Why Your Calendar Should Be Your To-Do List (Task Manager)

Most to-do list apps do a poor job of integrating with your schedule. Even if they do show your calendar, you probably have to view it on a separate screen. Here's how you can turn your calendar app into the ultimate productivity tool.

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Let's Connect!

Scott Friesen is a productivity specialist and founder of Simpletivity training and consulting. He is also a prolific public speaker, workshop leader, and time management coach.

[carlosallanofficial]

Hi, great video! Changing my to do list to calendar one year ago changed my life. I'm using this in Outlook, with the Followup flag, and with some rules and quick steps I'm able even to replace my Inbox for the calendar view. I even made a video to share in my office to explain my colleges.

[legslikewhoa]

I just merged my calendar blocking and tasks and it’s changed the game. It’s much more efficient to see everything laid out in one program.

[kovanovsky]

I have never thought of this simple system for some reason. I have abandoned my to-do list system dozens of time. I think this is the way to go since I use my calendar everyday.

Thanks bro! You're awesome!

[AdviserResources]

I've been doing what you suggest for several years already. It's definitely a good way to manage life! Another thing you might consider doing is to colour code your events and tasks. It helps you see at a glance how you're allocating your time to the various areas in your life.

[atlbrysco]

This is something that I have been doing for several years, ever since attending a time management course from Franklin-Covey and how to stay on top of things. One additional recommendation that I would add to the video is that it is important in your calendar to actually SCHEDULE TIME FOR TASKS - putting tasks at the top as an "all day" item is perfectly fine, but when you treat them as ad hoc whenever you get time to complete them, we never seem to find that time. Add a block in your calendar to set aside time and specifically concentrate on tasks that you have in the task area frame so you do actually get them done and they don't have to be deferred. This time box can be iterative (say, from 10a to 12p every day) or can be an hour here or there in separate blocks that can be conveniently moved as required for other more prioritized needs.

Also, to address some of the concerns from people below - this method is most definitely meant to be the "be all, end all" of task management for all people. I personally use Microsoft Outlook - tasks management in Outlook allows you to add attachments, links, notes, and other bits of information as well as track percentages of tasks completion, assignment to other people, and deferment status as required to a task. As such, it integrates well with other Office enterprise applications such as Project Manger (for that management piece), OneNote (for notes, bits of thoughts, mind mapping, etc.), Visio (for automated flow of tasks through SharePoint), etc. Tracking the task through Outlook simply reminds me of what needs to happen in what order and [vaguely] when it is due and where I am.

No program will be the ultimate, but this is a good, high-level overview of tasks and a way to keep on top of things to ensure that you don't drop a ball anywhere.

Thanks for a great video!

[JezLerman]

I discovered your videos two days ago. You're content has totally liberated the way I use my laptop, from running Google apps as local apps, to expertly using Google Docs with Keep, to - now - how to use my calendar as a To Do list. In 48-hours you've turned my computing world upside down and back to front. I'm so much more productive (I adopted your A-Z folder system, a revelation unto itself). I've learned so much from you, thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. Your radio voice is sublime, even at 1.5 and 2x normal speed. Sitting here, stunned at the simplicity of your logic. I have at least three tasks and to do apps installed on every device I own, each fuller than the other one with overflowing tasks and never ending lists of to dos. Stunned to discover there's a better way to handle it all, and, even better, when I'm done reorganizing them in the calendar, I can go ahead and uninstall the task and to do apps. Stunned here. Thank you :-)

[christiandevos]

Hello Scott, I use my Google Calendar just like you do. I fill the gaps with to-do things that take some time (like writing a report) but for short messages and tasks I use Google Keep. Because it syncs with the Google Calendar. I only have 4 notes in Google Keep (private tasks, business tasks, tasks in the house...) (for other notes I always use Evernote). In a Google Keep note you can add a reminder and this reminder shows up in the Google Calendar. Very useful and nice looking. Now I have a task list in Google Keep that is synced in my Google Calendar. For me the best way to handle after trying a lot of To-Do apps.

