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Is your Google Calendar overflowing with appointments, tasks, and reminders, leaving you feeling overwhelmed? With the right strategies, your calendar can transform from chaotic to controlled, becoming a tool that enhances productivity and reduces stress. In this guide, we’ll walk you through seven essential tips to organize and optimize your Google Calendar like a pro.

Step 1: Clean Up Your Calendar

A cluttered calendar can be more stressful than helpful. Start with a thorough cleanup:

1. Review All Calendars:
   • Expand the "My Calendars" and "Other Calendars" sections.
   • Identify unused calendars you’ve created, been invited to, or subscribed to.
2. Decide What to Keep:
   • Delete outdated calendars by unsubscribing.
   • Hide calendars you might use later. For example, if a calendar is seasonal, like a "Softball League" calendar, you can hide it without permanently removing it.
3. Find Hidden Calendars:
   • Navigate to Settings via the gear icon.
   • Scroll to view and manage hidden calendars. Unhide them when necessary by clicking the crossed-out eye icon.

Taking the time to declutter sets a solid foundation for effective calendar management.

Step 2: Distinguish Calendars with Colors

Avoid confusion by assigning distinct colors to your calendars. Here’s how to do it effectively:

• Use Unique Colors for Clarity:
  • Assign different colors to each calendar. For instance, use red for "Work" and yellow for "Family" to prevent misidentification.
• Group Related Calendars:
  • Calendars with related purposes, such as "Work" and "Project X," can share the same color for streamlined viewing.

Customizing colors ensures quick identification and better organization.

Step 3: Create Templates with Recurring Events

Recurring events help automate your schedule, ensuring important commitments are never missed. Follow these steps:

1. Add Recurring Events:
   • Click on your desired day and time.
   • Name the event (e.g., “Date Night”).
   • Choose the appropriate calendar.
2. Set Repeat Options:
   • Select "Weekly," "Monthly," or use custom intervals.
   • Adjust durations to fit your needs (e.g., two-hour blocks for workouts).
3. Customize Individual Events:
   • Add details like locations or specific activities to individual occurrences.

Recurring events act as templates, saving time and keeping priorities front and center.

Step 4: Optimize Notifications

Overwhelming notifications can derail productivity. Fine-tune your alerts to stay informed without feeling bombarded:

• Adjust Notification Preferences:
  • Go to Settings and select a calendar.
  • Under "Event Notifications," set the timing (e.g., 10 minutes or 30 minutes before an event).
  • Add email alerts if necessary, especially for less-used calendars.
• Configure All-Day Event Notifications:
  • Set reminders a day or two before for vacations or birthdays.
• Enable a Daily Agenda Email:
  • Activate this under "Other Notifications" to receive a summary of the day’s events at 5:00 AM.

Customizing notifications ensures you stay on track without unnecessary distractions.

Step 5: Share Calendars with Others

Sharing calendars can improve collaboration with coworkers, clients, or family members. Here’s how:

1. Access Sharing Settings:
   • Select a calendar and go to Settings.
   • Click on "Share with specific people."
2. Add People and Set Permissions:
   • Enter the email address of the person to share with.
   • Choose the permission level:
     • "See Only Free/Busy” for limited visibility.
     • "See All Events” for full viewing access.
     • "Make Changes” for editing capabilities.
     • "Manage Sharing” for full control.
3. Send Invitations:
   • The recipient will receive an email invite to access your calendar.

Sharing fosters transparency and ensures everyone stays on the same page.

Step 6: Use Google Tasks for Reminders

Google Tasks integrates seamlessly with your calendar, helping manage reminders and to-dos:

1. Switch Between Tasks and Calendar:
   • Use the toggle at the top-right or side panel to access Google Tasks.
2. Set Reminders as Tasks:
   • Create a task instead of an event for non-time-blocking items.
   • Tasks will follow you to the next day if left incomplete.
3. Organize Tasks:
   • Categorize tasks into different lists (e.g., “Work” or “Personal”).

Using Google Tasks ensures no detail falls through the cracks.

Step 7: Plan Long-Term with All-Day Events and Emojis

All-day events are ideal for vacations, holidays, or major deadlines. Use these strategies:

1. Create All-Day Events:
   • Mark significant dates without specifying a time slot.
2. Add Emojis for Visual Clarity:
   • Use emojis (e.g., ☃ for holidays or 🎈 for birthdays) to make events stand out.
3. Stretch Events Across Multiple Days:
   • Block off entire weeks for trips or breaks to prevent double-booking.

Emojis and all-day events make long-term planning both functional and visually appealing.

Conclusion:By following these seven expert tips, your Google Calendar can become a powerful ally in boosting productivity and reducing stress. Clean up your calendar, distinguish with colors, create templates, optimize notifications, share with ease, leverage tasks, and plan ahead with all-day events. Each step brings you closer to a streamlined, efficient schedule.

FAQs:

Q: How often should I clean up my Google Calendar?A: Review your calendars every few months to remove outdated entries and stay organized.

Q: Can I share a calendar without allowing edits?A: Yes, you can set permissions to "See Only Free/Busy” or "See All Events” without granting edit access.

Q: What types of events are best for recurring schedules?A: Activities like weekly meetings, exercise routines, or date nights are ideal for recurring events.

Q: How do I stop reminders from rolling over to the next day?A: Mark tasks as complete in Google Tasks to prevent them from carrying forward.

Q: Can I change notification settings for shared calendars?A: Notification preferences can be adjusted per calendar, including shared ones.

Q: Do emojis appear in shared calendars?A: Yes, emojis in event titles will display for everyone with access to the calendar.

Q: How can I use a daily agenda email effectively?A: Use it to prioritize your day’s tasks and events first thing in the morning.

Creating online forms can often feel like a tedious chore, especially when using traditional tools with limited capabilities. From navigating complex interfaces to manually inputting data fields, the process can be time-consuming and frustrating. Enter Jotform’s AI Form Builder: a revolutionary tool designed to simplify and enhance form creation for businesses, professionals, and individuals.

Whether you’re building a form for real estate inquiries, car detailing orders, or any other purpose, Jotform’s AI Form Builder offers speed, customization, and functionality that set it apart from traditional platforms. In this guide, we’ll explore what makes Jotform the go-to solution for modern form building.

The Limitations of Traditional Form Builders

Conventional form-building tools like Google Forms or Microsoft Forms often leave users feeling constrained. These platforms, while functional, lack the advanced features needed to create truly dynamic and user-friendly forms.

• Limited Customization: Options for layouts, field arrangements, and themes are often rigid. For instance, Google Forms doesn’t allow for side-by-side text fields, leaving forms visually cluttered.
• Repetitive Edits: Building a form often requires constant back-and-forth adjustments, which can disrupt workflow efficiency.
• Basic Interactivity: Traditional platforms don’t provide interactive features such as live alerts for required fields or custom validations.

These limitations create a gap in the market, which Jotform’s AI Form Builder fills with finesse.

What Makes Jotform’s AI Form Builder Different?

