays."
Buffy will confirm the details and start scheduling reminders.
Step 4: Respond to your first reminder
When your habit window opens, Buffy sends a message like:
"Morning startup window's open. Water first — done now, or snooze 15m?"
Reply with one of these:
- done — logs the completion and moves to the next step (if it's a routine)
- snooze 20 — delays the nudge by 20 minutes (still within the window)
- skip — logs a skip and closes this instance
That's the full interaction. No app to open, no dashboard to check.
Step 5: Review and adjust after a few days
After 3–5 days, ask Buffy for a summary:
"How have my habits been this week?"
Buffy will give you a plain-language recap: what you completed, skipped, or snoozed. Use that to decide if the timing or habits need adjusting.
If a habit keeps getting snoozed at the same time, consider moving the window. If it keeps getting skipped, consider whether it's realistic in its current form.
For more on how reminders adapt over time, see:
What to expect in the first week
- Day 1–2: Reminders arrive; you respond. Buffy logs completions and skips.
- Day 3–5: You notice which habits land naturally and which feel awkward.
- Day 6–7: Adjust timing or scope based on what actually happened.
The Telegram-first setup works best for people who spend more time on mobile than at a desk. If your habits are more desk-bound (planning, deep work blocks), ChatGPT may be a better primary surface — with Telegram as a backup nudge.
For the ChatGPT + Telegram workflow, see: