The Daily Loop: /startwork → work → /handoff

5 min read Updated Oct 2026

Anyone who uses HQ day to day and wants a simple, repeatable rhythm.

The daily rhythm

AM /startwork · loads context, offers the next most useful thingDAY do the work · one task per sitting, /checkpoint to save mid-streamPM /handoff · snapshots everything for tomorrow

Three beats · this loop is what makes HQ compound

HQ works best when you treat every work block the same way: open with /startwork, do the work, close with /handoff. That's the whole loop. This article explains what each end of the loop actually does, what a healthy day looks like, and the small set of commands you'll use for 90% of your work.

A quick note on words: a session is one conversation with HQ, from the moment you open it to the moment you close it. A handoff is a saved snapshot of that session (what you did, what's next, and where the files are) so the next session (or a teammate) can pick up exactly where you left off.

Why a loop at all?#

Sessions are disposable; your context is precious. Long, meandering sessions accumulate noise and get slower and less accurate. Short, focused sessions that start fresh and end with a clean handoff stay sharp. The loop makes fresh starts cheap: /handoff saves everything worth keeping, and /startwork loads it back in seconds.

Conduct mode is on by default#

New sessions hand work to background workers on Claude, Codex, or Grok, so your session stays free for the next request. Quick answers and lookups still happen right in your session. It only applies to sessions you start yourself. Bots, fleet boxes, and scheduled jobs don't use it.

To turn it off:

For one session: type /conduct off, or set HQ_AUTO_CONDUCT=0 before you start.
On this computer, for good: copy core/settings/orchestrator.yaml to personal/settings/orchestrator.yaml, then in the copy, under conduct:, change default_enabled: true to default_enabled: false. New sessions on this computer then start normally.

Starting your day: /startwork#

Type /startwork at the beginning of every session. With no arguments, it asks one question before loading anything: where do you want to go? You'll see options like:

Resume last session: labeled with a one-line summary of what you were doing (e.g. "Resume: drafting Q3 pricing page"). Pick this and HQ loads that session's summary, next steps, and the files you touched.
Pick a company / project / repo: name a target and HQ orients around it.
Not sure what to work on: routes you to /strategize, which helps you prioritize.
Something else: describe a task in plain words and HQ figures out how to approach it.

You can also skip the question by giving it a target directly:

shell

/startwork acme
/startwork website-refresh

Once you've picked, HQ shows a short orientation block: what mode you're in, the current git state, any policies (standing rules HQ must follow) that apply, and your active work, which lists each in-flight project with a story count like "website-refresh, 3/7 stories (4 left)". Then it offers numbered next actions so you can get moving with one keystroke.

Ending a work block: /handoff#

When you finish a chunk of work (or you're switching topics, or the session has been running a while) type /handoff. HQ writes a thread file capturing a summary of what changed, next steps, the exact files touched, and the git state, then commits everything safely. It also quietly captures any reusable lessons from the session (see Teaching HQ).

The report ends with a thread ID. In a fresh session, /startwork resumes the latest handoff, or /resumework {thread-id} resumes that exact one.

For a lighter mid-session save (you're not done, you just want a safety net) use /checkpoint. Think of /checkpoint as save-as-you-go and /handoff as clocking out properly.

What a healthy day looks like#

Morning: /startwork, resume yesterday's handoff or pick today's project. Skim the orientation block. It tells you where everything stands.
During the day: work in focused blocks. One topic per session. When you switch topics (say, from a client report to a website fix), /handoff and start fresh rather than dragging one session across both.
Capturing stray thoughts: got an idea mid-task? /idea captures it in ten seconds without derailing you (see From idea to shipped).
End of day: /handoff with a one-line note about where you stopped. Tomorrow's /startwork will offer it back to you.

Daily habits checklist

[ ] Open every session with /startwork
[ ] One topic per session. Switch topics, switch sessions
[ ] /checkpoint before anything long or risky
[ ] Capture stray ideas with /idea instead of losing them
[ ] Correct HQ twice on the same thing? /learn it (why)
[ ] Close every session with /handoff

The everyday cheat-sheet#

These commands cover most days. (A command is anything you type starting with /.)

Command	What it does	When
`/startwork`	Orients you: resume options, active projects, next actions	Start of every session
`/prd`	Interviews you and writes an execution-ready project plan (PRD)	Starting something new. See From idea to shipped
`/execute-task {project}/US-001`	Executes one story from a project plan	Working through a planned project
`/deploy`	Turns what you built into a live, shareable link	Ready to show someone. See Sharing your work
`/search`	Finds anything across your knowledge, meetings, projects, and code	Whenever you'd otherwise dig through folders. See Finding anything
`/checkpoint`	Lightweight mid-session save	Before risky or long work
`/handoff`	Full session save + clean close	End of every work block

Common questions#

Do I really need /startwork every time? Can't I just start typing?

You can, but you'll be working blind. /startwork loads your last handoff, active projects, and applicable rules in one step. Without it, HQ starts from zero and you'll repeat yourself.

What's the difference between /checkpoint and /handoff?

/checkpoint is a quick save you use mid-session. /handoff is the full close-out: richer summary, next steps, learnings captured, everything committed. Use /handoff when you're done; /checkpoint when you're not.

How long should a session be?

Until the task is done or the topic changes, usually under an hour of active work. If a session feels sluggish or the answers get vague, that's your cue: /handoff and start fresh. Nothing is lost. More on why in Sessions, checkpoints, and handoffs.

I closed my laptop without a handoff. Is my work gone?

Usually not. Run /recover-session in a new session and HQ will reconstruct what it can from the dead session.

If you get stuck#

If /startwork shows nothing to resume, your last session probably ended without a handoff. Try /recover-session. For anything else, see The "I'm stuck" guide or report it with /hq-bug.