Jotform’s AI Form Builder is a powerhouse of features that redefine how forms are created and used. Let’s delve into its unique capabilities:

Dynamic Form Generation

With Jotform’s AI Form Builder, you can create fully functional forms in seconds simply by describing your needs in a short prompt. For instance, a request for a “Palm Springs Condo Inquiry Form” results in a form complete with fields for bedrooms, bathrooms, budgets, and preferred features—no additional input needed.

Enhanced Formatting Options

One of Jotform’s standout features is its superior formatting capabilities:

• Side-by-Side Fields: First and last names can be entered in adjacent fields, offering a cleaner, more intuitive layout.
• Phone Number Validation: Form fields automatically enforce digit-specific formatting to ensure accuracy.
• Real-Time Alerts: If users skip required fields, they are immediately notified with a visually distinct alert, streamlining the form completion process.

Customizable Design

Using Jotform’s AI Form Builder, users can easily customize their forms. You can change fonts, themes, or layouts with simple instructions, making your forms as visually appealing as they are functional.

Widgets, Payment Integrations, and More

Jotform takes functionality to the next level with its extensive library of widgets and integrations.

Widgets for Every Need

Whether you’re embedding maps, collecting signatures, or adding dynamic dropdown menus, Jotform’s widgets make customization seamless.

Integrated Payment Gateways

Jotform supports a wide range of payment processors, including:

• Square
• PayPal
• Stripe
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay

This makes it ideal for businesses requiring secure payment collection, such as car detailing services or e-commerce stores. For example, a car detailing order form can include fields for services, payment options, and appointment scheduling—all generated from a brief prompt.

How to Maximize Productivity with Jotform’s AI Form Builder

To get the most out of Jotform’s AI Form Builder, follow these simple tips:

1. Write Clear Prompts
   Provide specific details about your form’s purpose. For instance, instead of “Create a form for my business,” try “Create a car detailing order form with service options and payment integration.”
2. Customize Smartly
   Use the built-in customization features to adjust styles, add fields, or tweak themes without diving into complex menus.
3. Leverage Advanced Features
   Add calendars for scheduling or dropdown menus for detailed selections. Jotform’s AI Form Builder adapts to your needs, offering suggestions you might not have considered.

User Experience and Preview Features

User experience is where Jotform truly shines. Its preview mode allows creators to see exactly how their forms will appear to users, ensuring a seamless submission process.

• Real-Time Alerts: Required fields are highlighted with a subtle but effective warning if left blank.
• Easy Navigation: Users are guided smoothly from one section to the next, minimizing errors and frustration.
• Clean Aesthetic: Intuitive layouts and professional designs ensure that forms not only function well but also make a great impression.

Conclusion

Jotform’s AI Form Builder redefines form creation, making it faster, easier, and more efficient than ever before. With features like dynamic form generation, advanced formatting options, and seamless payment integration, it’s a must-have tool for businesses and individuals alike.

FAQs

How does Jotform’s AI Form Builder differ from competitors like Google Forms?
Jotform offers advanced formatting, interactive features, and integrated payment options that surpass traditional tools like Google Forms.

Can Jotform handle complex form requirements?
Yes! From payment integrations to dynamic fields, Jotform can accommodate a wide range of needs.

What are the supported payment methods?
Jotform integrates with Square, PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, among others.

Is the AI Form Builder suitable for beginners?
Absolutely! Jotform’s AI Form Builder is user-friendly and simplifies customization, making it ideal for both novices and professionals.

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Managing multiple windows during Zoom meetings—whether juggling a script, agenda, or notes—can feel chaotic. Splitting your screen or switching between apps disrupts the flow and takes focus away from the discussion.

Enter Zoom Docs, a feature designed to simplify meeting management by allowing users to access and interact with documents directly within the Zoom application. Whether you're a host, trainer, or participant, Zoom Docs offers seamless integration to enhance productivity.

This guide will explore the features, benefits, and practical tips for making the most of Zoom Docs to streamline your meetings.

What Is Zoom Docs?

Zoom Docs is an integrated document management feature within the Zoom platform. It allows users to create, access, edit, and share documents without ever leaving the Zoom application.

Whether you're conducting a training session, hosting a webinar, or running a team meeting, Zoom Docs ensures that your materials are readily available, helping you stay organized without the need for multiple screens or additional devices.

Key Features of Zoom Docs

Private Viewing

One standout feature of Zoom Docs is the ability to access your documents privately. Need a script or agenda handy but don’t want to share it with the entire meeting? With Zoom Docs, you can keep your materials visible only to you while avoiding the need for a second monitor or minimized windows.

Editing Flexibility

Zoom Docs lets you edit documents in real time. Add last-minute details, adjust agendas, or tweak talking points—all while staying engaged in your meeting.

Document Customization

You can resize, expand, or minimize your documents to fit your preferences. Tailor the view to match your workflow without disrupting your focus or the meeting layout.

Seamless Sharing

If you need to share a document, Zoom Docs makes it simple. Instead of screen sharing your entire desktop, you can share specific documents directly with participants, ensuring clarity and professionalism.

How to Use Zoom Docs Effectively

Accessing Zoom Docs

To get started, open the Zoom desktop app and navigate to the Docs tab at the top of the interface. This central hub displays all previously created documents and allows you to organize them for easy access.

Creating New Documents

Click the blue “Create New” button to start a document. You’ll have a blank canvas to work with or can copy and paste content from external sources. Use the forward slash (/) command to insert tables, images, videos, or even imported files from Google Drive.

Managing Docs

Zoom Docs also allows you to categorize and manage your materials. Keep track of agendas, notes, and templates, ensuring you’re always prepared for your next meeting.

Using the AI Companion

Zoom’s AI Companion is a game-changer. Whether you need to generate a meeting agenda, adjust time slots, or summarize key points, the AI tool automates tasks with simple prompts, saving you precious time and effort.

Tips for Maximizing Productivity with Zoom Docs

Leverage Templates

Save time by starting with pre-designed templates for agendas, meeting notes, or brainstorming sessions. The template library is categorized, making it easy to find what you need.

AI-Powered Adjustments

Need to update an agenda for a rescheduled meeting? Simply prompt the AI Companion to adjust start times or modify content, and it handles the task in seconds.

Personalize Your Notes

For meetings with strict time constraints, include specific timestamps rather than durations. This small change helps you stay on track more effectively.

Multi-Purpose Use

Think beyond agendas. Use Zoom Docs for brainstorming sessions, creating to-do lists, or outlining training modules—all while staying within the Zoom app.

Advantages of Zoom Docs Over Traditional Tools

Eliminates Distractions

Zoom Docs eliminates the need to juggle multiple windows or apps, keeping your focus on the meeting at hand.

Enhances Collaboration

By enabling participants to access shared documents without screen sharing, Zoom Docs fosters a collaborative environment while maintaining individual control.

Improves Workflow

The integration of documents within Zoom creates a seamless workflow. There’s no need to switch platforms or rely on external tools.

Reduces Dependence on External Tools

With features like document creation, editing, and sharing built into Zoom, there’s less need for additional software, streamlining your digital toolkit.

Practical Use Cases of Zoom Docs

1. Training Sessions and Workshops
   Use Zoom Docs to outline training modules, include key points, and adjust schedules dynamically.
2. Hosting Webinars
   Manage detailed agendas and keep yourself on track with visible time allocations.
3. Collaborative Team Meetings
   Share to-do lists, progress reports, or brainstorming notes with your team.
4. Virtual Brainstorming Sessions
   Include tables, task trackers, or embedded media to visualize and organize ideas effectively.

