Define the job
Choose one role for the assistant: prepare a weekly plan, turn notes into a draft, or organize a project. State the goal and what a useful result contains. Avoid “do everything” instructions that blur priorities and approvals.
Write a working brief
Include your preferred format, tone, constraints, examples, and review rules. Add only the context needed for the task. Keep a version you can edit yourself. Tool memory and file access vary, so explicitly provide the current brief when needed.
Make boundaries practical
Name what the assistant can draft and what requires your approval. Preparing an email is different from sending it. Creating a schedule is different from committing other people’s time. Review connected-tool permissions before relying on actions.
Review the usefulness
After three uses, check whether the assistant reduced effort or simply created more material to read. Simplify the output and improve the brief. Keep the parts that help you make decisions and remove repetitive filler.
Make it yours
Write a weekly-planning brief with your three priorities, available time, constraints, output format, and actions that need your approval.