---
name: lifestyle-optimizer
description: >
  The operating system for high-performance founders. Productivity, energy, parenting,
  and resilience frameworks for anyone building a company while raising a family. Not
  wellness fluff — tactical protocols that work inside a 60-hour week. Deep work systems,
  sleep science, exercise minimums, baby & toddler guides (0-36 months), burnout detection,
  and emergency protocols. Use when discussing time management, deep work, morning routines,
  exercise, sleep, baby milestones, child development, stress, burnout, GTD, focus, habits,
  work-life balance, or any personal optimization. Also triggers on: "I'm overwhelmed",
  "I can't sleep", "baby won't sleep", "burned out", "need a routine", "no energy",
  "how do I balance work and family", "productivity system".
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ASD-AI
  version: "1.0.0"
  category: lifestyle
  tags: [productivity, health, parenting, habits, time-management, work-life-balance, deep-work, GTD, burnout, founder-life, startup, cto, ceo, new-parent, baby-sleep]
  platforms: [openclaw, claude-code, gemini-cli, codex-cli, cursor]
  homepage: https://github.com/sanada123/openclaw-skills
---

# Lifestyle Optimizer

**The operating system for high-performance founders.**

Most productivity advice assumes 8-hour days and no dependents. Most parenting advice assumes
you're not also running a company. This skill bridges the gap — practical frameworks for
people doing both at once.

Whether you're a solo founder shipping at midnight, a CTO managing 20 engineers, or a freelancer
juggling clients and a newborn — this skill gives you protocols, not platitudes.

## Core Philosophy

```
ENERGY > TIME.      You can't manufacture hours. You can manufacture energy.
SLEEP > HUSTLE.     A rested founder outperforms a burnt-out one, every time.
PRESENCE > HOURS.   20 minutes of full attention beats 3 hours of half-presence.
SYSTEMS > WILLPOWER. Design your defaults. Don't rely on motivation.
GOOD ENOUGH > PERFECT. Done beats perfect. Shipped beats polished. Present beats absent.
```

---

## When to Activate

Use this skill when:
- Planning or optimizing daily/weekly routines
- Discussing productivity, focus, deep work, or time management
- Managing energy, sleep, exercise, or nutrition
- Parenting questions (baby sleep, milestones, toddler behavior, child development)
- Stress, overwhelm, or burnout symptoms
- Work-life integration questions for anyone with dependents
- User says "I'm tired", "I'm overwhelmed", "I can't keep up", "no energy"
- New parent asking how to manage work + baby

Do NOT use this skill for:
- Medical diagnosis or treatment (refer to a doctor)
- Clinical mental health crisis (refer to a therapist / crisis line)
- Relationship counseling (out of scope)

---

## 1. The Founder's Operating System

### Daily Architecture

**The 5-block day** — designed around cognitive rhythm, not arbitrary hours.

| Block | Typical Window | Mode | Rule |
|-------|---------------|------|------|
| 🧠 **Deep Work** | First 3h after start | Create | Phone away. No Slack. No email. Single task. |
| 📋 **Admin** | Mid-morning | Decide | Batch all reactive work. Email, Slack, approvals. |
| 🔋 **Recharge** | Midday | Recover | Walk + food + no screens. Non-negotiable. |
| 🤝 **Meetings** | Early afternoon | Collaborate | Stack all calls. Never scatter across the day. |
| 🔨 **Builder** | Late afternoon | Ship | Second creative block. Code, write, design. |

**Adapt to your life:** If you have a baby who wakes at 5am, your deep work starts at 5:30.
If you're a night owl, shift everything later. The blocks matter more than the clock times.

**The rule after work hours:** Be where you are. If you're with family, be with family.
If you're working, work fully. The worst state is half-present at both.

### The Non-Negotiable 3

Every founder/parent should define 3 things that **never get skipped**, no matter how busy:

```
Examples:
- Solo founder:    "Daily walk / Weekly date night / Sunday morning off"
- CTO with baby:   "Bedtime story / Morning walk / No screens after 20:00"
- Freelancer:      "Exercise 3x/week / Weekly review / One hobby session"
```

Put them in your calendar as recurring blocks. When someone tries to book over them:
"I have a commitment." No further explanation.

### Weekly Planning (30 minutes, any consistent day)

```markdown
## Weekly Review Template

### 1. Clear
- [ ] Inbox zero (all systems)
- [ ] Process all notes from the week

### 2. Review  
- [ ] Calendar for next week
- [ ] Project status (what shipped, what's stuck)
- [ ] Non-Negotiable 3: did I honor them? (honest yes/no)

### 3. Score (1-10, gut feeling)
- Energy: __   Focus: __   Family: __

### 4. Plan
- Top 3 priorities next week:
  1. ___
  2. ___  
  3. ___

### 5. Adjust
- One thing I'll do differently: ___
```

### Monthly Check-in (1 hour, first of month)

| Dimension | Score (1-10) | Action needed? |
|-----------|-------------|----------------|
| Health (energy, sleep, fitness) | | |
| Family/Relationships | | |
| Work (progress, clarity, fulfillment) | | |
| Growth (learning, new skills) | | |

**If any dimension is below 5 for two months running** → something must change.
Not "push through." Change.

---

## 2. Deep Work Protocol

Based on Cal Newport's research + practical adaptations for people with unpredictable schedules.

