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Customization Guide

Make this PKM system truly yours. This guide covers everything from simple tweaks to advanced modifications.

Table of Contents

  1. Quick Customizations
  2. Template Modifications
  3. Folder Structure
  4. Tag System
  5. Claude Commands
  6. Output Styles
  7. Workflow Automation
  8. Theme and Appearance
  9. Advanced Configurations

Quick Customizations

Personal Mission Statement

Location: CLAUDE.md and Templates/Daily Template.md

Replace the placeholder with your actual mission:

_"Your personal mission or daily affirmation here"_

Examples:

  • "Build with purpose, live with intention, grow with courage"
  • "Create value, nurture relationships, embrace learning"
  • "Simplify complexity, amplify impact, multiply joy"

Time Blocks

Location: Templates/Daily Template.md

Adjust to your schedule:

## ⏰ Time Blocks
- **Early Morning (5-7am):** Meditation & Exercise
- **Morning (7-10am):** Deep work
- **Midday (10am-1pm):** Meetings & Collaboration
- **Afternoon (1-4pm):** Administrative tasks
- **Late Afternoon (4-6pm):** Learning & Development
- **Evening (6-9pm):** Family & Personal time

Goal Percentages

Location: Goals/1. Yearly Goals.md

Adjust effort allocation:

### 💼 Career (40% of effort)  <!-- Increase if career-focused -->
### 🏃 Health (30% of effort)   <!-- Increase if health is priority -->
### ❤️ Relationships (20% of effort)
### 🌱 Personal Growth (10% of effort)

Template Modifications

Daily Template Variations

Minimalist Version

# {{date:dddd, MMMM DD, YYYY}}

## Focus
- 

## Tasks
- [ ] 
- [ ] 
- [ ] 

## Notes


## Reflection
- Win: 
- Learn: 
- Tomorrow:

Detailed Version

# {{date:dddd, MMMM DD, YYYY}}

## Morning Intention
### Gratitude
### Affirmation
### Priority

## Schedule
### Time Blocks
### Meetings
### Deadlines

## Tasks by Context
### @Office
### @Home
### @Computer
### @Phone

## Project Updates
### [Project 1]
### [Project 2]

## Learning Log
### What I Learned
### Resources Consumed
### Questions Raised

## Health Tracking
### Exercise
### Nutrition
### Sleep
### Mood

## Detailed Reflection
### Successes
### Challenges
### Insights
### Improvements

Weekly Review Variations

Sprint-Based Review

# Sprint Review - Sprint {{sprint_number}}

## Sprint Goals
- [ ] Goal 1
- [ ] Goal 2

## Velocity
- Points Planned: 
- Points Completed: 
- Carry Over: 

## Retrospective
### What Went Well
### What Didn't Work
### Action Items

OKR-Based Review

# Weekly OKR Check-in

## Objective 1: [Title]
### Key Result 1: [Metric]
- Progress: [X]%
- This Week's Contribution:

### Key Result 2: [Metric]
- Progress: [X]%
- This Week's Contribution:

Folder Structure

Alternative Structures

GTD-Based

vault/
├── Inbox/          # Capture everything
├── Next Actions/   # Immediate tasks
├── Projects/       # Multi-step outcomes
├── Someday Maybe/  # Future possibilities
├── Reference/      # Information storage
└── Contexts/       # @home, @office, @errands

PARA Method

vault/
├── Projects/       # Things with deadlines
├── Areas/          # Ongoing responsibilities
├── Resources/      # Future reference
└── Archives/       # Inactive items

Zettelkasten-Inspired

vault/
├── Permanent Notes/  # Atomic ideas
├── Literature Notes/ # From sources
├── Daily Notes/      # Journal entries
├── Index/           # Entry points
└── References/      # Sources

Adding Custom Folders

Create specialized folders for your needs:

vault/
├── Finances/        # Budget, investments
├── Learning/        # Courses, books, skills
├── Health/          # Medical, fitness, nutrition
├── Creative/        # Writing, art, music
└── Relationships/   # People, interactions

Tag System

Creating Your Tag Taxonomy

Hierarchical Tags

#work/project/clientA
#work/project/clientB
#work/admin/expenses
#work/admin/planning

#personal/health/exercise
#personal/health/nutrition
#personal/finance/budget
#personal/finance/investing

Status-Based Tags

#status/active
#status/waiting
#status/delegated
#status/complete
#status/cancelled

Energy-Based Tags

#energy/high  # Requires focus
#energy/medium
#energy/low   # Can do when tired

Context Tags

#context/home
#context/office
#context/online
#context/phone
#context/errands

Tag Combinations

Use multiple tags for powerful filtering:

#work #priority/high #energy/high #context/office

Claude Commands

Creating Custom Commands

Example: Book Notes Command

Create .claude/commands/book.md:

# Book Notes Creator

Creates a new book note with metadata and structure.

