# Daily Workflow Template

> From NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0, Lesson 5: Session Management
> A structured plan for getting the most out of Claude Code across a full workday.

---

## How to Use This

1. Fill in the planning section at the start of your day (5 minutes)
2. Follow the session structure as you work
3. Fill in the review section at the end of your day (5 minutes)
4. Adjust the template over time to match your rhythm

---

## --- DAILY PLAN ---

### Today's Date: _______________

### Top 3 Priorities (What Must Get Done)

| # | Priority | Type | Est. Context |
|---|----------|------|-------------|
| 1 | _________________________ | [ ] Heavy [ ] Light | ___% |
| 2 | _________________________ | [ ] Heavy [ ] Light | ___% |
| 3 | _________________________ | [ ] Heavy [ ] Light | ___% |

**Context budget check:** Total estimated ___% -- if over 80%, split across sessions.

### Session Plan

How many sessions do I need today?

- [ ] 1 session (all light tasks, under 50% total)
- [ ] 2 sessions (1 heavy + 1-2 light tasks)
- [ ] 3 sessions (multiple heavy tasks)
- [ ] 4+ sessions (full research/analysis day)

---

## Morning Block

### Session 1: [_____________] (Primary Task)

**Start time:** ___:___
**Goal:** ________________________
**Files to read first:** ________________________

```
Step 1: Resume from yesterday's recap (if applicable)
        "Read session-recaps/[yesterday's-file].md and continue with [task]"

Step 2: Do the main work
        [Your primary task for this session]

Step 3: Check context (/usage)
        If under 50%: continue to secondary task
        If over 70%: wrap up and recap

Step 4: /recap when done
```

**End time:** ___:___
**Context used:** ___%
**Recap saved to:** session-recaps/_______________

---

### Session 2: [_____________] (Secondary Task, if needed)

**Start time:** ___:___
**Goal:** ________________________
**Read recap from Session 1:** [ ] Yes [ ] Not needed

```
Step 1: Start fresh session
Step 2: Read Session 1 recap if tasks are related
Step 3: Do secondary task
Step 4: /recap
```

**End time:** ___:___
**Context used:** ___%
**Recap saved to:** session-recaps/_______________

---

## Afternoon Block

### Session 3: [_____________] (Content/Creative Work)

**Start time:** ___:___
**Goal:** ________________________

```
Step 1: Read any needed recaps from morning
Step 2: Creative work (copy, content, specs)
Step 3: Iterate 2-3 times for quality
Step 4: /recap
```

**End time:** ___:___
**Context used:** ___%
**Recap saved to:** session-recaps/_______________

---

### Session 4: [_____________] (Quick Tasks / Cleanup)

**Start time:** ___:___
**Goal:** ________________________

```
Step 1: Quick follow-ups from earlier sessions
Step 2: Polish any drafts
Step 3: /recap (end-of-day summary)
```

**End time:** ___:___
**Context used:** ___%

---

## --- END OF DAY REVIEW ---

### What Got Done Today

- [x] _________________________ → saved to `_______________`
- [x] _________________________ → saved to `_______________`
- [ ] _________________________ → status: _______________

### What Didn't Get Done (and Why)

- [ ] _________________________ → reason: _______________

### Decisions Made Today

1. _________________________ (why: _______________)
2. _________________________ (why: _______________)

### Tomorrow's Top 3

1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________

### Tomorrow's Handover Prompt

```
Read session-recaps/[today's-last-recap].md and start with [tomorrow's priority #1].
Context: [1-2 sentences about where the project stands].
```

---

## Session Type Reference

Use this to estimate how many sessions you need:

| Task Type | Context Cost | Duration | Sessions/Day |
|-----------|-------------|----------|--------------|
| **Heavy:** Research synthesis, competitive analysis | 30-50% | 60-90 min | 1-2 |
| **Medium:** Product specs, detailed analysis | 10-25% | 30-60 min | 2-4 |
| **Light:** Copy, emails, quick edits, social posts | 3-10% | 15-30 min | 5-10 |

### Sample Day Plans

**Research Day (3 sessions):**
1. Morning: Analyze 10 customer interviews (40%)
2. Midday: Competitive analysis, 5 competitors (45%)
3. Afternoon: Synthesize findings into strategy doc (20%)

**Content Day (2 sessions):**
1. Morning: Landing page copy + 3 iterations + email sequence (25%)
2. Afternoon: 10 social posts + investor update (15%)

**Product Day (2-3 sessions):**
1. Morning: Write 2 product specs (10%)
2. Midday: RICE prioritization + roadmap draft (15%)
3. Afternoon: User story writing + acceptance criteria (10%)

**Mixed Day (3-4 sessions):**
1. Morning: 1 heavy analysis task (35%)
2. Late morning: 1 product spec (8%)
3. Afternoon: Content creation (15%)
4. Late afternoon: Quick follow-ups (5%)

---

## Tips for a Productive Day

1. **Do heavy tasks first.** Research and analysis need the most context and focus. Don't save them for 4 PM.
2. **Group similar tasks.** Content creation in one session, research in another. Switching types mid-session wastes context.
3. **Plan your recap points.** Know before you start when you'll recap. Don't wait until context is full.
4. **Read yesterday's recap first.** 2 minutes of reading saves 10 minutes of re-explaining.
5. **Don't plan for 100%.** Leave 20% slack. Unexpected tasks, iterations, and follow-ups always show up.

---

*NerdSmith Founder Track -- Module 0: Claude Code Bootcamp*
*Download: Daily Workflow Template*