Format Decisions
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Format Decisions
The default format — a dated header, then sections for each source — works for reading in a terminal or in a Claude Code output pane. But you might want different things:
Shorter output: Constrain each section to a fixed line count. Calendar gets five lines maximum. Tasks get ten. News gets three. Anything beyond the limit is truncated. Add this as an explicit instruction in the skill body.
Richer formatting: If you read the brief in a markdown-aware environment, you can use tables, badges, priority markers. The skill body can specify exactly what formatting Claude should use.
Spoken output: The brief can be formatted for text-to-speech — shorter sentences, no markdown symbols, natural phrasing. If you listen to your brief while making coffee, format it accordingly.
Saved to disk: Add a step at the end of the skill that writes the output to your daily note. obsidian append file="{date}" content="{briefing}". The brief becomes part of the permanent record of the day.