The world is busier than ever – hustle and bustle is the name of the game – and it can be difficult to keep up with it all. To help, most people use a calendar in one form or another; in fact, many people have multiple calendars. From a large desk planner to cute drawings you can hang on the wall, calendars help you keep on track.
Only in the last decade or so have more and more people used a digital calendar, which can act as a personal assistant. However, many digital calendar features go underutilized when using them could dramatically change your workday and even your life.
1. Synchronization
If you use a digital calendar like Calendar, Google Calendar, or Microsoft Outlook, you probably have multiple versions set up for different areas of your life. The most obvious ones are family, personal and work. You have to remember your child’s soccer game, the afternoon yoga class, and that big meeting after lunch. This is all great unless all your calendars are out of sync.
Syncing your various calendars will ensure you don’t overcommit yourself. It will also allow anyone else to add items to your calendar (your assistant, your spouse, or a team member) to avoid double-booking you. You can sync your calendars both within a single application and across all your devices. So, if you have Google Calendar for work but use Microsoft Outlook for your family, you can find them on the same page. Syncing your calendars requires a step-by-step process, but once it’s done, your life will likely feel a lot more streamlined.
2. Reminders and Alerts
Gone are the days when you could simply schedule something into your diary and trust that you would remember it. Maybe you would review your day in advance and lock it in your memory. No, now you have dozens of things to do all in one day and missing one could be catastrophic. Everyone did it. You missed your child’s performance on the show because you got caught up in a meeting. You were late to the meeting because your concentration time was long.
It happens, but it’s not necessary. Set reminders on your calendar to avoid confusion and common mistakes. You can notify yourself the day before, one hour before and 10 minutes before. Why not do all three? Missing the essentials in life and work doesn’t mean you don’t care; it just means you’re not prepared. Set reminders and alerts and try to never miss another important part of life.
3. Sharing
If you’re part of a team, you should share your calendar. Most people are part of multiple teams. Think about it: you have your family, staff, colleagues, friends and maybe even extended family. All of these small groups make up teams, and you will likely have tasks, meetings, and meetings to do and attend together. One of the most critical aspects of a strong, cohesive team is getting everyone on the same page.
You don’t want to have a social gathering and forget to invite one of your friends. Likewise, you can’t effectively lead a project without keeping everyone aware of benchmarks and deadlines. Calendar sharing is great for keeping everyone updated on what’s happening. All team members can add items, and everyone will receive alerts when they are added. So if you have your calendars synced, you’ll be sure not to overbook – it’s a win/win.
4. Details for meetings
While many teams have meetings scheduled in their calendar, not all teams add details. You’ve probably heard jokes and sarcastic comments about how “this meeting could have been an email.” Most people don’t like pointless meetings or feeling like their time has been wasted. They also don’t like feeling caught by surprise.
To engage your team and get them excited about the next meeting, include detailed notes. Just like when you were in school, the teacher often warned you of what was going to happen. You had reading to do, notes to review, etc. When you include extensive notes in your calendar for an upcoming meeting, give this advance notice to your team. They can enter the session focused, prepared and engaged.
5. Booking Meeting Rooms
Remember, people are already busier than they’ve ever been. So, whenever you are assigned the task of guiding or planning something for others, make it as easy as possible for them. One of the craziest parts of attending a meeting is trying to get there in the first place. Again, going back to the school reference, the first time you’re on campus, rushing to find a classroom you’ve never seen is frustrating. You arrive stressed and agitated.
The same anxiety occurs when staff members try to attend a meeting, whether virtual or in-person. If you’re planning a virtual meeting, include the Zoom or Google Teams link in your calendar event. If you’re gathering in a physical location, make sure all details about the space are included in the event. And of course, make sure you book the facilities like a pro. Your team will thank you for it.
6. Out of office
One of the best features for those with busy lives is the “Out of Office” option. If you’re not using this feature yet, you’ll probably need to go into your calendar and check things off individually. You canceled every meeting, rescheduled every appointment, and sent your apologies. It’s a waste of time for you and probably annoying for anyone hoping to gain your time.
Instead of this exhausting approach, you can simply log into your calendar and schedule yourself to leave the office early. Once you’ve planned a vacation, let your calendar know. This way, you and anyone else who adds items to your days will be alerted to avoid making plans at that time. You can schedule out of the office for a week or two, or just an afternoon. And you won’t have to disappoint anyone with last-minute cancellations.
7. Concentration time
Speaking of timeouts, you can also take your time. Time blocking is not a new phenomenon in calendars, but it is receiving more and more attention nowadays. Time blocking occurs when you block out time on your calendar for productive work, rest, or even “deep” play. When you plan this way, you force yourself to do what needs to be done. More importantly, you prohibit yourself from doing other unrelated activities during that time.
Concentration time is one of the best periods of time you can schedule on your own. Schedule it on your digital calendar, sync it and share it with everyone. Concentration time is the block, maybe two hours, where you don’t answer calls or emails, you close the door, and, yes, you focus. Choose the time when you know your brain works best, schedule focus time, and get your work done.
Ultimately, these calendar tools are worth the extra time it takes to learn how to use them. They can make your work time more productive, your free time more relaxed, and your life easier to manage. And don’t forget to use your calendar information at the end of each week and month to look back and reflect. Finding out what works and what doesn’t will help you move forward more effectively. Soon, your schedule may feel more manageable and you may notice that you breathe easier.
Featured image credit: Photo by Antoni Shkraba; Pexels
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