diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index 34045177..011e61bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,18 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/stale@v1
       with:
         repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        stale-issue-message: 'Stale issue message'
-        stale-pr-message: 'Stale pull request message'
-        stale-issue-label: 'no-issue-activity'
-        stale-pr-label: 'no-pr-activity'
+
+        stale-issue-message: "This issue has been automatically marked as stale due to inactivity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions."
+        stale-pr-message: "This PR has been automatically marked as stale due to inactivity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions."
+
+        close-issue-message: "This issue will now be closed due to inactivty. It may be reopened if the demand indicates it should be."
+        close-pr-message: "This PR will now be closed due to inactivty. It may be reopened if the demand indicates it should be."
+
+        days-before-stale: 60
+        days-before-close: 7
+
+        stale-issue-label: "no-issue-activity"
+        stale-pr-label: "no-pr-activity"
+
+        exempt-issue-labels: "work-in-progress,security,critical"
+        exempt-pr-labels: "awaiting-approval,work-in-progress"