context-switcher

Switches OpenClaw between life modes (Work/Focus, Personal, Creative, Do Not Disturb). Triggered by natural language or calendar events. Each mode reshapes n...

A skill that shifts your entire OpenClaw experience based on the mode of life you're in. Not just a label — each mode reshapes priorities, filters notifications, loads the right memory, and auto-restores when the session ends.

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External Endpoints

Endpoint	Purpose	Data Sent
None	This skill is fully local	Nothing leaves your machine

This skill does not call any external APIs. All state is stored locally in ~/.openclaw/skills/context-switcher/.

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Security & Privacy

• No external calls. Zero data is sent outside your machine.
• No credentials required. No API keys, tokens, or env vars needed.
• Local state only. Mode state is written to current-context.json on your local filesystem.
• Notification control relies on OpenClaw's built-in notification layer — no third-party access.
• Calendar reading uses OpenClaw's existing calendar integration if connected — this skill does not add new calendar permissions.

Trust Statement: This skill operates entirely on your local machine. No data is transmitted to any external service. Install with confidence.

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Model Invocation Note

This skill may be invoked autonomously by OpenClaw when a trigger phrase is detected in your messages, or when a calendar event title matches a known mode keyword. You can disable auto-invocation at any time by saying "turn off context-switcher auto-trigger".

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Modes

🧠 Work / Focus

Trigger phrases: "work mode", "focus mode", "I need to focus", "starting deep work", "heads down", "switch to work"

Behavior:

• Mute all non-urgent notifications (personal messages, social, news)
• Surface today's work tasks, open threads, and meeting schedule from modes/work.md
• Load work memory: current projects, deadlines, blockers, team context
• Respond concisely — task-oriented, no small talk, bullet points are fine
• Proactively flag time conflicts or approaching deadlines if detected
• Set auto-restore timer to next calendar event end time, or user-specified duration

Auto-trigger from calendar: event titles containing "standup", "sprint", "review", "interview", "deadline", "sync", "planning"

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🏠 Personal

Trigger phrases: "personal mode", "personal time", "I'm off the clock", "home mode", "family time", "done for the day"

Behavior:

• Mute work-related notifications (work Slack, GitHub, work email)
• Surface personal tasks: errands, upcoming events, health goals from modes/personal.md
• Load personal memory: household tasks, personal goals, important people
• Respond warmly and conversationally — no corporate tone
• Do not proactively surface work items unless explicitly asked

Auto-trigger from calendar: event titles containing "gym", "dinner", "family", "personal", "vacation", "appointment", "errand"

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🎨 Creative

Trigger phrases: "creative mode", "creative session", "I'm creating", "brainstorm mode", "ideation time", "let's build"

Behavior:

• Mute all notifications — zero interruptions
• Surface creative context from modes/creative.md: active projects, saved ideas, references
• Load creative memory: current projects, style notes, open creative loops
• Respond expansively — "yes, and..." style, encourage tangents and exploration
• Never filter or critique ideas unless explicitly asked
• Offer unexpected connections and lateral thinking prompts

Auto-trigger from calendar: event titles containing "writing", "design", "recording", "art", "brainstorm", "creative", "draft"

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🔕 Do Not Disturb

Trigger phrases: "DND", "do not disturb", "going dark", "don't bother me", "full silence", "leave me alone"

Behavior:

• Mute ALL notifications without exception
• Do not proactively surface anything
• Only respond if directly addressed by name or keyword
• Log all incoming messages and tasks silently to snapshots/dnd-log.json for review on exit
• No auto-restore unless user sets an explicit timer

Auto-trigger from calendar: event titles containing "blocked", "deep work", "no meetings", "offline", "focus block", "DND"

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Switching Logic

When a context switch is detected (via phrase or calendar):

1. Identify target mode from trigger phrase or calendar event title
2. Save current state — snapshot active memory focus to snapshots/pre-switch-state.json
3. Apply mode profile — load the correct modes/*.md, apply notification rules, set response style
4. Confirm switch with a brief, mode-appropriate message (see Confirmation Messages below)
5. Set auto-restore — use calendar event end time, or ask user for duration if unclear
6. On restore — un-mute, reload previous state, deliver catch-up summary

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Confirmation Messages

Short and mode-appropriate:

• Work/Focus: "Focus mode on. Notifications muted. Here's what needs your attention: [task summary]. I'll restore at [time]."
• Personal: "Personal mode on. Work notifications paused. Here's your afternoon: [personal summary]."
• Creative: "Creative mode. Silence on. Let's build something. What are we working on?"
• DND: "DND on. I'll log everything. See you on the other side."

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Auto-Restore

When a session ends (timer fires or calendar event ends):

1. Un-mute notifications and restore previous memory context
2. Deliver a brief "while you were away" summary — messages received, tasks that came in, anything time-sensitive
3. Ask if user wants to stay in current mode or switch back

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Example Interactions

"Switch to focus mode for 2 hours"
→ Mutes notifications, surfaces work tasks, sets 2hr restore timer

"Creative mode — working on my novel"
→ Loads creative memory, silences everything, responds expansively

"DND until my next meeting"
→ Reads calendar, sets restore to next event start, full silence

"Personal time, I'm done for the day"
→ Pauses work channels, surfaces evening personal tasks

"What mode am I in?"
→ Reports current mode, time active, scheduled restore

"Exit focus mode early"
→ Restores previous state, delivers catch-up summary

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File Structure

context-switcher/
├── SKILL.md                          ← You are here
├── README.md                         ← Install guide
├── current-context.json              ← Live mode state tracker
├── modes/
│   ├── work.md                       ← Customize your work profile
│   ├── personal.md                   ← Customize your personal profile
│   └── creative.md                   ← Customize your creative profile
├── scripts/
│   ├── switch.sh                     ← Core switching logic
│   ├── restore.sh                    ← Auto-restore handler
│   └── summarize.sh                  ← Catch-up summary generator
└── snapshots/
    ├── pre-switch-state.json         ← State saved before each switch
    └── dnd-log.json                  ← Messages logged during DND

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Setup

On first run, OpenClaw will prompt you to:

1. Customize each mode profile in modes/*.md — add your actual projects, priorities, and people
2. Set default durations per mode (fallback if no calendar event found)
3. Optionally connect your calendar for auto-trigger support

You can re-run setup at any time by saying: "reconfigure context-switcher".