The short answer
- Good Muse requests have three parts: the outcome you want, your limits, and what Muse must check with you first.
- Vague requests waste your weekly allowance because Muse has to search more broadly.
- Tell Muse durable facts once (it saves them as memories) instead of repeating them in every request.
- Correct it in plain language. It learns your preferences over time.
On this page
Searching taught us to type a few keywords and do the rest ourselves. With an agent, the request is the work order. A vague one gets vague work. Here's the simple formula we use for everything.
The formula: Outcome + Limits + Check-ins
| Part | Question it answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome | What does "done" look like? | "A booked table for 2" |
| Limits | Budget, time, place, must-haves, no-gos | "Fri 7–8pm, near Mission, under $60 each, no shellfish" |
| Check-ins | What must Muse ask before acting? | "Show 3 options before booking" |
Before and after
Before: "Find me a hotel in Chicago."
After:
Find a hotel in Chicago for Oct 18–20 for 2 adults, under $250/night
before tax, within a 15-minute walk of the Riverwalk, rated 8+ on at least
one major site, free cancellation. Show the 3 best options in a table with
total cost. Don't book.
The second version is faster, cheaper on your allowance, and much more likely to be right first time.
Templates to copy
Research:
Research [topic/decision] for me. I care most about [criteria]. Give me
[number] options in a table with pros, cons and sources. Recommend one and
say why.
Booking:
Book [thing] for [who/when/where] within [budget]. Must have [X].
Avoid [Y]. Show me the options first and ask before paying.
Drafting:
Draft a [message/email] to [person] about [topic]. Tone: [warm/brief/
formal]. Under [N] words. Show me the draft. Don't send.
Monitoring:
Check [thing] every [frequency]. Only tell me if [condition]. Stop on
[date].
Five habits that make Muse better
- Tell it about yourself once. Preferences like dietary needs, home airport, budget style or kids' ages get saved as memories (see setup).
- Name the sources. "Check the airline's own site and two booking sites" beats "search the web".
- Ask for tables. They're easier to compare and catch errors in.
- Say "don't" out loud. "Don't book", "don't send", "don't change events". Approvals are your safety net, and clear instructions are your seatbelt.
- Correct and continue. "Too expensive, under $40 please" works. No need to start over.
Mistakes that waste your allowance
- Open-ended research ("find everything about…") makes Muse read dozens of pages.
- Mixing several jobs in one request: split them.
- Recurring tasks you never read: prune them in Upcoming (how).
Make your own shortcuts
When I say "weekly reset", do this: show next week's calendar, list emails
still waiting on my reply, and suggest 3 priorities. Remember this.
Then just type weekly reset whenever you need it.
For ideas of what to ask, see 40 things you can do with Muse.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special prompts for Muse?
No special syntax. Just be specific about what 'done' looks like, your limits, and what Muse should ask you before acting.
Why does Muse give me generic results?
Usually because the request is vague or Muse doesn't know your preferences yet. Add constraints like budget, dates, location and must-haves, and tell Muse about yourself so it can remember.
Can I save prompts I use often?
You can ask Muse to remember a routine, like 'When I say "weekly reset", do X, Y and Z', or turn it into a scheduled task.