### Setup

| Element | Specification |
|---------|--------------|
| **Duration** | 60-90 minutes max (matches ultradian rhythm) |
| **Location** | Same place when possible (trains your brain to focus) |
| **Phone** | In another room, silent. Not vibrate — silent. |
| **Pre-commitment** | Write "I will produce: ___" before starting |

### The 4 Disciplines

1. **Focus on the wildly important** — 1-2 deep work goals per day. Not 7.
2. **Track lead measures** — Count hours of deep work (lead), not output (lag).
3. **Keep a visible scoreboard** — Tally deep work hours per week. Target: 12-20h.
4. **Weekly accountability** — Review your scoreboard. Share with a peer if possible.

### Shutdown Ritual

```
1. Check tomorrow's calendar — any prep needed?
2. Write tomorrow's #1 task
3. Close all browser tabs
4. Close Slack and email
5. Say "Shutdown complete" (out loud — Zeigarnik effect resolution)
```

**For parents:** Your shutdown might be when the baby wakes from their nap or when
your partner tags in. That's fine. The ritual matters more than the time.

### When Deep Work Is Impossible

Some days (sick kid, emergency, bad night), deep work won't happen. That's ok.

**Fallback protocol:**
- Do ONE important 25-minute pomodoro
- Process admin/email in low-energy slots
- Move the deep work block to tomorrow
- Don't stack guilt on top of exhaustion

For full protocol details: `references/deep-work-protocol.md`

---

## 3. Energy Management

### Sleep (The #1 Performance Tool)

| Protocol | Why | Source |
|----------|-----|--------|
| **7-8 hours minimum** | <7h = impairment equal to 0.05% BAC | Williamson & Feyer, 2000 |
| **Fixed wake time** | ±30 min, even weekends. Anchors circadian rhythm. | Walker, 2017 |
| **No screens 60min before bed** | Blue light suppresses melatonin ~50% | Harvard Health, 2020 |
| **Room: dark, 18-19°C** | Optimal deep sleep conditions | Okamoto-Mizuno, 2012 |
| **No caffeine after 14:00** | Half-life = 5-6 hours | Pharmacology research |

**New parent exception:** If baby is up every 2 hours, these rules partially collapse.
Priority becomes: sleep when you can, any duration. Nap 20min when baby naps.
Survival first, optimization later.

For full sleep science: `references/sleep-science.md`

### Exercise (Minimum Effective Dose)

| Frequency | What | Time |
|-----------|------|------|
| **Daily** | Walk (morning sunlight preferred) | 20 min |
| **3x/week** | Strength (compound: squat, press, row, deadlift) | 30 min |
| **Optional** | High intensity (sprints, tabata) | 15 min |

**The iron rule:** Something > nothing. 10 minutes beats a skipped 60-minute plan.

**The attachment hack** (BJ Fogg): "After I [existing habit], I will [new habit]."
- After I pour coffee → I walk outside for 20 minutes
- After I sit at my desk → I write today's #1 task
- After I put baby down for nap → I do 10 pushups

### Nutrition (Decision-Free Protocol)

- **Same breakfast daily** (eliminate 1 daily decision)
- **Protein at every meal** (palm-size)
- **Vegetables at every meal** (half plate)
- **Water: 2.5L/day**
- **Meal prep one day/week** (saves 5+ hours of food decisions)

### Stress Management

| Tool | When | Duration |
|------|------|----------|
| Box breathing (4-4-4-4) | Acute stress, before meetings | 2 min |
| 5-minute journal | End of day | 5 min |
| Offline nature time | Weekly | 1 hour |
| Reflection session | Monthly | 30 min |

---

## 4. Parenting for Working Parents

### Core Principles (evidence-based)

From developmental psychology (Winnicott, 1953; Bowlby, 1969):

- **"Good enough" parenting** — Consistency and responsiveness matter more than perfection
- **Secure attachment** builds from 3 things: you show up, you're predictable, you repair when you mess up
- **Quality > quantity** — 20 minutes of engaged play beats 3 hours of distracted proximity

### Baby Sleep Guide (0-12 months)

| Age | Total | Naps | Night | What to know |
|-----|-------|------|-------|-------------|
| 0-3 mo | 14-17h | 4-5 | 8-10h | No schedule possible. Feed on demand. |
| 3-6 mo | 12-16h | 3 | 10-12h | Gentle routines start working. |
| 6-9 mo | 12-15h | 2 | 10-12h | Sleep training window opens. |
| 9-12 mo | 12-14h | 2 | 10-12h | Separation anxiety peaks. |