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FAQs

How can I access Zoom Docs in my account?

You can access Zoom Docs via the Docs tab in the desktop app or through the web interface.

Can I use Zoom Docs on mobile devices?

Currently, Zoom Docs is best utilized on the desktop app for optimal functionality.

Is it possible to collaborate with others on a single document in real time?

Yes, Zoom Docs allows for real-time collaboration and sharing with participants during meetings.

How does the AI Companion enhance the use of Zoom Docs?

The AI Companion automates tasks like agenda creation, content summaries, and schedule adjustments, making meetings more efficient.

Are there privacy concerns when using Zoom Docs during meetings?

Zoom Docs ensures your documents remain private unless you choose to share them, maintaining confidentiality and control.

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Creating a website that is both visually appealing and easy to navigate is essential for delivering a positive user experience. With Google Sites, the Pages Panel is the key to organizing, linking, and customizing your site navigation. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of optimizing your Google Sites navigation with practical tips and detailed instructions.

Introduction: Why Navigation Matters

Efficient navigation is the backbone of any website. It helps visitors find information quickly and keeps them engaged. A well-structured Google Site ensures that users can interact with your content without frustration, encouraging them to explore further.

In this guide, we will cover:

1. Organizing Pages
2. Customizing Page Names and URLs
3. Adding Links and Embedded Pages
4. Creating Submenus and Menu Sections

Let’s get started!

Rearranging Pages

The order of your pages plays a significant role in how visitors interact with your site. To reorder pages:

1. Click and Drag: Simply click on a page in the Pages Panel and drag it to the desired position.
2. Place the most important pages at the top to enhance visibility.

For example, if your contact page is listed first but you want it at the end, dragging it to the last position updates the menu instantly.

Renaming Pages

Branding and tone are essential. If a page name doesn’t align with your site's theme, rename it:

1. Open the More Options menu (three dots beside the page name).
2. Select Properties and rename the page.
3. Consider the tone and functionality—for example, changing “Contact” to “Connect” might better suit your brand.

Custom URL Paths

By default, the URL matches the page name (e.g., yourdomain.com/connect). However, a custom path can provide clarity and consistency:

1. Open the Properties menu for the page.
2. Navigate to the Advanced section to define a custom URL, such as /shop for a "Services" page.

Adding Pages, Links, and Embedded Features

Google Sites offers several ways to expand your site’s functionality. Whether you’re adding a standard page, linking to an external resource, or embedding tools, these features make your site versatile and user-friendly.

Adding New Pages

To create a new page:

1. Click the + button in the Pages Panel.
2. Select New Page and name it appropriately.
3. Customize its URL path as needed.

Once added, pages can be reordered by dragging them within the menu hierarchy.

Linking External URLs

Sometimes, it’s beneficial to link to external services or platforms (e.g., YouTube, social media):

1. Click the + button and choose New Link.
2. Enter the URL and provide a name (e.g., "YouTube").
3. Enable Open in New Tab to ensure users don’t lose access to your site when navigating away.

This feature is ideal for directing visitors to additional resources while keeping them engaged with your primary content.

Embedding Full Pages

For seamless integration of external tools or media:

1. Select Full Page Embed from the Pages Panel.
2. Name the page (e.g., “Book a Call”).
3. Embed content using an URL, embed code, or files from Google Drive.

This feature minimizes distractions by removing headers and footers, creating a focused experience for users interacting with external forms, calendars, or media.

Enhancing Navigation with Submenus and Menu Sections

Large websites can quickly become overwhelming. Submenus and menu sections provide structure and make navigation intuitive.

Adding Subpages

To nest pages under a parent page:

1. Drag a page onto another page in the Pages Panel.
2. This creates a submenu, where the parent page serves as a category.

For example:

• A “Services” parent page could house subpages for “Hair,” “Nail,” and “Makeup.”

Hovering over “Services” in the menu reveals these options, keeping the main menu clean while providing detailed navigation.

Creating Menu Sections

Menu sections group related items without linking to an actual page:

1. Click the + button and choose New Menu Section.
2. Name the section (e.g., “Services”).
3. Drag related pages into the section.

Unlike subpages, menu sections don’t act as clickable links. Instead, they serve as categories, making your site easier to navigate.

Advanced Navigation Tips

Hidden Pages

Not all pages need to appear in the main navigation menu. Hide specific pages to keep the menu concise:

1. Use the More Options menu and select Hide from Navigation.
2. Hidden pages can still be accessed via direct links.

This is especially useful for utility pages (e.g., Terms and Conditions).

Icon Indicators

Google Sites adds visual cues to differentiate page types:

• Standard Pages: No special icons.
• Links: Display a chain-link icon.
• Full Page Embeds: Feature a unique embed icon.

These indicators help you manage your site efficiently.

Why Optimized Navigation Matters

Streamlining your Google Sites navigation improves usability and ensures visitors find what they’re looking for quickly. Key benefits include:

• Enhanced User Experience: Simplified menus reduce frustration.
• Better Branding: Custom paths and names create a cohesive identity.
• Increased Engagement: External links and embeds keep users engaged with valuable resources.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Google Site

With these tools and techniques, you’re equipped to design a Google Site that is both functional and appealing. Whether you’re reordering pages, adding external links, or creating submenus, every adjustment contributes to a polished and user-friendly website.

Would you like a quick distraction-free way to capture your tasks and notes?

In this video, I'm going to show you how to turn Google Forms into your own custom tool for managing ideas, tasks, and so much more.

Hello everyone.

Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity helping you to get more done and enjoy less stress.

The distracted way of capturing tasks & ideas.

And tell me if this sounds familiar, you're at your computer and you're focusing intently on your number one task, when that idea pops up into your head.

What do you do?

Well, maybe you jump into your notes app and create a new note or maybe you go into your favorite task manager and you create a new to-do.

But no matter what app you use, there is often a major problem even before you've created that new task or note.

You can't help but browse and glance at all of the other tasks that you need to accomplish today or this week.

This can not only be very depressing, but sometimes we are tempted to go and look for something else and actually start working on a different task.

Well, with the help of Google Forms, we can create a personal form just for our use so we can manage all of our tasks and ideas and never have to see all of the other things that are on our plate so that we can retain that focus and work distraction-free.

Here I've created a form just for me called Quick Tasks and Ideas.

I'm going to run you through how it works and then I'm going to show you how to build it yourself so that you can customize it for the way you like to work.

So here, down below my very first question, I've got two big buttons.

What am I thinking about?

Am I thinking about a new task or is it simply an idea?

I think far too often we mix up these two and we think that everything is a to-do when in some cases it is just a maybe or a someday or something I want to come back to.

Let's start with a task.

So I'm going to select task and then select next.

And now this is going to bring me to four other questions customized for my needs, the types of things that I want to be thinking about so that I can quickly add this task and then get back to my work.

So let's say in this case, I need to ‘Email a Soneka about next week's meeting’.

That's one of the tasks that I need to accomplish this week.

