Google Apps – Or the virtual reality of time management
By: Lexi Smith
It’s mid-September, and I’m still wearing white! Seriously – the pants I have on right now were all that I had clean and pressed . . . (just back from the dry cleaner and ready to be stored), which says a lot about the state of my growing laundry piles. I’m just not getting it together fast enough to keep up with the changing seasons!
But more importantly – it’s the chaos, not the clothes, that’s overwhelming me. I’ve taken on way too much . . . and it’s starting to catch up with me. Yesterday, I started sorting piles of laundry and debated giving all to charity and starting over; but (as fun as that might be) – even if it were in my budget . . . who has time to shop? And that’s when I realized that my time is in control of me and not the other way around. The past few weeks have been full of missed appointments, bills, and deadlines. Not good.
As luck would have it, I attended a workshop on Google apps and found my new best friend: Google Calendar. If you are already using it – or any of the other Google apps – please share tips and tricks. For those of you who haven’t found this online life saver – check it out! Citing directly from the website, here are 7 reasons to use Google Calendar:
- I can share my schedule – Now my husband actually knows where I am (and vice versa) when my evening commitments begin to get out of control.
- I can get it to go – The two-way synching allows me to use a mobile version on my phone, as well as my desktop.
- I know where I’m supposed to be – Customizable reminders are sent via text or by email to keep me on schedule.
- I can track and send invitations to events (including creating an event to pay my bills)
- I can sync with other desktop applications (like my work calendar which is on Microsoft Outlook).
- I can work offline when I don’t have internet access.
- Best of all – I can get this tool for free.
To get started – check out this YouTube Video:
Lexi Smith is a lifestyle guru for the woman seeking positive change. She is owner and creative director of Being Fabulous!, a consultation and personal shopping service designed to help clients achieve a higher quality of life by finding their own signature style.