3 Methods to Be Extra Productive With Outlook Calendar

A part of the Microsoft 365 household, Outlook is a broadly standard e-mail supplier platform amongst professionals. However moreover being an e-mail supplier, this technique is well-known for its Calendar. In contrast to Google Calendar and Gmail, that are linked however positioned on separate apps, Outlook’s Calendar is embedded inside Outlook.

If you open the Outlook app, you’ll be able to toggle to the Calendar button to view it totally. Outlook and, due to this fact, Outlook Calendar might be accessed throughout all gadgets and platforms, together with iOS and Android.

After all — similar to something — it might take a while to arrange Outlook Calendar in your specific use. In case you’re an administrative or private assistant, you’ll need to guarantee you’ll be able to view and edit your supervisor’s calendar. Sharing Outlook Calendar will due to this fact be of the utmost significance. However if you happen to’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, or only a professional multitasker, then notifications and To-Do lists shall be important for you too. Somebody working remotely from the remainder of their group will need to regulate their Calendar settings to account for varied time zones.

Regardless of how or the place you entry or use Outlook Calendar, there are methods to make the platform work higher for you. In spite of everything, the aim of a digital calendar is to make your life simpler, not more durable. Calendars ought to take a number of the burden off of your shoulders so you’ll be able to focus in your priorities. Thankfully, there are numerous options and integrations to do exactly that. With this in thoughts, beneath are 3 ways to be extra productive with Outlook Calendar.

1. Categorize Your Calendar

Conferences are a part of the norm in at present’s skilled world. With the typical employee having 25.6 conferences per week, or simply over 5 per day, they’ll disrupt your productiveness. Whereas Outlook Calendar received’t reduce the time you spend in conferences per se, there are functionalities to method your calendar higher. One in all which is utilizing Outlook Classes. That is Outlook’s labeling system, permitting you to categorise objects inside your Calendar, and kind, and filter them extra simply.

Along with leveraging Classes for occasions and conferences, it can be used for emails, duties, and your To-Do checklist (extra on that function later). To create a brand new Class, choose from the Categorize drop-down menu on the Dwelling tab.

Outlook has pre-identified Classes based mostly on a coloration system, just like the ‘blue class’ and ‘inexperienced class.’ You possibly can edit these Classes and rename them as you please. There are 25 colours obtainable, so you could have a Crayola crayon field at your disposal to pick the most effective one for every Class.

Assigning totally different colours to every Class lets you rapidly take a look at your calendar and see the place your priorities are for that day.

After all, to keep away from your calendar wanting like a whole rainbow, use Classes mindfully! Outlook will prioritize your high Classes, however attempt to delete ones as soon as a undertaking is full. Doing so is pretty easy beneath the ‘Edit Classes’ dropdown. It will can help you focus in your most pressing duties and decategorize ones not wanted.

2. Make To-Do Lists

In case you’re studying this text, likelihood is you’re a fan of to-do lists. When you will not be a fan of getting to get so a lot in your checklist, these lists will help you keep on observe. Outlook’s To-Do checklist is a approach to remind your self of sure duties at a selected time. This function, positioned inside Outlook’s Process folder, lets you identify the duty, add a precedence, and set a date. So if you wish to reserve a desk at a sought-after restaurant, you’ll be able to remind your self on a specific day to e-book it.

Within the newest model of Outlook, you’ll be able to show your checklist always whereas your Calendar is open. This offers you a greater sense of all that you should accomplish on a specific day. Duties might be created manually, resembling probing your self to e-book a dinner reservation or created proper out of your inbox. In case you obtain an essential e-mail however don’t have time to have a look at it instantly, you’ll be able to flip it right into a process for later. To take action, click on on the flag and choose the suitable dropdown, resembling ‘Comply with up At the moment.’

In case you’re actually having fun with the To-Do checklist performance, chances are you’ll take into account leveraging Microsoft’s To Do app as nicely. It is a extra superior process administration app with larger capabilities than the standalone Outlook. It’s cross-functional, which means it is going to work together with your present Outlook Calendar and might be accessed throughout your gadgets. ‘My Day,’ a function inside the app, predicts and personalizes your process checklist every day or weekly. So if you happen to usually put together in your group’s weekly assembly on Tuesday evenings, the app will counsel including it to your weekly checklist.

3. Modify Your Assembly Settings

This tip is for you in case you are at all times a couple of minutes late to your conferences. Adjusting your assembly settings beneath Calendar Choices will help make sure you present up on time. The default reminder is quarter-hour earlier than a gathering, however that will not be sufficient time for you. You might miss the notification if you happen to’re on the workplace and away out of your desk. Or, chances are you’ll discover that quarter-hour is a tad too lengthy, and also you’d prefer to be nudged 5 minutes earlier than a gathering begins.

Including totally different time zones to your calendar is one other trick to avoid wasting you time whereas establishing conferences. That is particularly nice for hybrid or distant groups with staff throughout the nation or the world.

Determining what time of day it’s for them might have you ever going to Google to have a look at the time distinction. As an alternative, you’ll be able to add a number of time zones to your calendar beneath the Time Zones part in Outlook Calendar. From there, you’ll be able to appropriately identify the brand new time zone, resembling ‘Los Angeles’ or ‘Tokyo,’ and schedule conferences with out referencing Google.

Additionally, in case you are distant or work with distant staff, take into account robotically turning all of your assembly invitations into on-line conferences. This performance is constructed into your calendar invitations if you happen to make the most of Microsoft Groups for video conferencing.

Nonetheless, it additionally works with different platforms, together with Zoom, Cisco WebEx Scheduler, Google Meet, BlueJeans Conferences, JioMeet, and GoTo. Keep in mind that you could be have to obtain a unique app, resembling Zoom for Outlook, for full integration throughout the platforms. As soon as it’s up and operating, nonetheless, you’ll by no means need to frantically ship out a Zoom hyperlink instantly earlier than the assembly begins!

Ultimate Ideas

Scheduling your day for productiveness is simpler mentioned than executed. You could have a set of priorities initially of the day, however an impediment might have you ever switching gears by lunchtime. With Outlook Calendars’ varied options, you’ll be able to keep on process and on high of your precedence checklist.

Whether or not you might be sharing an workplace area together with your teammate or working remotely, Outlook Calendar is there in your wants. Make the most of the shared Outlook Calendar ideas and tips to handle your time higher and maximize your every day accomplishments.

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