Agent Instructions: Progress Recitation

Session Start Protocol

1. Read todo.md and claude-progress.json from disk.
2. Recite the current state aloud:
   • How many tasks are completed out of the total
   • What the current in-progress task is (if any)
   • The next 3 remaining tasks
3. If the two files disagree, trust todo.md and update claude-progress.json to match.

During Work

1. After completing each task:

   • Mark it done in todo.md (change [ ] to [x], move to Completed)
   • Update claude-progress.json with the new counts and lists
   • Update the Session Notes in todo.md with last recitation info

2. Full recitation every 3 completed tasks:

   • Re-read todo.md from disk (do not rely on memory)
   • State aloud: "Completed N of M tasks. Just finished: [task]. Remaining: [list remaining items]."
   • This is the critical step. Re-reading from disk moves the progress state from the middle of your context to the end, where attention is strongest.

3. Stall detection: If you have been working on a single task for more than 15 minutes without updating progress, pause and recite current state. This catches situations where you are stuck or have drifted off-task.

Session End Protocol

1. Update both todo.md and claude-progress.json with final state.
2. If any task is partially complete, note what remains in the Session Notes section of todo.md.
3. Recite the final state: what was accomplished this session, what is next for the following session.

Recitation Format

When reciting, use this format:

Progress: [completed]/[total] tasks done.
Just finished: [task name].
Current: [in-progress task, if any].
Remaining: [list of remaining tasks].
Next recitation due: after completing [task name] (task N of M).

Rules

• Never skip a recitation at the 3-task cadence. It is tempting to keep working, but recitation prevents drift.
• Always re-read from disk. Do not recite from memory. The whole point is to get fresh state into your context window.
• Keep claude-progress.json in sync with todo.md at all times.
• If you discover new tasks during work, add them to the Remaining section of todo.md and update the total count in both files.