[jahayrac]

This is very clever. I actually started bullet journaling towards the end of last month. I'm allowing myself to start very slow and basic and it's been wonderful for helping me keep on task and be mindful of where to put my time and energy. If you're interested you can look for Ryder Carroll's Bullet Journal Method. I'm currently finishing up his book that he published just last year.
As I've been using this in my day to day I've learned what I need to be productive. I realize that 1) I need block scheduling/ time boxing/ whatever people are calling it 2) I need to see time so that I know when to fit things in. I found your video really helpful because 3) it helps to keep the most important tasks of the day at the forefront of my mind.
I used to find all day events annoying because I know it's happening I'm living it. I don't need to be reminded whenever I looked at my smartwatch or cell. But having the bullet journal helps me to keep track of things in the long term and your technique, coupled with my smartwatch, will help me to see the bigger picture while keeping me on task.

Google now has a "goals" option. I'm curious to see how this works. If you decide to revisit this video I'm curious to see if it's worth your consideration. Thanks for this. ^_^

[dagwould]

A great, practical approach. I do something similar in MS Outlook, on the basis that if it takes time or is related to a date, it has to have an execution period.
My general appraoch there is to check my emails, and when they need time to do something, I make them a calendar event: they have a duration and a date. It needs to be in the calendar. Same in Google.
If I can't get it done, I move the 'appointment with task'. Easy. When its done I put an '=' in front of the title.
If there is a linked group in Outlook I 'tag' it with a classification for project, person/s, place/s. The only problem is I can't sequence them logically, although I can by time. I can also drop other Outlook items into the event, internet links, etc.
Much of this can work in Google/Gmail as well, but not quite as 'richly'.
Still Google can do much of this.
Outlook tasks I use for the 'sometime/later' tasks, but I flag them with a start time, which is my review time, so I can review them before I need to have them done.

[LegacyofPretty]

I ma just getting started with google calendar after running from digital calendars. With a husband and five kids I LOVE IT!! I can pull up my phone in the carpool lane. Alert myself if I need to pick up kids (with five I have forgotten a kid or two) and schedule design studio time. Your videos have helped to so much

[adrian_am]

Best productivity advice ever. It changed my life, I saw this video may be 4 years ago and I started doing it inmediatly until today. Game changing

[latonyasmith]

This is the best idea yet! I look at my calendar all day at work. I love using the all day option for tasks and it limits me to how many I should do that day. I love the time blocking feature where I can schedule tasks around my meeting and when I work best. I am so glad to be a new subscriber! Love your flow, visuals, voice tone and you get to the point. Looking forward to learning more tools from your videos.

[loripennington-joyner]

I have been using google calendar for approximately 10+ years. I never thought to use the all day events for task. Also I am so often on my iPhone using the google calendar. Thank you for sharing this video it made me realize I should use the desktop application more often.

[tmpatklk]

Google Calendar now give the option to choose Event or Task when you click on the all day section of a day. You can add notes if you feel a need for them. Thanks for the video. You did a good job.

[oa]

This is such a great idea! Things like this inspire me, because I'm a mess and a natural procrastinator, but I'm also obsessed with organization, so your videos are just so helpful. Thank you for this! (I'm going to binge all these by the way.)

[jeffersonarmon]

I started using this method this week. Works great so far. I had never thought that the best to-do app could be actually a calendar.

[rogerxavier]

Watching this video from 2017, it's striking how Google Calendar has improved. Great video.

[brianho]

I used to write task list and sorting into 4 priority grades with colour system using MS Excel.
With your idea using Google Calendar as To Do List it further enhances the productive.
It enable to Print my meeting + task each week. It is great!
Thank you

Task_Cat3 - Invoice Jimmy (a)IP02 (b) shoring design

Task Cat1 = Urgent + Important (magenta - purple colour)
Task Cat2 = Urgent + Not Important (yellow colour)
Task Cat3 = No Urgent + Important (green colour)
Task Cat4 = No Urgent + No Important (cyan - blue)
Task Cat5 = Completed (grey colour)

[shining]

Hi, i totally agree. I'm a med student. i use EVERY SINGLE DAY google calendar and google keep because they are synchronized with my phone. and they are awesome, because you can open google keep in google calendar!!!
On google calendar i plan the study (how may page i must study that day and what subject), the exam's date, the internship (they are a lot and in different repartment) and the practice exercise. On google keep i write the "to do list": for example the exam have 12 big section; i create 12 notes "post it like" and in every note i write the subheading.
I LOVE IT!!!!

[XarahDax]

I've watched several of your videos. They are awesome. And I just found out that I can add another time zone. Very cool. The only thing I cannot figure out is how to make my day start at 7 or 8 am instead of 1 am