Google calendar is one of the most well-known apps to exist. Being a part of Google. Google Calendar is available and kept by almost everyone. Anyone you can find knows about Google Calendar, and you might even use it every now and then. However, do you really know the full potential of Google Calendar? Do you know how to use Google Calendar as a planner?
People often underestimate the amount of facilities Google Calendar can provide. I trust that the majority of you reading this article hardly ever thought of using Google Calendar for something more, at least not until now. Even though Google Calendar is such a familiar platform to the majority of us, it can be overwhelming to try to transform it into a daily planner for yourself. Well, fear not, because that’s exactly why this article is here for you. To teach you everything on how to use Google Calendar as a planner.
What is Google Calendar?
This is a pretty simple question, one many of you may not even care to ask. But, what is Google Calendar? Google Calendar is just what its name suggests—a calendar created by Google. It’s a widely accessible platform that can be used both as an and as a website. It is incredibly widespread, connected with all different kinds of event related things such as RSVPs and volunteering schedules. Overall, Google Calendar is a widely used and well-known app. This makes it even better for a purpose as a planner. Since nearly everyone uses Google Calendar, it will be easy to transfer any outside events to note down into your planner. Overall, Google Calendar is a calendar that provides a very smooth experience, one that many of you desire. Let’s get into how to use Google Calendar as a planner.
Why Use Google Calendar as a Planner?
The first thing you might want to know is this: why use Google Calendar as a Planner? It’s just an app that’s always there on your phone, after all. If it’s always been there, how would it really be that useful? It hasn’t presented itself in a particularly useful way yet. Well there are quite a few reasons you should.
#1 – Easily accessible
Google Calendar is something almost everyone has on their phone. Google is already such a well-used search engine, so naturally, all the applications it makes tends to be just as known. But it’s not only this that makes Google Calendar so easily accessible. It is also accessible to everyone, regardless of device in practically every way you can think of
One problem many Android users face is that numerous apps don’t comply with their device. There are so many a great apps that are unfortunately only designed for Apple devices, hence limiting the ability for Android users to access them. Google Calendar is not one of those apps. Instead, it is available on both Apple and Android devices, as well as devices past just phones. You can keep it on your laptop, both as just a tab in your web browser or an application on your homepage.
So, Google Calendar isn’t an app you have to go through loopholes just to get. It’s right there, easily accessible to you whenever you need it and whenever you don’t. It only makes it an even better choice for a daily planner.
#2 – Simple to understand
Google Calendar is nothing complicated. In fact, it is the escat opposite, just as it is meant to be, Google Calendar is made for everyone to use, hence its simple interface and ease of use. I’m sure most of you know the basics of Google Calendar as well. You click the “+” button, add any kind of event or task you want, set the time, and finish it off. It’s quite easy to understand Google Calendar and how to use it and most people already know it as well.
Like many Google applications, Google Calendar is also very visually pleasing to look at. It is not cluttered or difficult to understand. The interface is clean and simple, making it very easy on the eye. It is also somewhat customizable. You can switch from light to dark mode and change your event blocks into a variety of colors.
#3 – Flexible to your schedule
Nothing is set in stone with Google Calendar. When you create a schedule for yourself, you don’t have to worry that you can’t change things easily. With some platforms, it’s hard to move things around without fully starting fresh with your schedule. You don’t have to do that with Google Calendar. You can easily move things round and change timings without any worry of having to restart your entire scheduling process.
#1 – Widely used
This is probably the biggest advantage Google calendar has over many other planning apps. But why? What is so advantageous of an app that a lot of people have and use? It doesn’t affect every individual and doesn’t really mean it’s better than everything else, does it? Well, with Google Calendar, specifically, its widespread use is very advantageous to you.
Since many people use Google Calendar, all different types of events can be easily transferred there. For example, when you receive an RSVP to an event, it often asks if you would like to add the event to your Google Calendar. You don’t have to personally note down the date because it already does that for you. You can also share calendars with Google Calendar, helping you match schedules with friends and family when you want to meet up or do something together.
How to Use Google Calendar as a Planner
Now let’s get into actually using Google Calendar. It’s a simple platform, of course, but you probably haven’t used it much. This guide will help you get started on fully utilizing Google Calendar for your personal scheduling, time-blocking, and productivity.
#1 – Determine a timeline
The first thing you want to do is determine the timeline with which you want to work. You can’t fill out a schedule for your entire life in one day. A year itself is too much. Instead you can start with smaller sections that are easier for you to work with.
