How do I make Claude my personal assistant?
Set up a project
Projects let you group related chats with shared instructions and reference files. Create one for personal planning, such as meal plans, travel, or a weekly to-do list, and describe what you want Claude to help with. Add documents you use often, like a recurring schedule or a list of regular tasks. Give the project a name that clearly describes its purpose.
Tell Claude your preferences
Custom instructions or preference settings let you describe your tone, your schedule habits, and the format you like for lists or summaries. Keep them short and specific, and update them as your needs change. Be clear about what you do not want, since that is often as useful as what you do.
Helpful details to include:
- Your preferred response length
- Your time zone and usual working hours
- Topics or tools you use most
Connect tools carefully
Some plans let Claude connect to apps such as calendars or email. Only connect accounts you are comfortable sharing, and review what each connection can access before you approve it. Revisit those connections every so often and remove any you no longer use. Keep the number of connections small so it stays clear what Claude can reach.
Common mistakes
- Putting passwords or account numbers into chat or instructions.
- Expecting Claude to remember everything without checking your memory settings.
- Writing vague instructions and then being disappointed by generic answers.
