---
name: tomorrow-setup
description: Use when asked to build a short evening routine that prepares the next day (top priorities, calendar check, clothes, bag, and food), or when mornings feel rushed and things get forgotten. Distinct from [[daily-reset-block]] (tidying the home and mind at day's end), [[calendar-control]] (shaping the calendar itself), and [[weekly-planning-meeting]] (planning a whole week with a team).
---

# Tomorrow Setup

Tomorrow Setup is a ten-minute evening routine that decides, stages, and
packs the next day tonight, so the morning is execution rather than
decision-making. The agent helps the user design the routine around
their real day and turns it into a checklist they can run tonight.

## Input required

- **Typical morning**: wake time, who else needs care or a lift, how
  they leave the house, and what is usually forgotten.
- **Tools used for plans**: paper, a notes app, a calendar, a task list.
- **Recurring needs**: uniform or dress code, gym kit, lunch, medication
  or other daily items, devices to charge.
- **When the evening ends**: the routine needs a fixed anchor, such as
  after dinner or before brushing teeth.

## Questions to ask first

Ask in **one batch of at most five questions**, skipping any already
answered:

1. What time do you wake up, and what goes wrong most often in the
   morning?
2. Where do you keep your plans (calendar, task list, paper)?
3. What do you carry out of the house every day, and what changes
   by day of the week?
4. Do you pack or prepare food, clothes, or items for other people?
5. What evening event could carry the routine (end of dinner, charging
   the phone, closing the laptop)?

## Method

1. **Pick an anchor and a stop time.** Attach the routine to something
   that already happens every evening. Set ten minutes as the budget;
   if it runs over, trim steps rather than extend the time.
2. **Check the calendar for tomorrow and the day after.** Note the
   first fixed commitment, travel time, and anything needing
   preparation. Looking two days ahead catches early starts.
3. **Choose the top priorities.** Write at most three things for
   tomorrow: one that must happen, and up to two that would help.
   Put them where the morning will see them first.
4. **Pick clothes.** Choose and lay out the outfit, checking the
   weather forecast and any dress code. Include shoes and kit.
5. **Pack the bag.** Keep a short standing list (keys, wallet, charger,
   work items) plus tomorrow's extras. Put the bag by the door.
6. **Sort food and drink.** Decide breakfast and lunch, prepare or
   stage what can be prepared, and fill the water bottle.
7. **Reset the launch pad.** Plug in devices, clear the spot by the
   door, and leave the first task visible.
8. **Stop.** End on a fixed signal, such as ticking the last box.

### Make it fit the person

| Situation | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Shared household | Add a line to confirm who handles what tomorrow |
| Children | Add their clothes, bags, forms, and school items |
| Travel day | Swap for [[packing-checklist]] and check transport times |
| Late or tired evening | Run a three-minute version: priorities, bag, alarm |
| Shift work | Anchor to the end of the shift, not the clock |

## Output format

- A numbered checklist of five to eight steps with a time budget for
  each, totalling about ten minutes.
- A **standing bag list** to reuse nightly.
- A **three-minute fallback** version.
- A one-line **anchor**: "After ___, I run Tomorrow Setup."
- Optionally, tonight's filled-in version: priorities, outfit, bag,
  food.

## Ground rules

- Keep it short; a routine that takes thirty minutes will be dropped.
- Priorities are capped at three. More than that is a wish list.
- Do not require special apps or purchases.
- Respect health, caring, and shift constraints without judging them.
- Do not give medical advice about medication; the user's own plan
  from their clinician or pharmacist applies.

## Self-check before answering

- Is the routine anchored to something that already happens daily?
- Is the total time about ten minutes, with a shorter fallback?
- Are priorities capped at three and placed where the morning sees them?
- Does the checklist reflect the user's actual morning problems?

## Common pitfalls

- **Planning instead of preparing**: a long to-do list tonight, but no
  outfit or bag staged.
- **Checking only tomorrow**: missing an early start the day after.
- **No anchor**: the routine floats and gets skipped when tired.
- **Too many steps**: ten items becomes a chore. Cut to what actually
  prevents morning trouble.
- **Perfection**: missing a night is fine; run the fallback next night.
- **Phone scrolling mid-routine**: set a timer, and leave the phone
  charging out of reach until the routine is done.

## Example prompt

> I'm always scrambling in the morning. Build me a ten-minute evening
> routine that sets up tomorrow: top three priorities, a calendar check,
> clothes, my work bag, and lunch. I wake at 6:30 and have kids to
> get to school.

## Learn more

- [[daily-reset-block]] for tidying the home and head at day's end.
- [[calendar-control]] so tomorrow's calendar is worth checking.
- [[packing-checklist]] for trips that need more than a daily bag.
- [[weekly-meal-plan]] to make the food step nearly automatic.