Simpletivity - Always Be Prepared: Google Calendar Tips for a Stress-Free Schedule
The video provides practical tips on using Google Calendar to ensure you're always prepared for meetings. It suggests manually adding preparation time before meetings to review notes and agendas. Adjusting default meeting durations and using 'speedy meetings' can help manage time better, though the presenter notes that not everyone may adhere to shorter meeting times. Customizing notifications and reminders is crucial; setting email reminders a day in advance can be more effective than pop-ups. The video also highlights the importance of adding detailed notes and attachments directly to calendar events, using Google Drive and Google Keep for easy access. Lastly, it recommends using Google Tasks to track action items post-meeting, ensuring follow-ups are not forgotten.
Key Points:
- Add preparation time before meetings in Google Calendar to review notes and agendas.
- Adjust default meeting durations and consider using 'speedy meetings' for better time management.
- Customize notifications and reminders, using email alerts for important meetings.
- Attach notes and files directly to calendar events using Google Drive and Google Keep.
- Use Google Tasks to track and manage action items from meetings.
Details:
1. 📅 Preparing for Meetings with Google Calendar
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Manual Preparation Time Block
1.3. Changing Default Event Duration
1.4. Speedy Meetings Feature
2. ⏰ Using Notifications and Reminders Effectively
- Adjust notification settings in your calendar to ensure timely reminders for important meetings.
- Set multiple notifications for a single event, such as a reminder 10 minutes before and another one day before, to enhance preparedness.
- Utilize email notifications for critical events to prompt preparation tasks, like document preparation or presentation practice.
- Customize notification settings for each meeting to tailor reminders to specific needs.
- Review and adjust default notification times in your calendar to better align with your schedule.
- Use email as a more effective reminder method, especially for tasks requiring preparation.
- Explore third-party apps for advanced notification features, like location-based reminders, to boost productivity.
3. 📝 Organizing Meeting Information and Notes
- Include all meeting information directly in the calendar event to centralize access and reduce the need to search through multiple applications or tabs, enhancing efficiency.
- Integrate notes and agendas into the meeting description as bullet points, which allows for quick and easy reference during meetings.
- Attach important files directly to the meeting event using Google Drive, with the option to upload documents if they are not already stored in Drive, ensuring all participants have access to necessary materials.
- Keep Google Docs continuously updated and attached to the meeting event so the latest version is always available, reducing the likelihood of using outdated information.
- Utilize Google Keep for note-taking linked to the calendar event, providing easy synchronization and updates across different devices, and facilitating seamless access to notes anytime.
4. ✅ Action Items and Follow-ups
- Utilize Google Tasks within Google Calendar to keep track of meeting action items, ensuring nothing is forgotten post-meeting.
- Add a due date to each task to have it automatically appear in your calendar, enhancing accountability and follow-through.
- Ensure the tasks box is checked in the Google Calendar menu to make tasks visible within your calendar interface.
- Tasks can be manually adjusted in the calendar to accommodate changes in deadlines, providing flexibility in managing timelines.
- Mark tasks as completed to visually track progress and maintain an organized calendar view.