I've added a priority level.

Now you could do a variety of things here.

You could make it a dropdown, you could make it multiple choice.

I've chosen to use the ranking system here, so I'm going to say this isn't really incredibly important.

I'm going to give it a two out five.

Down below I've added an estimated time dropdown.

I'm going to say this is only going to take 15 minutes or less.

And then I can also add a due date so I can hit the calendar and say, well, I really do need to do this by the end of this week, so I better put the due date by tomorrow.

Now you'll notice the only thing that I've made required here is the task description, and I think that's important.

We want to make this as seamless and as quick as possible.

I don't have to add these other elements, but there's a good chance you work differently than me and maybe you always want to include a priority level or maybe you always want to include an estimated time.

And of course, all of this is customizable so you don't have to keep it at the values you see here.

I'm going to go ahead and hit submit and I can immediately submit another response.

So if I click this link, I'm brought back to the beginning and maybe I want to add another task or maybe I want to add an idea.

Let's go with an idea.

This time I'm going to select idea I'm going to hit next.

And you'll notice, although I have four questions as well on this screen, they are different.

So maybe my idea is to create a new course about Gmail.

That's my idea.

I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but it's just an idea.

Down below I've got a files or attachment because sometimes maybe we've seen something on a website or maybe we've downloaded A PDF.

So in this case I'm going to say add file.

I can browse and either grab something directly from my Google Drive account or I can grab something here from my computer.

I'm just going to grab an image in this particular example, but I can choose to add multiple files if I want to and include that as a part of my note collection.

Down below the attachments, I've got an area called idea category.

Is this work-related personal side project or future goal?

I'm going to say this is Work-related.

And then lastly, we have another date picker, but the question is a little different.

When would you like to revisit this idea?

We haven't committed to this idea.

It's not a task.

So I'm going to say at the latest, I'd like to revisit this by the end of January.

I'm going to hit submit, and once again, we can very easily submit another response.

Managing your tasks & ideas.

So now that you've seen how my task and idea form works, where does all that information go?

Well, the easiest place to see and filter and sort that information is within the attached sheet.

You may already know that every Google form you can create a linked sheet.

So here I've got all of that valuable information.

In this case, I've got my tasks and my ideas mixed in here, but of course I can easily sort that if I want to.

Let's say I only want to see my tasks.

I'm going to say, okay, and now all I see is my task.

Do I want to maybe sort this by priority?

Yeah, that's something that you would want to do with your task list.

Now I've got all of those tasks sorted by priority and we even have some other pieces of information that you don't always get in your favorite task manager, including this very first column, which is a timestamp.

So when did I capture that task?

Not only the date but the actual time of day as well.

And remember, all of these fields are customizable, so you can choose to change them.

You can choose to add more options.

I've even chosen to add some conditional formatting here.

If something is overdue like you see here, I want it to shade in the color of red.

You could do that for any one of these columns.

You could do multiple colors.

Maybe if something is approaching its due date or is really overdue like two weeks or more.

A lot of these things are hard coded in your favorite task manager or maybe don't even exist at all.

You can customize it here to your heart's content.

Setting up your own custom form.

So let's jump back into Google forums and I'm going to show you how to build a form just like this and show you the other ways in which you can customize your personal task manager or note taker.

We're going to start with a blank form here, and of course you're going to want to title it something like tasks and ideas or really anything that you want.

We're going to put a pause on changing the colors and adding the header like you saw earlier.

You can always watch one of my other Simpletivity tutorials if you're wanting to customize the look and feel.

Now, the very first question in my form was what are you thinking about?

Again, you can do anything that you like.

You can word this any way that you want, but the type of question that we want is a multiple choice question.

Now of course, you could just build a task taking tool or an idea taking tool and not have this separation or this option at the beginning, but I want to show you how to do it nonetheless.

So in this case, my first one was a task, and then my second one was an idea.

So those are the two options that I wanted, but you may remember that I had those two big images that made it even that much easier to select, especially if I'm using this on my mobile device.

So if we come over here, we can add an image.

I'm going to click on browse and I'm going to check that checkbox there.

So that is going to be my task image.

And then over here beside idea, I'm also going to select browse, and I'm going to grab that question image.

Now, when you're building out your form, it may look a little funny.

You'll notice that it looked a lot different when we went to actually use the form, but this is the basis of that form.

Now because we are going to use branching, meaning depending on which of these two we are going to send yourself somewhere differently.

What we need to do is come over to the right hand side and select add a section.

And in fact, we're going to add two different sections.

The first one here is I'm just going to title tasks, and then down below that we are going to add a third section, which I'm going to label as idea.

Now, keep in mind you could add multiple sections if you want.

If wanted something beyond just task and idea, you could do that as well.

But let's keep it simple with this example.

So here within task, we can start adding our questions and you probably want to start with some type of description.

What is this task all about?

I'm going to add that plus button again.

Now as my second question in my form, I choose the new rating system here.

So if I select this, it's going to give me a number of stars, but you can customize this, you can reduce it to maybe only three stars, and they don't even have to be stars.

They could be hearts or they could be thumbs up, whatever you like.

But again, you don't have to follow my lead.

You could always choose multiple choice boxes if you wanted to, you could choose a dropdown, whatever you think is easier here in the question field.

I'm just going to call this a priority because that is the ranking that I want to add here.

And let's go through one last example.

I'm going to add the plus button again.

So let's add a due date.

So now I've got three questions

Thank you so much for watching, and remember, being productive does not need to be difficult.

In fact, it's very simple.

Do you ever wish you could instantly open two apps at the same time?

In this video, I'm going to show you a hidden Android trick to boost your productivity.

Hello everyone.

Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity helping you to get more done and enjoy less stress.

And here we are within my Android phone.

Now this has probably happened to you before where you're looking at a particular app, but you want to cross-reference it with something else.

So for example, I want to review my task list here, but then I need to go back to my calendar and see what is going on.

And if I swipe up from the bottom, yes, I can go back and forth, but that gets a little tedious.

I wish I could see these on the same screen.

Well, the good news is, is that you can, now that's not necessarily new, but stay tuned for the second part because this might just blow your mind.

So to get started, let's view these apps in split screen mode.

So you want to open up your first app, which in my case is my calendar.

I'm going to flick up gently from the bottom where again, we can go to any of my other recent apps.

But I'm going to come up here and actually select the app icon at the top.

I'm just going to tap it and it's going to reveal some other information.

I'm going to select split screen, and you can see that it moves it up to the very top of the screen.

Now I can select from any of my recent apps.

And because my task list was just recently opened, I'm going to select that and in just a few seconds here, we have a true split screen of these two apps.

And yes, I can add new events, I can scroll to other views or other dates, and down below within my task list I can come down here and review and add new tasks as well.

Now this is great, this is helpful.

However, if I was to remove this from my view, that is going to be gone for good.

So here is what you really want to pay attention to.

If there are any two apps, like the example I've given here that you would like to see at the same time on a regular basis, we can now save them as an app pair.

All we need to do is once again flick up gently from the bottom of the screen.

And now we can see that both app icons appear at the top.

Once again, we're just going to tap either one of them and you can see one of the options is save app pair.

I'm going to select that and it instantly adds it to my home screen.

