Dominate Your Schedule: Proven Calendar Efficiency Techniques Real dreams are made of getting the most out of your digital calendar. Your calendar is supposed to work with you, meaning you should utilize it as you see fit....

Real dreams are made of getting the most out of your digital calendar. Your calendar is supposed to work with you, meaning you should utilize it as you see fit. Instead of looking at it and seeing another packed day, you should look at it as a sequence of how your day is going to flow. Sure, some days are going to be more jammed than others. But once you're in the groove and recognize how to shift things around, these will be occasional occurrences rather than the norm.

Calendar efficiency is simply the practice of using your calendar to get the most out of your day. With an efficient calendar system, you'll see an improvement in your work and a boost in your productivity. You'll find that it streamlines your day and sets you up for success. As a bonus, you may even notice that you're less stressed overall and able to actually log off at the end of the day instead of consistently trying to squeeze more work in.

For these reasons alone, calendar efficiency is a worthwhile strategy that all managers, leaders, and executives should implement. Ready to get started? Here are four proven calendar efficiency techniques to try today.

1. Batch Tasks

Every time you switch tasks, your brain has to process the new assignment. Even if you're a self-proclaimed multi-tasker, you may not realize that it's actually slowing you down. Research shows that flipping from one task to another can cost up to 40% of your productive time! Since the name of the game is productivity, you may want to consider batching tasks.

As a leader, there are some commonalities regarding what must be done daily. This can look like checking in with your team, assigning projects, responding to inquiries, and brainstorming long-term goals. If your current day starts with replying to emails, followed by an executive team meeting, followed by a client onboarding, you're all over the place! Batching like-minded tasks will help you stay on track while focusing on what must be done in a given day.

First, look at your weekly and monthly calendars to get into the batching mindset. Categorize events together, such as all of your team meetings or all of your new hire welcomes together. Set aside blocks of time throughout the month for these to happen. Scheduling all of your team meetings on Monday afternoons, for example, will kick the week off and ensure everyone is aligned. Batching tasks may take some coordination on your part. However, you'll soon find that you're accomplishing more in less time.

2. Set Reminders

You're moving at a hundred miles an hour, feeling like you're missing something but unsure. The end of the day rolls around, and your boss Slacks you, asking if the data report is complete. Your heart stops. You open your calendar to realize that the analysis you promised to get to your manager is, in fact, due today, not tomorrow, as you assumed.

If this scenario sounds familiar (or at the very least stresses you out), then setting calendar reminders may just be your next greatest hack. Calendar reminders are notifications that remind you of an upcoming deadline, to-do item, or event. You can set them for the same day at a specific time or for a month away. They help you stay on top of things that may otherwise get lost with the rest of your pending agenda items.

You can set calendar reminders across any central platform, including Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Calendar, and Calendar.com. If your calendar syncs across all your devices, you'll see the notification whether you're working on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. It's a good idea to avoid deleting them until the item is complete or the deadline has been met. You'll be more motivated to complete the task to remove that reminder from your screen!

3. Color Code

Color coding your calendar is a way to be better organized, allowing you to see at first glance

where you're spending your time and with whom. This can help increase your productivity, ensuring deadlines are met without you feeling rushed or scrambling for time. It will also allow you to identify significant events ahead of time. Something like a company-wide town hall you must prepare for can easily be lost in the jumble unless it stands out. Once you have a color coding system in place, you'll likely wonder how you used to work without one!

Your calendar doesn't necessarily have to look like a rainbow—although it definitely can if that's the vibe you're going for! You can choose coordinating colors to group similar events or plans together. For instance, perhaps all of your external meetings are dark purple, and all internal team meetings are light purple. Purple is the meeting color; they're just differentiated between client-facing and team meetings by the shade.

Adding colors to your digital platform of choice is pretty straightforward. If you're a Google Calendar user, open the Google Calendar web application and locate the calendar to which you want to add colors. Click on the three dots next to the selected calendar's name. From here, you'll select your desired color for the entire calendar. If you want to change a color for a specific event, click on the event to enlarge it. Then, click the downward arrow and navigate to "change the event color.' Select your desired color and hit "save.'

4. Allow for Flexibility

There will always be impromptu requests, meeting invites, and even fire drills that you'll need to address. These interruptions are all par for the course. But, if your calendar is jammed with back-to-back meetings, you'll likely spin out when an urgent request lands on your desk. While you could let it ruin your day or uproot all your other tasks, it's better to approach them easily. This starts with an efficient calendar that allows for some flexibility.

Blank space throughout your day allows you to reset, refocus, and sometimes accomplish an unexpected task. Look at your calendar at the beginning of each week and find windows of opportunity for flexibility. Set aside these chunks of time by blocking them off your Calendar. If needed, let your team know you're unavailable to meet unless necessary during this time.

Some weeks, these windows will be filled up by an ad hoc request or catch up work. Other weeks, these can be used for you to take a moment and work on long-term objectives. You may decide to use this time to go on a walk and listen to that business podcast you've been meaning to catch up on. Alternatively, you may walk around the office and check in on everyone to see how they're doing. Soon enough, you'll recognize that having blank space in your calendar is very helpful.

Calendar Efficiency: Things to Remember

Calendar efficiency isn't about packing more into your workday or filling every slot of time with a task. Rather, it's about making your calendar work for your needs, allowing your days to flow more easily. With these tips in place, you can take on each day feeling ready and knowing that your calendar is there to back you up.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by RDNE Stock project; Pexels

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