Expert Tips for Using Google Calendar

Last Updated on September 1, 2024

Many people suffer from a lack of proper time management, and as a result, they end up with a messed up sleep schedule, diet, and work routine. When they try to maximize the time they spend working, they might accidentally chip away at their social lives. Even if you try to make a To-Do list, it may not always work out.

One of the organizing tools you should try if you want to create a reasonable schedule that enables you to maintain a healthy work-life balance is Google Calendar. However, you need to fully understand how it works, to get the most out of it. That being said, we have gathered a few expert tips to help you organize your life using Google Calendar.

Set a Default View

Google calendar has a default view, where it displays the next four days to allow you to have a glance at your workload for the week. You can set your own default view that matches your workflow. If you prefer to look at it one day at a time, choose the one-day view so you can focus on your daily itinerary. On the other hand, if you are an event planner, setting it to the month view will fit you best. That way, you can see your monthly tasks in advance.

Use Schedule View

Sometimes, you get a business call that ends up with a meeting set to take place on a specific date. If you keep scrolling through the whole calendar to confirm whether or not you are available on said date, you will leave that person hanging for half an hour. That’s when a Schedule view will be of help to you, as all you need to do is adjust the view and see if you have another meeting or task that day. That way, you will provide an instantaneous answer, which will go a long way in making you look professional.

Get the Weekends out of the Way

Removing distractions from your schedule will help you become more efficient. For instance, the weekends shouldn’t be on display if you don’t plan on using the calendar for personal events or additional work. Furthermore, the past days and events should be removed from the screen to help you focus on what is to come. To accomplish that, scroll down and uncheck the boxes in the View option. Another alternative to removing the weekends is restructuring your calendar so it would start on a different day in the week; this also helps if you are working with international clients who have different weekends. You can adjust it from the View option as well.

Restore Deleted Events

Google tends to delete stuff out of the blue and dig out others, which can be confusing for some people. This can pose a problem, especially if Google sends a notification to the parties involved in the deleted event if it was in sync with other calendars. To prevent this from happening, you have to figure out why it was removed, and if necessary, disconnect your calendar from others. You can restore the event by going to Trash and undoing the action.

Color-Code Your Calendar

If you want to organize your calendar to get an idea about the work ahead of you quickly and efficiently, consider color-coding the boxes. You can also mark the vacation days and weekends to remind yourself that you need to take a break every once in a while. Furthermore, Google Calendar can color-code your work for you by itself, and prioritize them by importance.

Add Different Types of To-Dos

It is amazing how you can use the calendar for more than just scheduling events. You can add details like location and guest lists, and customize notifications that can be sent to you as well as the guests. Another option is setting a reminder that is independent of any of the events. This is beneficial for simple tasks that slip our minds easily.

Share Your Schedule

When you run on a busy schedule, you will barely have time to go to social events and parties. When people ask you to hang out, you might be too quick to decline because they caught you at a busy time. But just because you were occupied at the time doesn’t mean that you will be busy at the time of the event or gathering. To make things easier and maintain a healthy social life, consider sharing your schedule with your loved ones so they would know when to contact you. All you have to do is select your calendar in the Settings menu and look for the share option. You can even give them the ability to edit dates and schedule appointments for you.

Coordinate Your Meetings

You cannot go around sharing your calendar with everyone on your list, especially if it contains information about your business. To avoid having to sift through numerous emails requesting meetings and appointments, consider letting Google handle your agenda. In the details section of any event, select the Find a Time option, then add the people you would like to see on that date. If Google has basic information about the guests’ schedules, it will coordinate the event according to your free time as well as theirs.

Use Voice Control

Voice-control makes various tasks much easier and faster. You can sync your calendar with Google Assistant to control your calendar using voice-command. That way, you can ask about your day, the weather, and the traffic, and also add new meetings.

Take Care of the Time Zone

Working at an international company or managing one has its downsides. For instance, you might have to make conference calls and send emails to clients or partners in different time zones, which makes it hard to memorize the dates and choose the timing accordingly. To end the frustration, you can enable a time and world clock in Google Calendar. You don’t have to change all of your schedules; you can just pick the ones where foreigners in different time zones are involved.

Google Calendar is one of the most helpful tools for business owners and individuals. It is a reliable application that can help you organize your professional and personal life without any hassle. Remember to provide Google with the important basic information and try out the tips mentioned here to have a better agenda with minimum mistakes and enough time to rest.