And now I can click and drag it.

I can move it to wherever I want to.

But now whenever I want to see those two apps at the same time, I can click on it and it's instantly going to open them.

So consider what two apps would be most helpful and most useful to you and set up your very own app pair.

Now, if you enjoyed this video, why not hit the like button, subscribe right here to the Simpletivity channel and leave me a comment down below.

Thank you so much for watching and remember, being productive does not need to be difficult.

In fact, it's very simple.

Are you struggling to keep your Gmail inbox under control?

Well, in this video I'm sharing seven proven tips to reach inbox zero and stay there and be sure to watch to the very end because I have some Gmail shortcuts you don't want to miss.

Hello everyone.

Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity helping you to get more done and enjoy less stress.

Gmail tip 1

So tip number one has to do with making use of effective labels.

Now, often we view labels here within Gmail as a type of folder, and that's one way of thinking about it.

For example, I've got a label here called Action Required where I can put specific emails and then just go and focus on these particular messages.

But labels are actually a lot more powerful than folders because you don't have to necessarily move things from your inbox.

You can make the messages and the emails that you see here that much more relevant.

So for example, maybe there is a couple of emails here that I want to address a little later on.

I'm going to select these three.

If I come up to the very top, you might be prone to moving those emails somewhere else, but let's be honest, sometimes when we move things over here, they either get lost or we simply forget to go back and check on them.

Well, to the right is actually the labels icon, and by selecting this I can say that yes, I want to apply the action required label.

You can actually apply multiple labels at once if you like.

And I'm going to select Apply.

Now those emails stand out, even if I deselect them here from the top, those emails really stand out and I can zero in on the messages that I like.

And when I want to address one of these emails, let me open up this message here.

Once I've either downloaded or read or replied to this message, I can come up to the top and quickly remove that label just by selecting this X.

And now it's gone back to a regular message.

But let's continue with tip number two because we actually haven't removed anything from our inbox yet.

We've only made a few messages that much easier to read.

Gmail tip 2

Tip number two is all about using the snooze feature, which can be a great way to quickly tame your inbox and reduce the number of messages that are staring back at you.

Now, here from your inbox, you can snooze any message without even having to open it.

So maybe I'm excited to read about these updates.

I just don't want to do it now, and I don't want this message cluttering everything else that I'm looking at.

So I'm going to come over here to the right hand side.

I'm going to select snooze, and it's going to give me the option.

How far in advance do I want to snooze this message?

Now for those who may not be familiar with these snooze functionality, whatever date I select in the future, it is going to immediately remove it here from my inbox, keep it in a bit of a holding pattern, and then return it to the top of my inbox depending on the date and time that I select.

Now we have a couple of defaults here later today, tomorrow, this weekend and next week.

I find that nine times out of 10, I'm selecting one of these four options.

But if I want to push it out even further or pick a particular date and time, I can come down to the bottom, select this.

I get a full calendar.

I can change the date, I can change the time and then select save.

Now where does it go?

It's gone from my inbox.

What if I do want to address that message before it automatically returns to me?

Well, here on the left hand side, you can see that we can go into our snoozed area.

So this is going to show all of the messages which you have snoozed, and on the right hand side, you can see that it's given a bit of an orange color date.

That's telling us when it is expected to come back to our inbox.

Now we can change that here.

If we come over and select that snooze icon, we can not only change the snooze time if we want, but we can also snooze it, which will send it directly back to our inbox.

Now just before we continue, I want to remind you, if you're looking for ways to simplify your day and get organized with Google, why not subscribe right here to the Simpletivity channel?

Each week I bring you new tips so you can get more out of Google Apps and other Google Friendly products.

Click subscribe below so you can take advantage of a more simplified day.

Gmail tip 3

Now, speaking of keeping our inbox clean and removing unwanted messages, you're going to want to make sure that you take advantage of tip number three, and that is archiving your messages.

Now, my rule of thumb is that whenever I have finished replying to a message or reading a message and getting the information that I need from it, I hit the archive button because I don't want it to remain here within my inbox.

If you are in the habit of replying or reading and allowing read messages to stay here in your inbox, you are bound to let something slip or just make things look that much more chaotic as you're trying to determine, do I still need to come back to this message even though it's been read?

Do I need to open it up that many more times than necessary?

But if we archive our messages, we can still go back and find them.

We can retrieve them whenever we like.

So for example, I'm going to open up this message again and let's say that I have just finished replying to it.

As soon as I'm done, I'm going to select Archive.

It is removed from my inbox, but it's not gone for good.

If we come over here on the left hand side and select more and then come down to all mail, we will find all of our messages including those in the inbox, but also those that have been archived.

And when you go to search for a message at the top, it will always search through your archive and all mail messages as well.

So this is a great way to keep things nice and clean.

Another great way to take advantage of archiving your messages automatically, especially when you are replying to a message, is to turn on the send and archive feature.

Here, I'm about to reply to this particular message.

I don't want to have to send it first and then hit archive two different steps.

I want to archive it immediately.

Now, if you don't see this send Plus Archive as a part of your button, all you need to do is come up to settings, select, see all settings, and within the first General tab, you will see that there is a send and archive feature.

I would recommend that you turn this on show, send an archive so you can take advantage of this automatic inbox cleaning step.

Gmail tip 4

Now, the next tip for keeping your email decluttered is by bringing in some additional help.

And for this, we are going to be using an extension called SaneBox.

SaneBox is one of my favorite tools for keeping my inbox clean because it does things in the background that I could never do on my own.

In particular, SaneBox has a feature called Email Deep Clean, which you can use absolutely for free.

Email Deep Clean automatically rounds up your old unimportant emails and lets you quickly delete them so you can get to inbox zero sooner.

And yes, you can do this absolutely for free.

Just go to sanebox.com/simpletivity or click the link in the description and you can use all of the features of SaneBox.

And a bonus, you'll get a $25 credit towards a SaneBox subscription.

Once again, go to sanebox.com/simpletivity or click the link down below.

Gmail tip 5

Now while all of my tips so far have involved using a particular feature or turning on a particular setting, my next tip has to do with actually scheduling email as a part of your day.

And for that, I want to show you my daily calendar.

And you'll notice that there are two things that I have scheduled every single workday, one at the beginning and one near the end of my day.

I do my very best to deal with email and spend time with my inbox only twice per day.

First, at the very beginning of my day, I will spend a maximum, not always a full hour, but up to a maximum with email and other smaller admin tasks.

And then I will focus the rest of my day on my number one goal and the other things that I want to accomplish.

Then at the very end of my day, I will return and do some other smaller administrative tasks and return to my inbox and determine what do I need to reply to or respond to before the end of my day.

Now, of course, I don't give myself a limit as to when I can send a message.

Depending on the projects and the tasks that I'm working with, I can of course send an email whenever I need to, but to the best of my ability, I will only read or reply to messages at the very beginning and the very end of my day.

Now, for you, you may have to adjust your schedule accordingly, but at the very least, I ask you to consider creating a schedule, something like this or something that will work better for you.

Gmail tip 6

Now, the next tip on our list has to do with getting another Google app involved, but don't worry, even if you're not in Google Calendar very often, this is going to help you out.

