How you're using it: 5 great ways to use Google Calendar at Cool Mom Tech

Thursday 08 September

How you're using it: 5 great ways to use Google Calendar

It's only been in the last year that I've come to understand the true organizational joy that is Google Calendar. But even with how much I use it, I realize that there are probably a bunch of other uses that could make me more productive.

So for this week's "How You're Using It" feature, I asked fans on Facebook and Twitter to share how you're using Google Calendar. And wow, I'm so glad I asked.

- I use it to to schedule events but I add in the address of the event to the calendar so that come the time of the event, I just click on the event's location and then have it give me driving instructions. -Keith

- I make color-coded calendars for big kids' preschool stuff and the baby's many doctor's appoinments. -LizinProgress

- I keep my husband's calendar up-to-date so that he can't pull the "I didn't know about that" about our family calendar. I love that I can invite him to an event and have it show up on his iPhone. It's like magic! -Kristen

- We have a shared calendar between 6 families that hang out together a lot. We all use it to plan group events or remember important dates in each others' lives. -Dabni

- A college friend made me a half-marathon training program on Google Calendar that I can get on my iPhone with an app so I can access it from anywhere. -MrsARodriguez

Tell us how you're using Google Calendar.

Find More: How You're Using It, Organization, Parents' Lifesavers, Tips and Tricks

5 Comments

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Sheena | September 8, 2011 9:31 AM | Reply

I use it for my cleaning schedule. IF (and that's a big if) I get all of my chores done every day, my house is deep cleaned every month. I have it shared so my friends and family can use it too.

Kace | September 8, 2011 12:28 PM | Reply

I use it for planning recipes--I have a separate calendar called "Meal Planning." If I find a recipe online that I like, then I copy it and create a new event under Meal Planning and paste the recipe in to the event details section. This also helps simplify grocery shopping--on the weekend, I can copy and paste the ingredients list into MSWord, delete the ingredients I already have, and know that when I get home in the evenings, the stuff to make dinner is already there.

Now, I just need an iPad with a stand, so I don't worry about my laptop in the kitchen as I'm cooking! :)

Carol | September 11, 2011 5:04 PM | Reply

I like the Weather forecast calendar. I also use the task feature quite a bit to remind me of things that have no specific due date. It's so easy to just keep moving them forward in time by dragging. Then I can tick them off when completed so that I have a reminder that I completed them. I put prescription refill reminders on the calendar too because I always forget those!

Missy | September 11, 2011 5:20 PM | Reply

I have ours color coded for each family member. My husband and I both have iphones - so we each have CalenGoo installed on our phones, so the color coding stays intact. I love the meal planning idea! I might do that with a link to the recipe, so we can go straight to the website when it's time to cook :)

Cindy | September 15, 2011 1:12 PM | Reply

I add reminders with the Pop-Up feature for everything: calling someone, grabbing something before I leave the house, giving pet medicine monthly, etc. I add websites to the Notes section to easily look for event updates or ticket information. We have a special "Holiday" calendar with holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays that appear annually (notes includes birth year to always know age). I also schedule doctor's appointments from my phone and never need another appointment card again!

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