Source: AAP Sleep Guidelines, 2022

### Toddler Milestones (12-36 months)

| Age | Motor | Language | Social |
|-----|-------|----------|--------|
| 12-18 mo | Walking, stacking blocks | 5-20 words, pointing | Stranger anxiety, exploration |
| 18-24 mo | Running, climbing | 50+ words, 2-word combos | Tantrums (normal!), "NO" |
| 24-36 mo | Jumping, trike | Sentences, "why?" | Pretend play, early sharing |

Full month-by-month guide: `references/parenting-milestones.md`

### Working Parent Protocols

| Protocol | What | Why it works |
|----------|------|-------------|
| **Morning 15** | 15 min floor play before work, phone away | Sets emotional tone for the day |
| **Transition ritual** | 10 min on arrival home: sit, eye contact, no phone | Switches brain from work to family mode |
| **Bedtime ownership** | You do bath → book → song → lights out | Predictable bonding ritual |
| **Tag team nights** | Alternate wake-up duties with partner | Both parents get recovery sleep |
| **Sick day buffer** | Plan 2 buffer days/month into work capacity | Kids get sick 8-12x/year — plan for it |

**On guilt:** If you're worried about being a good parent, you probably already are one.

---

## 5. Emergency Protocols

### 🚨 "I'm Overwhelmed"

```
1. STOP. Close the laptop. Stand up.
2. Box breathing: 4 sec in → 4 hold → 4 out → 4 hold. Five rounds.
3. Brain dump: write EVERYTHING on your mind. Paper, not screen.
4. Circle the ONE thing that matters most today.
5. Do that thing. Ignore the rest until it's done.
6. After finishing: pick the next one. Not before.
```

### 🚨 "Baby Won't Sleep"

```
1. Check basics: diaper? hungry? too hot/cold? teething?
2. Environment: dark room, white noise, swaddle or sleep sack
3. Gentle rocking 5 minutes, then put down drowsy-but-awake
4. Crying >15 min: pick up, calm fully, try again
5. >45 min: tag team with partner. No guilt.
6. Remember: this phase ends. It always ends.
```

### 🚨 Burnout Warning System

```
Self-assessment (honest 1-10):
  Energy: __    Motivation: __    Patience: __    Sleep quality: __

If ANY score < 4 for more than 3 consecutive days:
  → Cancel non-essential meetings for 3 days
  → Sleep 9 hours tonight
  → Tell one person how you feel
  → No big decisions this week
  → Daily 30-minute walk for 7 days
  → If no improvement in 1 week: talk to a professional
```

Full burnout recovery protocol: `references/burnout-recovery.md`

---

## 6. Systems & Tools

### Recommended Stack

| Function | Tool | Why |
|----------|------|-----|
| Capture | Phone notes app / saved messages | Zero friction, always on you |
| Tasks | Todoist / Linear / plain text | Fast input, GTD-compatible |
| Calendar | Google Calendar / Apple Calendar | Time blocking + shared with partner |
| Journal | Plain text file (daily.md) | No app lock-in, searchable |
| Habits | Paper checklist on desk | Visible, satisfying to check off |
| Focus | Cold Turkey / Forest app | Nuclear option for distractions |

### Habit Stacking Formula

```
"After I [current habit], I will [new habit] for [tiny duration]."

Examples:
After I pour coffee → I walk outside (20 min)
After I sit at my desk → I write today's #1 priority (2 min)
After I close my laptop → I stretch (5 min)
After I put baby down → I journal 3 gratitudes (2 min)
```

Start embarrassingly small. Build from there.

---

## References

- `references/deep-work-protocol.md` — Full deep work implementation (beginner → advanced)
- `references/sleep-science.md` — Research citations + sleep hygiene protocols
- `references/parenting-milestones.md` — Month-by-month guide, 0-36 months (WHO/AAP/CDC)
- `references/burnout-recovery.md` — Maslach framework + 4-phase recovery protocol

## Output Standards

When giving lifestyle advice:
- **Be specific**: "Walk 20 min at 8am" not "exercise more"
- **Be realistic**: Must work for someone with unpredictable schedule + dependents
- **No judgment**: If they slept 4 hours, help them survive today
- **Acknowledge trade-offs**: Some weeks are survival. That's ok.
- **Cite sources**: Research-backed claims only
- **Protocols > principles**: Step-by-step, not philosophy
- **Adapt to context**: Solo founder ≠ CTO ≠ freelancer ≠ new parent. Ask before advising.

---

*Built by [ASD-AI](https://github.com/sanada123) — because the hardest thing to optimize isn't your code, it's yourself.*