And for this, we're going to turn on Gmail tasks.

Here within a message, let's say it's something that I need to come back to or maybe I need to work on this for the next few days.

You will see that I have the option to add it to my task list.

If I select that icon, you will see that my task window opens up and it adds that particular message to my task list.

Now here I can change the due date if I want to come back to this later this week, or I can even come here and add some notes, some things that I need to address within that message or within that conversation.

Now the reason why I like this so much is that Gmail and Google Tasks work hand in hand.

So for example, if I come to a message here and say, oh, I need to come back to this, I need to make sure that I follow up, I can go and add it to my task list right there, and it automatically shows up within Google Calendar as well.

So this is a great way to make sure that those messages that are really important stay front of mind.

Gmail tip 7

And that brings us to our final tip.

And that is by using Gmail search operators, you can save an incredible amount of time.

Now if you want to find a message, you are probably already familiar with using the search bar at the top of Gmail.

But did you know that you can search within a particular date or even with attachments?

Here are a few of my favorites.

If you want to search by a date, use the before operator with a colon and put in a specific date.

And if you want to search for only those messages that include an attachment, just put has attachment colon yes.

There are lots of these that can be very useful, and I'll leave some links to resources with more Gmail search operators.

So there you have it.

Those are my seven top Gmail tips for reaching inbox zero faster than ever before.

And I'd love to know which tip you're going to try first.

Let me know in the comments down below.

Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you in the next video.

Thank you so much for watching today's video, and remember, being productive does not need to be difficult.

In fact, it's very simple.

Are you ready to level up your appointment scheduling in Google Calendar? In this video, I'm going to show you seven powerful tips so you can manage your meetings easily and get more out of your booked appointments. 

Hello everyone. Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity, helping you to get more done and enjoy less stress. 

Custom Weekly Schedule

And here within Google Calendar, if we come up to the create button, we have the opportunity to create our own appointment schedules. The very first tip that I want to share with you is something that we couldn't do when this feature was first released, and it has to do with our availability.

For example, maybe this is going to be a coaching call. This is going to be coaching with Scott, and yes, I'm going to give them an hour of my time, but I don't want to be available all days of the week. Maybe I only want to be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm going to eliminate those other options.

When this feature was first released, we only had two options: we could say to repeat this schedule weekly, or do not repeat and just select certain dates. But now we have a third option—the ability to customize our schedule. This can be really helpful.

So for example, in my case, I don't want to be available every single week. I'm going to come up here to this repeat weekly dropdown and select custom. Here we can choose to repeat anything from one to—I'm not even sure what the maximum is—but there's a good chance that you're probably going to be somewhere in the one to four range. I'm going to select two in my example.

Then down below, I can customize it that much further. Maybe I don't want it to start this week; that's too soon. I want it to start next week, and I don't want this to go on indefinitely. No, I only want to make these coaching services available until the end of the year. So I'm going to select December 31st and then select done.

Now you'll see the dropdown has changed, but remember you can preview this on your own calendar. If I go to today, you can see that nothing is made available. It's going to start next week, and if I go out in advance, I'm going to have a week off, then a week on, then a week off. You get the idea.

So now you can customize the intervals for your weekly schedule.

Advance Booking Time

Now for tip number two, we want to come down below our weekly schedule and select the scheduling window. There are two things here that you don't want to miss before you create your appointment schedule: the maximum time in which someone can book you and the minimum time in which someone can book you in advance.

Starting with the maximum time, the default is 60 days, which will be checked. This means that someone today, on October 16th, could book me for December 16th if I'm available on that day. In my case, I think that's a little too far out. Maybe I only want to give people a 30-day window, meaning they can only look 30 days in advance to book me.

Also, keep in mind that you don't even have to set a maximum time. Remember, this particular appointment schedule is only going from now until the end of this year. It really comes down to what this appointment schedule represents. I'm going to go ahead and select this and then come down to the minimum, which may be even more important.

Just as a review, a minimum means the minimum amount of time that someone can book you in advance. If we look at our example here of next Tuesday, you can see that I have an appointment slot available at 9:00 AM with my current selection of four hours. That means that someone could theoretically book me as late as 5:00 AM that day—5:00 AM my local time. Maybe it's different for them.

Well, I'm still sleeping at 5:00 AM, and even once I've gotten up a little after six, I may not check my email until 7:30 or 8:00. Do I want to be surprised this close to that appointment time by having someone that I'm meeting with at 9:00 AM? Maybe I need to prepare or do some research on this individual or this company in advance.

In my case, I find that four hours is far too close. I usually stretch this out to at least 16 hours, if not a full 24 hours. But again, you can change this based on your needs. I would highly recommend that you never uncheck this box. Why? Because that means that someone could book you just a minute before your availability, really catching you off guard or surprising you, or maybe making you show up for that appointment.

So, make sure that you have the minimum selected and the number of hours appropriate to your needs.

Buffer Time

Now for tip number three, we're going to come down to the booked appointment settings. We'll expand this option to look at our buffer time. By default, this is going to be unchecked, but I want to ask you a question: How often do you finish your appointments exactly at the top of the hour or just a few minutes before? If that's the case, maybe you're okay with leaving this unchecked.

However, if you're in the habit of going over time or want to give yourself at least a short bio break before your next appointment, you may want to add buffer time. By selecting this option, we can adjust either the number of minutes or the number of hours. The default is 30 minutes.

So, immediately, you can see what this has done to my schedule. It has spaced out and reduced the total number of appointments available on those days. Keep in mind that Google's appointment scheduling feature will never double-book you. Since I already have some meetings on my schedule, it will never book me during those times.

You can adjust the number of minutes as well. For example, if I just want to give myself a 10-minute buffer, you can see what that looks like. This way, you can partially space out your appointments to give yourself a little break and enough time to get to the next meeting.

Lastly, if you're looking for ways to simplify your day and get organized with Google, why not subscribe to the SimpliVity channel? Each week, I bring you new tips for people who use Google apps and Google-friendly products. Click subscribe below to take advantage of a more simplified day.

Maximum Bookings Per Day

Now, the option below can also be helpful in managing your days. This can be a great way to ensure that you don't overbook yourself or overwork yourself, depending on what this appointment scheduling represents. For example, with my coaching calls, I usually go very in-depth with my clients and invest a lot of energy. The last thing I want is to have seven or eight coaching calls in a single day.

If I want to limit the number of bookings, I can select the checkbox for maximum bookings per day and then choose the appropriate number. For instance, I might set this to two. This means that the moment a second appointment is confirmed on any one of my available dates, none of the other slots will be publicly available.

For example, if someone books me at 9:00 AM on a Thursday and another person books me at 1:00 PM, as soon as this second booking is made—regardless of the order in which those bookings occur—none of the other available slots will be shown or made available.

This feature can be really helpful, especially depending on the types of appointments you’re booking, ensuring that you have a bit of variety in your schedule based on how many different appointment slots you have created.

Guests Can Invite Others

Now, the next tip on our list is about a new feature that was not available just a few months ago, found within the booked appointment settings. Under Guest Permissions, we now have a checkbox that we can toggle on or off, allowing guests to invite others.

