# You're using Claude wrong. Here's my (exact) setup before I even prompt: Step...
Canonical: https://social-archive.org/yena/s020tkriSy
Original URL: https://x.com/sairahul1/status/2070795636820283478
Author: Rahul
Platform: x
## Content
You're using Claude wrong. Here's my (exact) setup before I even prompt: Step 1. Download Claude and open Cowork → Go to Claude. com/ download. → Install the desktop app. → Click the Cowork tab at the top. → You need a Pro plan ($20/mo). Worth it. --- Step 2. Select the right model (don't skip this) → Click the model dropdown. → Select "Opus 4.6." → Turn on "Extended Thinking." → Never change these. Wrong model = bad output. --- Step 3. Build your folder → Create one master folder on your computer. → Inside it, create 4 subfolders: ✦ ABOUT ME - who you are + how you write ✦ PROJECTS - one subfolder per live project ✦ TEMPLATES - your best work as structures ✦ OUTPUTS - where Claude saves finished files → Upload this folder. That's how it reads you. --- Step 4. Create 3 context files inside ABOUT ME → These replace prompting. This is the setup. → Create them as .md files. Plain text, saved as .md ✦ about-me.md - what you do day-to-day. ✦ my-voice.md - tone, phrases you hate, 3 example ✦ my-rules.md - ask first, show a plan, get approval (check these inside the guide) --- Step 5. Set Global Instructions (once, forever) Go to Settings → Cowork → Edit Global Instructions. → Paste: "I'm [Name], [Role]. Read my files before every task. Ask clarifying questions before executing. Show a plan before acting. Never delete without my approval." → You set this once. It runs every session. → Your prompts can now be 10 words long. --- Before your next Cowork session, check these: 1. Am I in Cowork (not Chat)? 2. Is Opus 4.6 + Extended Thinking on? 3. Did I point it to my folder with context files? Set these first. Then prompt. Top 1% of Claude users do this. Now you can too. (all prompts are mentioned in the article)