This timeline can be determined by how much your daily schedule tends to change. Do you have a relatively mundane daily routine, often predictable and repetitive? Then it’ll be easy for you to plan out a larger timeline, like around a month. However, if you life is hectic with many unplanned events randomly popping up, you might want to start by just planning out a week of your time.
The timeline you plan out also indicates how often you’ll have to plan out a new one. If you are planning a timeline to a week, you also have to update yourself once a week. If it’s bi-weekly or a month long, you don’t have to create a new one as often.
You know yourself best. Choose a timeline that you know will be sustainable for you, both in being able to follow and being able to just create it in the first place.
#2 – Add non-negotiable events
The next thing you want to do is add the events that you cannot miss. These are important events that are set in stone, something you have to be planned around. You cannot negotiate around these events and whatever you need to do, you cannot avoid them. What might these events be? Well, here are some examples:
- School
- Weddings
- Birthday parties
- Rehearsals and/or recitals
- Competitions
- Ceremonies
- Concerts
- Get together plans
- Vacations
- Internships
You want to add these down first so you can easily adjust your schedule around them. Instead of having to switch around all your activities because they class with your non-negotiable events, you can simply schedule those activities around them.
#3 – Add flexible activities
Next, you’re going to add all the events and activities that are negotiable. These are simple things that you can move around easily and that can be adjusted to the non-negotiable events you just added into your schedule. However, there is a large variety of events such as these, making it hard to place them all down at once. Let’s start with the more important sections and go down to the basic one.
Base activities
You might want to first place down base activities. These activities are daily and ritual, something you are bound to do every day, and more likely than not, around the same times. They can be moved around of course, which is why they are in this section of activities, but they are still going to happen regardless. What might these be? Well, look at the following:
- Mealtimes – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack-time
- Morning routine – showering, brushing teeth, makeup, skincare, etc.
- Nighttime routine – showing, skincare, brushing teeth, meditation, etc.
Time-sensitive activities
Other flexible activities that are more important may be ones that align with something important that needs to be done soon. These are flexible and most likely to be done in your own time but need to get done regardless. It may look like some of the following:
- Homework
- Project due soon
- Application for competition or program
- Planning for a celebration/party
- Studying for a test
Fun activities
Finally, you want to add the activities you do for fun. These are cooldown activities, ones that are purely for your joy and happiness. You’d probably squeeze them in between the small time frames you have between other important activities, so they won’t take more than an hour. But just because they are last in importance doesn’t mean they are not important. Yes, we have to work hard to get anywhere in life, but that’s just so you can enjoy your life to the fullest. What’s the point in life if you can’t have fun? Here are what those activities may look like:
- Watching your favorite show
- Playing video games
- Practicing your hobby (if you want hobbies that are great for your mental health, check out this article!)
- Reading a book
#4 – Create a daily timetable
Next, you’re gonna create a daily time table. Arrange all those activities and events you’ve just isolated into a daily schedule. Block out your time wisely in a way you know is sustainable for yourself. You’re going to want to arrange your events in the order of the instructions above: first the non-negotiables, then negotiables in order of most to least importance.
Time-blocking and scheduling itself is not an easy thing. It’s a huge thing to explain and help, and I can’t do it all in one article. But don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging. I have written quite a few articles on managing your productivity. In fact, here is a step-by-step guide to time blocking that you can use with Google Calendar! If you have any more questions about productivity and time management, make sure to check the Productivity, Studying, and Time Management section of Diary of the Mind. There, we have tips on everything you could possibly need to know about being the best and most productive student you can be. Now, here’s for the last step on how to use Google Calendar as a planner.
#5 – Adjust to your day to day needs
Finally, you want to adjust your daily schedule to anything that may come up. You have your schedule for every day of that set time period fully fixed. That’s great. That’s what you want. However, things do happen, and your daily schedule might need to be rearranged based on what’s going on on that specific day. Make sure to adjust your schedule everyday where it is needed so you can really make the most out of your Google Calendar.
Conclusion
Now you know everything you need to know about how to use Google Calendar as a planner. You know why it’s a good idea to use Google Calendar and the exact and specific steps for you to do so.
Now, make sure this isn’t a one time read. I don’t want you to simply learn how to do this and never end up implementing it. It is important that you use this information to the best of your ability. I know it’s hard. It’s hard to think about organizing your life when you’re used to living in chaos. It’s hard to feel motivation to be productive when nothing really seems to matter anymore. And that’s okay. But it’s up to you to change that. Here on Diary of the Mind, you have all the tools you need to get started on turning your life for the better. It’s up to you to use them.