By default, this option is selected (checked), meaning that anyone who books this particular appointment can invite or add other email addresses. However, if you intend for this to be a one-on-one call and want to keep it that way, you can simply uncheck this box.

Make sure to review the guest permissions according to your needs. In my example appointment schedule, I’ll go ahead and click the Next button to share a tip on the following screen, just before we save and actually create this appointment schedule.

Add Video Call Details

Next, let's discuss how to add a video conferencing link. If you're a Google Meet user, appointment scheduling makes this very easy. Under Location and Conferencing, you can select how and where to meet. By choosing this dropdown, you can select Google Meet video conferencing, which will automatically generate a link once the booking is completed.

But what if you're not a Google Meet user and prefer another service like Zoom? I’ll show you how to make it easy for both yourself and your guests. Instead of selecting an in-person meeting (which would require a physical location) or a phone call (which would need a phone number), choose None/To Be Specified Later.

This approach allows you to provide video call details in the description, which many of us are accustomed to finding. In the description, you might say something like, "Click here to join the Zoom meeting."

Now, while that’s just a piece of text, we can turn it into a clickable link for your Zoom account. First, switch tabs to access your Zoom account and find your Personal Meeting Room. This gives you a Zoom link and meeting space that you can use repeatedly without generating a new one each time.

On the left side, click on Meetings, then select the Personal Room tab. Here, you can find your personal meeting link. You could select Copy Invitation at the bottom, but that typically includes too much information. Instead, click Copy Link to get just the link, excluding any messy details like password information or the meeting ID.

Now, return to your Google Calendar appointment scheduling, select the text ("Click here to join the Zoom meeting"), and choose Insert Link. Paste the Zoom link into the dialog box and click OK.

Now, you have a clickable link that will directly launch their Zoom meeting!

Add Custom Fields

Lastly, my final tip is something that many users overlook when using appointment scheduling: the booking form. By expanding this section, you'll see that, by default, it asks everyone for their first and last name along with their email address. This is important to know who you're meeting with and where to send the invitation.

However, you also have the option to add additional fields. By selecting the button, you can request a phone number or choose to add a custom item. For instance, since this is a coaching call, you might want to ask, "What do you want to talk about?" This allows you to gather more information about their business or the topics they wish to discuss.

You can also decide whether to make this question required. If you want to ensure the user answers, select Required and then click Add Item. Now, when they go to book the appointment, they must fill in that question before completing their booking.

Don’t forget, you’re not limited to just one custom field. You can add additional questions as needed. Take advantage of the booking form to learn more about the people you’re meeting with, ensuring a more impactful and helpful meeting for both parties.

Do you have further questions or perhaps your own tips for maximizing appointment scheduling in Google Calendar? Feel free to share them by leaving a comment below.

Thank you for watching, and remember: being productive doesn’t need to be difficult; in fact, it’s very simple!

Are you tired of jumping between browser tabs just to look up more information? What if you could find what you needed without leaving the current page and without getting your keyboard involved in this video, I'm going to show you how and so much more with Google Lens for Chrome. 

Hello everyone. Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity helping you to get more done and to enjoy less stress. 

Searching Images with Google Lens

And here I am browsing some home desktop setups, and I come across this picture. I say, “Ooh, that chair looks very interesting. What is it and where can I possibly get it?” Well, in this particular article, it doesn't tell me. It doesn't tell me below the picture. How am I going to find this out?

I'm going to take my cursor and I'm going to come up here to the URL address bar. When I click on it, no, I'm not going to change the URL. I'm going to come over here. Let me do that one more time. I'm going to click out of it, and then when I click into it, you can see that we have this Google Lens option.

When I select it, it's going to sprinkle some pixie dust on my screen here. You can see that my cursor has changed. I've got a little crosshair here, and if I click over certain images, you can see if I clicked over that chair. I'm going to do that. It's going to immediately bring up a search here on the right-hand side.

Oh, it's a Herman Miller chair! It's a specific type of chair, and it's even linking me directly to Amazon and some other sites where I can purchase this image.

Creating a Google Lens Shortcut

Now, you may not want to come up here to the browser bar each time that you want to use Google Lens. Well, the good news is that we can create a shortcut, but you're probably not going to see this little shortcut here in the top right-hand corner unless you do something else first.

Number one, if you don't see this in your address bar, and if you don't see this shortcut option, we want to come to our more options here within Chrome. Down below, you can see there is this "Search with Google Lens." This will always be available to you. If I select it, the exact same thing is going to happen. It's going to be ready for me to search for something.

So this time around, I'm going to click and drag. Maybe I want to know what type of tower this is. I'm going to click over that, and beautiful! It's brought up some great results. But here is where we want to take advantage of the "Pin" or "Unpin" to toolbar.

Now, I have it pinned at the moment; that's why you can see this little icon. I can always access it by just clicking it here, but if I unpin it, this is actually going to go away. I'm going to hit X, and now it's no longer there. It's still going to be available within my address bar, but I really like that pinned option.

So let's go ahead. We can just Google anything, maybe see what that monitor is like or if there's something similar to it. I'm going to come over here and select "Pin." Now this is always going to be available to me. But it gets better!

Let me scroll up to the top of this screen. This lamp really stood out to me as well. I’d like to get a lamp similar to this, but again, there's no description. How do I do it? I'm going to come over here and select "Search with Google Lens."

You can either point and click; sometimes it will identify. Here you can see it looks like it's trying to hover over this keyboard down below. It looks like it's trying to identify maybe this table. Sometimes it'll be able to identify some larger images, but in this case, we can simply click and drag.

If it's something that's more narrow or widescreen, I'm going to try and not get this little cactus in the frame here. I'm going to release it. And once again, perfect! It looks like that's the exact same lamp that I'm looking for. Now I'm just one click away from actually purchasing this lamp.

The other thing you want to keep in mind is that here you can reduce the size of this side panel. If you only want it to come up here in just a sliver on the right-hand side, you can do so. But you can drag this across and make it much larger if that's easier for your view.

Adding More to Your Search

But here's another tip that you're going to want to take advantage of. At the very top, you can see that it has already done this image search of what we selected over here, but I can add to my search.

So, for example, maybe I want to see if there's something like this in black. The image is still here within the search bar, but now on my keyboard, I'm going to type in the words "black." I'm going to hit enter, and it's going to come up with some comparable results.

Maybe it's not the exact same lamp; maybe they don't make that one in black or a darker shade. But now I can find something very similar. I can add other details here to the search bar.

Now, just before I show you my favorite Google Lens tip, I want to remind you that if you're looking for ways to simplify your day and get organized with Google, why not subscribe right here to the SimpliVity channel? Each and every week, I bring you new tips for people who use Google apps and Google-friendly products. So click subscribe below so you can take advantage of a more simple day.

Using Google Lens to Search Text

Now, with a feature like Google Lens, you may assume that this only applies to images or pictures that you find on the web, but actually, it doesn't stop there. In fact, I might say that this next feature might be the most impressive thing when it comes to Google Lens.

Once again, I'm going to click on Google Lens in this particular case, but you can see I'm not coming down here to where there is an image. I'm actually going to hover over some of this text, and you'll notice that the cursor changes. I still have that little AI bubble beside it, meaning that I'm in Google Lens mode.

