Appointment Slots Archives • TechNotes Blog

1. Prioritize your tasks.

One of the most effective ways to save time is to prioritize your tasks. Make a list of everything you need to do and rank tasks in order of importance. Focus on completing the most important tasks first, and don’t waste time on tasks that can wait. I’ve always been a fan of making lists of what I need to complete each day. It helps keep me on track, and I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot if I can mark tasks off my list.

2. Plan your day.

Taking a few minutes each day to plan your schedule can help you save time and avoid wasting time on unimportant tasks. Plan your day by scheduling blocks of time for different tasks, and make sure you stick to your schedule as closely as possible. When I create my list of tasks, I like to estimate the amount of time each task will take. I try to be realistic about how much time I have available so I don’t overload my schedule. At the end of the day, I review my progress and adjust my plan as needed.

3. Use time-saving tools.

There are many technology tools available that can help you save time. For example, task management apps like Trello or Todoist can help you prioritize tasks and track your progress. Chrome extensions like RescueTime, StayFocusd, or Momentum can help you stay focused and avoid distractions while you’re working on your computer. Using scheduling tools like Appointment Slots, Doodle, or Calendly can help you easily schedule appointments. This will help reduce the time you spend on scheduling so you can focus on those important tasks you need to complete.

4. Eliminate distractions.

Distractions are one of the biggest ways we waste time. Whether it’s checking your email constantly, scrolling through social media, or being constantly interrupted by messages, distractions can take up valuable time that could be better spent on other tasks. To save time, it’s important to eliminate distractions as much as possible to stay focused on the task at hand. Put your cell phone on focus mode or tuck it away, out of sight. Close your email while you work on tasks. Put a sign on your door to let people know at what time you will be available. Set office hours so people know when they can stop by. All these options can help you maintain focus and boost productivity.

Saving time is a matter of being organized, planning ahead, and taking advantage of technology tools. By prioritizing your tasks, planning your day, and eliminating distractions, you can maximize your time.

Google has recently made some major improvements to their solution for scheduling appointments using Google Calendar. Appointment Schedules make it possible for any individual to use the system regardless of what email server they use. This new solution also sets up a booking page making it super easy for individuals to find and use.

Getting Started with Appointment Schedules

In order to get started using the new Appointment Schedules, you first need to turn it on in your Google Calendar settings.

On a computer, open Google Calendar.
Click on the gear icon and scroll through the general settings to Appointment schedules.
Check the box next to Create appointment schedules instead of appointment slots.
- To turn off appointment schedules, uncheck the box.

Create an Appointment Schedule

You can only create an appointment schedule on your calendar in week or day view, so make sure one of those two views is enabled.

1. Create an event as you normally would, but select Appointment schedule instead of Event, and then title it.

2. Determine how long each meeting will last and choose the block of time for these appointments.

Scheduling Options

You have some options for when the scheduling window will open, how far in advance individuals can sign-up for an appointment, and when individuals may reserve an appointment. It is important to remember that time slots won’t show up on your calendar until they meet the criteria you set in the Scheduling Window. For example, if you determine that individuals cannot sign up for an appointment until two weeks before the appointment, you won’t see any available slots on your calendar three weeks from now. However, in a week, they will be there because you are now two weeks before that date.

Create a Buffer Time

You can also add some buffer time between appointments and choose how many bookings you want in a day. This is nice if you want to give yourself some time to take care of personal needs or take breaks between appointments.

Booking Page

As mentioned above, one of the best features of Appointment Schedules is that you direct individuals to your Appointment Schedules webpage, not your calendar. For each schedule, you have the ability to pre-determine if these appointments will be in person, on the phone, via Google Meet, or to be determined later. You can also provide a description of the appointments.

To sign-up, individuals will click on a slot and insert their information. Because I set up the example below as phone call appointments, the phone number field is required.

Once they complete the set-up process, individuals will get a confirmation for their appointment in their email as well as a calendar invite to add it to their calendar.

To get to your booking page, click on one of the appointment schedule events on your calendar. It will open up a box that has a link to your booking page.

Practice Makes Perfect

Since Google has given us more options, it may take some practice for you to become familiar with how appointment scheduling works. So my advice is to create some to practice! Google has all the information you need to use this new feature on their Google Calendar Support site.

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