Create a routine with Claude: tasks that run on autopilot
The step-by-step guide to building a Claude routine that runs on its own in the cloud, even with your computer off. With a concrete example wired to your Asana.
June 1, 2026 · 7 min read
Most people use Claude like a chat: you ask a question, it answers, you close the window. Routines flip that. A routine is Claude on autopilot: you write the instruction once, and it runs on its own, at the time you choose, even with your computer off.
No nodes to wire like in Zapier or n8n. You describe what you want in plain language, and Claude reads the context, makes decisions, then acts. This guide shows you how to build one from scratch, and ends with a concrete example wired to your Asana.
One honest note before we start: routines are a feature of Claude Code, the version of Claude that acts instead of just answering. They run on Anthropic's servers, not on your machine. Do not worry about the technical side, I break down every term as we go.
The Claude AI Lab is my Skool community where I share my Claude systems and the more advanced modules. Entry is free.
Join the Lab →A routine runs in Anthropic's cloud. Your computer can be off, in a meeting, or on holiday, and the task still runs at the scheduled time.
Understand a routine
A routine is three things packaged together and saved once and for all:
You package this once, attach a trigger, and the routine launches on its own every time the trigger fires. The difference with Zapier or n8n: those tools always repeat the same fixed sequence of actions. Claude reasons about what it finds and adapts its actions.
A routine acts under your identity. Its actions go through your connected accounts: a Slack message comes from you, an Asana task is created by you. So give it only the access it needs.
Create your routine
Go to claude.ai/code/routines and click New routine. You can also use the desktop app (Routines tab, then New routine, choose Remote for the cloud).
claude.ai/code/routines, click New routine.You can also create a scheduled routine straight from the terminal with the /schedule command, for example /schedule daily PR review at 9am. Claude asks you the same questions as the form.
Pick your trigger
The trigger is what starts the routine. You have three, and you can combine them on the same routine.
To start, the Scheduled trigger is the simplest and covers 90% of daily needs. It is the one we use in the Asana example below.
A scheduled run may start a few minutes after the exact time, that is normal. And one-off runs (a single time) do not count against your daily routine limit.
Connect your tools
Connectors are your claude.ai integrations: Slack, Asana, Linear, Google Drive, Gmail. They are how the routine reads from and writes to your tools while it runs.
For a tool to be available in a routine, first add it as a connector at claude.ai/customize/connectors. Then, in the routine form, all your connectors are included by default. Keep only the ones that serve a purpose.
In a routine, Claude can use every tool from an included connector, including write actions, without asking you for confirmation while it runs. So keep only what this specific routine actually needs.
Concrete example: your morning Asana routine
A quick honest note before the example: Asana is not a trigger, it is a connector. So we combine a Scheduled trigger (every morning) with the Asana connector. The result: every day, before you even turn on your computer, Claude reads your tasks and prepares your brief.
claude.ai/customize/connectors, add Asana and authorize access.claude.ai/code/routines, New routine. Name it "Morning Asana brief".The instruction to paste (customize the brackets):
Every morning, read my Asana tasks in the [PROJECT NAME] project
that are due today.
Prepare a short brief for me, in English:
- Group the tasks by priority (urgent, important, the rest).
- Spot tasks with no date or no owner, and flag them.
- Spot likely blockers (a task that depends on another one).
End with the 3 actions I should start with first. If everything
is empty, say so in one sentence.
That is it. Every morning at 8am, computer off, Claude opens your Asana, sorts your tasks for the day, and gives you a brief ready to read. Want it sent by email or to Slack? Add a line to the instruction like "send me this brief by Gmail to my address" and keep the matching connector.
Once this routine runs, you just swap the instruction to build others: a recap of your unread emails, a weekly board cleanup, a summary of newly assigned tasks. The skeleton does not change, only the instruction evolves.
Want to go further?
In the Lab, I share my Claude and n8n automations, from idea to something that runs while you sleep.
A dedicated session or program, tailored to your tools and use cases.
And day-to-day, I post one reel a day on Instagram: @quentin_iamarketing