Begin with intention
Write one sentence describing what should be different when the session ends. It might be an understood function, a reproduced defect, or a smaller module. A clear intention lets you recognize completion. Keep unrelated improvements in a separate note so they do not become accidental requirements in the middle of an edit.
Give the work a shape
Choose a project boundary and a review boundary. The first identifies the files and evidence the assistant may need; the second says how far it may act before you inspect the result. For unfamiliar code, make the initial boundary read-only. Increase scope when the explanation and proposed checks match the repository.
Close with a useful record
At the end, record what changed, what you checked, and what remains uncertain. Keep the note near the project rather than relying on a long conversation. An own-model workflow still needs this discipline: choosing the model gives you another decision to make, not a replacement for understanding the work it produces.