But here, I can click and select any text I want, and we're going to get similar search results on the right-hand side. So here, maybe I want to learn more about this new Chrome feature that is coming. I'm going to select the text and let go. Immediately, it has done a Google search on those words and shows it to me here on the right-hand side.

Now, I can pick up other information. Right now, I can view other news articles and other updates related to this particular feature. Again, once I'm done here, I can hit X and I'm returned to my screen.

And maybe there's something else in here that I'm not quite familiar with. I can simply hit that Google Lens option. Let's just go over these three words here for a second and release. Remember, I'm not even having to say "Paste" or anything else. I just said "Bluetooth portable speaker," and it's going to bring up a number of results.

We can still refine this by images, by videos—anything else that we're looking for here, we can do that on the right-hand side without opening up a new tab. Whenever we are done, we can hit that X in the top right-hand corner.

So, if you want to save time the next time you are browsing in Chrome and don't want to open up another tab, be sure to take advantage of Google Lens. If you've got questions or new ways of using Google Lens, be sure to let me know in the comments down below.

Thank you so much for watching this video. Remember, being productive does not need to be difficult. In fact, it's very simple.

Gemini AI is integrating with more of our favorite Google tools, including Google Calendar. So in this video I'm going to show you all of the ways in which you can integrate AI with your schedule so you can manage your calendar that much easier. 

Hello everyone. Scott Friesen here at Simpletivity helping you to get more done and enjoy less stress. 

Enabling the Calendar Extension

Now, the first thing that we want to do is open up your side panel. If it's collapsed, come up here and expand it.

Next, we're going to come down to settings and select extensions. You will need to have this Google Workspace extension turned on.

Now, don't let the examples fool you because if we go back to a new chat and come down here to the prompt area and hit the "at" symbol, you will see the full list of all the Google apps and Google tools that we can engage with here at the bottom.

I haven't enabled all of them, but at the top, I have enabled most of my productivity tools, including Google Calendar. Now, I can select Google Calendar and start to enter my prompt. However, in my examples today, I'm actually not even going to use it because all of my prompts are going to be related to a schedule or a calendar.

Getting Your Agenda

So let's start off with prompt number one. How many meetings do I have next week?

Remember, you don't always have to add that question mark. You also don't need to have perfect spelling, but AI is able to tell me in just a few seconds.

"Oh, here's sort of my agenda view. I've got seven meetings next week, and here they are. They're all outlined for me. Some of them will even include a Zoom meeting link or what's in the description."

And best of all, I'm just one click away from breakfast with Kelly. Oh, wait a minute, who's this with? I can click on this, and it will immediately take me to that particular event.

But what I'm going to show you is that you don't actually have to spend almost any time within your calendar.

Rescheduling an Event

Maybe I'm going to say, you know what? I need to move my weekly review meeting.

So my very next prompt is going to be the following: reschedule the weekly review meeting to 1:00 PM because maybe I already know that's not going to work, or I want to leave work a little bit earlier that day.

Now, just before it proceeds with changing any rescheduling or creating a new event, it's actually going to confirm with us. I think this is very, very helpful. It's showing me, "Okay, is this the meeting you were referring to?"

I'm going to simply say, "Yes, that's the one." And of course, it's going to go ahead and make those changes. Here you can see the date has now changed to 1:00 PM.

If I jump into my calendar, let's go to the 11th. Yep, here it is. It's at 1:00 PM. Correct, though.

Create a New Event

Let's see if we can create a new meeting. So this time we're going to create a brand new meeting: create a new meeting for this Thursday at 1:00 PM.

I'm going to say, "Let's just call it something simple like budget review," something like that.

So again, because I'm spending so much time here within Gemini for other things, for other tasks that I'm working on, why jump around to other tabs?

I'm thinking about something else. Yeah, this Thursday, 1:00 PM looks great. I'm just going to hit "Y." Remember, you don't even have to hit yes or give it a full answer.

"Yes, please go ahead and create that meeting." So now that's been added to my calendar as well. But how can AI be even more helpful?

Finding Past Events

Well, I find it's most helpful when we're looking at something that's not in the near term.

If you're like me, you're probably looking at the current week quite regularly, whether you prefer the weekly review or the daily view. You're probably looking at the things in the near term.

But what about if you're wanting to check in? When was the last time you met with someone? This can be especially helpful when you are dealing with sales or you're dealing with an important client.

So for example, I'm going to say, "When was the last time I met with Karen?" Okay, this was maybe an important person, but I know we haven't spoken in a while. How long has it been?

In just a few seconds, it's going to tell me, "Oh, the last time you met was almost two years ago: October 17th, 2022."

Down below, as we saw with our first prompt, it's actually going to show us the sources as well. Now, the first one here says "Email Karen about the meeting." That was a task, and it correctly identified that that wasn't an actual meeting. But this one here, "Meeting with Karen," was. That's the one it is referencing.

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Finding Details from the Past

Now, you're probably not surprised that Gemini does a great job of finding time and date information, but what about the other fields attached to our events?

For example, location. I have a monthly breakfast with my friend Tim. So I'm going to say, "Where did Tim and I meet last time?" I’ve got to keep it nice and short.

Let's see. It comes back in just a few seconds. It's going to find the last time we met back in August.

Finding the Next Specific Event

Oh, you met with Tim on this date, and you met at the Cow. That's where we had breakfast together.

Okay, fantastic. Where are Tim and I meeting this week?

Again, keep it nice and simple, nice and short. Just a matter of seconds. You have one event with Tim this week, and there is the location we are eating at: Ology.

So it can look for certain pieces of information as well. If you're wanting to search the description field, for example, something in the past or something in the future, it can do that very, very well.

Uploading Date Information

But there's one last prompt that I want to show you, which may just blow your mind and perhaps remind you of just how powerful AI is.

So this time, I'm going to come over here and upload an image. What I'm uploading here is actually a screenshot of all of the concert dates for an upcoming tour. Maybe I'm wanting to plan a special outing with my teenage son, and there's a lot of information in here. I don't want to have to sift through it myself.

So I'm going to say "open," which is going to attach it here to my prompt. What I'm going to say is, "When is this artist performing in Toronto next year?"

Let's hit submit. Depending on how much information there is, it may take a few seconds.

But actually, that was rather quick. It says from the text, I can see that Weird Al Yankovic is performing in Toronto on Wednesday, July 9th, 2025. To be even more helpful, it's given me a direct link to the Ticketmaster site, so I can immediately go and start to search and purchase tickets for this particular event.

Of course, my very next step would be, "Please add this to my calendar." Why should I jump back to my calendar and go back and forth? Just go ahead and do it for me.

Now, I didn't give it a time. I know that the concert is probably going to start at 7:00 PM. I'm going to say 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and there it is.

Next July, it's already on my calendar. So in less than 60 seconds, you can upload the information you're looking for, retrieve it, buy those tickets, and add it to your calendar, and then move on and get on with whatever it is you want to get done today.

Now, if you have further questions about using Gemini AI with Google Calendar or other Google tools, be sure to let me know in the comments down below.

Thank you so much for watching this video, and remember, being productive does not need to be difficult. In fact, it's very simple.