---
name: reminders
description: Manage the user's lightweight reminder system. Use when the user asks to be reminded of something ("remind me to X", "don't let me forget", "flag this for [date]"), when they ask what's on their reminder list, when they want to complete or snooze a reminder, or at session start (called by the substrate skill) to surface anything due or overdue.
---

# Reminders

Lightweight reminder system. Not a task manager. Reminders are Claude's own nudges to the user ("ask me Monday if I still want to pursue Acme") — separate from whatever task tool they actually use.

## Where the data lives

`databases/reminders/reminders.md` — a single markdown checklist, newest entries at the top.

If the file or the folder doesn't exist, create them on first use. Create `databases/reminders/README.md` alongside the data file describing what this folder is for. Then proceed.

## File format

```
- [ ] 2026-04-21 — Ask me if I still want to pursue the Acme deal. (low priority, monday review)
- [ ] 2026-04-25 — Check Rachel's feedback on the pitch deck.
- [x] 2026-04-15 — (done 2026-04-14) Tax filing deadline.
```

- Unchecked = pending
- Checked = completed, kept for reference
- Date after `[ ]` = when to surface
- Content after the dash = what to remind, optional parenthetical context

## Actions

### Create

Triggers: "remind me to X on Y", "don't let me forget Z", "flag this for [date]"

1. Parse the date. Resolve natural language ("monday", "next week", "in three days") to YYYY-MM-DD using today's date.
2. Prepend a new line to `databases/reminders/reminders.md`.
3. Confirm: "Reminder saved for [date]: [what]."

### Check (called on session load by `substrate`)

1. Read the file.
2. Find anything unchecked where date ≤ today.
3. If none, don't mention reminders — silence is fine.
4. If any, present a short list at the top of the session:

```
Due reminders:
- 2026-04-20 — [what]
- 2026-04-18 — [what] (overdue)

Want to action any of these?
```

If more than five are due or overdue, summarise rather than dump the list: "Six reminders due or overdue — want to see them?"

### Complete

Triggers: "I did X", "checked off X", "done with [reminder]"

Flip `[ ]` to `[x]` on the matching line. Prepend `(done YYYY-MM-DD)` after the dash.

### Snooze / reschedule

Triggers: "push that to Friday", "move X to next week"

Update the date on the matching line. No other change.

### Purge completed

Quarterly, offer to remove completed entries older than 90 days. Move them via the standard `_DELETED_` delete workflow rather than hard-delete.

## Conventions

- New reminders go at the top of the file
- Don't add reminders for things that belong in a real task manager (project work, multi-step deliverables). If the user's request looks task-shaped, ask: "This sounds like a task — want me to add it to [their task tool] instead of reminders?"
- Don't spam on load. Use the summary form above if there are more than five.
- Keep the file flat. One line per reminder.

## Dependencies

- `substrate` skill delegates to this skill on session load
- If `daily-briefing` is installed, it also delegates reminder surfacing to this skill