## Usage
claude code /book "Book Title" "Author"

## What it does
1. Creates note in Resources/Books/
2. Adds metadata (title, author, date started)
3. Includes template for notes
4. Links to reading list

Example: Meeting Notes Command

Create .claude/commands/meeting.md:

# Meeting Notes

Creates formatted meeting notes with action items.

## Usage
claude code /meeting "Meeting Title"

## Template
- Date/Time
- Attendees
- Agenda
- Discussion
- Action Items
- Follow-up

Modifying Existing Commands

Daily Command for Different Schedules

Edit .claude/commands/daily.md:

// For night shift workers
const DAILY_NOTES_TIME = "18:00"; // 6 PM start

// For early risers
const MORNING_ROUTINE_START = "05:00";

// For parents
const INCLUDE_FAMILY_SECTION = true;

Output Styles

Using the Productivity Coach

The included Productivity Coach style transforms Claude into an accountability partner:

# Start Claude Code
claude

# Then choose your output style:
/output-style              # Opens interactive menu to select a style
/output-style coach        # Directly activates the coach style

# Example interaction with coach:
# You: "I'm procrastinating on my report"
# Coach: "What's the smallest action you could take right now that would create momentum?"

Your style preference is automatically saved to .claude/settings.local.json for the current project.

Creating Custom Output Styles

Create new personality modes in .claude/output-styles/:

# Quick way to create a new style:
/output-style:new I want a style that acts as a technical mentor

# Or manually create files in .claude/output-styles/

Example: Technical Mentor

Create .claude/output-styles/mentor.md:

---
name: Technical Mentor
description: Patient technical guidance with learning focus
---

You are a experienced technical mentor who helps users learn and grow. Focus on:

- Breaking down complex concepts into understandable pieces
- Providing examples and analogies
- Encouraging experimentation and learning from mistakes
- Suggesting resources for deeper learning
- Celebrating progress and understanding

Always teach the "why" behind the "how".

Example: Creative Brainstormer

Create .claude/output-styles/creative.md:

---
name: Creative Brainstormer  
description: Expansive thinking and idea generation
---

You are a creative collaborator who helps generate and expand ideas. Focus on:

- "Yes, and..." thinking to build on ideas
- Asking "What if?" questions
- Making unexpected connections
- Challenging assumptions playfully
- Generating multiple alternatives
- Embracing wild possibilities before filtering

No idea is too crazy in brainstorming mode!

Modifying the Coach Style

Edit .claude/output-styles/coach.md to adjust the coaching approach:

# Make it gentler
**Challenge with Empathy**: → **Support with Understanding**:

# Make it more intense
**The ONE Thing Priority**: → **The ONLY Thing That Matters**:

# Add domain-specific focus
## Fitness Coaching Focus
- "What workout will you complete today?"
- "How does this meal align with your goals?"

Workflow Automation

Morning Routine Automation

Create .claude/commands/morning.md:

# Morning Routine

Executes complete morning workflow.

## Steps
1. Create daily note
2. Review yesterday's uncomplete tasks
3. Check calendar for today
4. Pull priority from weekly goals
5. Set time blocks
6. Generate motivation quote

End-of-Day Automation

Create .claude/commands/evening.md:

# Evening Shutdown

Complete end-of-day routine.

## Steps
1. Mark task completion
2. Write reflection
3. Move incomplete tasks
4. Set tomorrow's priority
5. Commit to git
6. Generate daily summary

Project Kickoff Automation

Create .claude/commands/kickoff.md:

# Project Kickoff

Initialize new project with structure.

## Steps
1. Create project folder
2. Add CLAUDE.md with template
3. Create project plan
4. Set up project board
5. Add to active projects list
6. Create first milestone

Theme and Appearance

Obsidian Theme Customization

CSS Snippets

Create .obsidian/snippets/custom.css:

/* Custom colors */
.theme-dark {
  --text-accent: #7c3aed; /* Purple accent */
  --interactive-accent: #7c3aed;
}

/* Larger headings */
.markdown-preview-view h1 {
  font-size: 2.5em;
  color: var(--text-accent);
}

/* Checkbox styling */
input[type=checkbox]:checked {
  background-color: #10b981; /* Green */
}

/* Tag colors */
.tag[href="#priority/high"] {
  background-color: #ef4444;
  color: white;
}

.tag[href="#energy/low"] {
  background-color: #3b82f6;
  color: white;
}

Daily Note Styling

Add to your daily template:

<div style="background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%); padding: 20px; border-radius: 10px; color: white; margin-bottom: 20px;">
  <h2 style="margin: 0;">{{date:dddd, MMMM DD, YYYY}}</h2>
  <p style="margin: 5px 0; font-style: italic;">Your daily mission statement here</p>
</div>

Advanced Configurations

Dataview Queries

If using Dataview plugin:

Task Dashboard

```dataview
TABLE 
  file.link AS "Note",
  filter(file.tasks, (t) => !t.completed) AS "Open Tasks"
FROM "Daily Notes"
WHERE file.day >= date(today) - dur(7 days)
SORT file.day DESC
```

Habit Tracker

```dataview
TABLE 
  exercise AS "🏃",
  meditation AS "🧘",
  reading AS "📚",
  water AS "💧"
FROM "Daily Notes"
WHERE file.day >= date(today) - dur(30 days)
```

Templater Scripts

If using Templater plugin:

Auto-weather

<%* 
const response = await fetch('http://wttr.in/?format=3');
const weather = await response.text();
tR += weather;
%>

Random Quote

<%* 
const quotes = [
  "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.",
  "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.",
  "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
];
const randomQuote = quotes[Math.floor(Math.random() * quotes.length)];
tR += randomQuote;
%>

Git Hooks

Create .git/hooks/pre-commit:

#!/bin/bash
# Auto-format markdown files before commit

# Format all markdown files
find . -name "*.md" -type f -exec prettier --write {} \;

# Add formatted files back
git add -A

Mobile Shortcuts

iOS Shortcuts

Create Siri Shortcuts for:

  • "Create daily note" → Opens GitHub app to issue creation
  • "Add task" → Creates issue with 'task' label
  • "Weekly review" → Triggers GitHub Action

Android Automation

Use Tasker or Automate for:

  • Morning notification to create daily note
  • Evening reminder for reflection
  • Location-based project reminders

Integration Examples

Calendar Integration

## Today's Events
<!-- Embed calendar events -->
![[calendar-sync/{{date}}.md]]

Email Integration

## Inbox Processing
- [ ] Email from: [sender] Re: [subject]
  - Action: [Reply/Archive/Delegate]

Task Manager Sync

## External Tasks
<!-- Pulled from Todoist/Things/etc -->
- [ ] [Task from external system]

v2.0 Features: Hooks, Agents, Skills & Rules

Hooks (Automatic Behaviors)

Hooks are automatic behaviors triggered by Claude Code events. Located in .claude/settings.json:

Disabling Auto-Commit

{
  "hooks": {
    "PostToolUse": []
  }
}

Adding Custom Hooks

{
  "hooks": {
    "PostToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "your-script.sh"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Custom Agents

Agents are specialized AI assistants. Located in .claude/agents/:

Creating a Custom Agent

Create .claude/agents/my-agent.md:

---
name: my-agent
description: What this agent does. Claude uses this to decide when to invoke it.
tools: Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep
model: sonnet
---

# Agent Instructions

[Detailed instructions for the agent's behavior]

Included Agents

  • note-organizer - Vault organization and link maintenance
  • weekly-reviewer - Weekly review facilitation
  • goal-aligner - Goal-activity alignment analysis
  • inbox-processor - GTD-style inbox processing

Skills (Auto-Discovered Capabilities)

Skills are capabilities Claude discovers and uses automatically. Located in .claude/skills/:

Creating a Custom Skill

Create .claude/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md:

---
name: my-skill
description: What this skill does. Use for [specific situations].
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit
---

# Skill Instructions

[How to use this skill]

Included Skills

  • obsidian-vault-ops - Vault file operations
  • goal-tracking - Goal cascade management
  • daily-workflow - Daily routine structure

Modular Rules

Rules are path-specific conventions. Located in .claude/rules/:

Creating Custom Rules

Create .claude/rules/my-rules.md:

---
paths: "MyFolder/**/*.md"
---

# Rules for MyFolder

[Specific conventions for files matching the pattern]

Included Rules

  • markdown-standards.md - File naming, tags, frontmatter
  • productivity-workflow.md - Goal cascade, planning
  • project-management.md - Project structure, status tracking

Personal Overrides (CLAUDE.local.md)

For personal customizations that shouldn't be committed:

cp CLAUDE.local.md.template CLAUDE.local.md

This file is gitignored. Use it for:

  • Personal mission statement
  • Working style preferences
  • Private goals
  • Custom coaching intensity

Best Practices

Start Simple

  1. Begin with minimal customization
  2. Add complexity as patterns emerge
  3. Review and refine monthly

Document Your System

Create vault/System Documentation.md:

# My PKM System Rules

## File Naming
- Daily notes: YYYY-MM-DD.md
- Projects: PascalCase
- Resources: lowercase-with-dashes

## My Workflows
- Morning: ...
- Weekly: ...
- Monthly: ...

## My Conventions
- Tags: ...
- Links: ...
- Templates: ...

Regular Reviews

  • Weekly: Adjust templates based on use
  • Monthly: Review folder structure
  • Quarterly: Major system updates
  • Yearly: Complete system overhaul

Remember: The goal is a system that works for YOU. Don't copy others blindly - adapt and evolve based on your actual needs and patterns.