One of the best ways to keep your wellness business in order is by using an online calendar. In this article I’ll explain some of the things you want to connect to your calendar and why it’s important to keep it up to date.
You can use Google Calendar, Apple calendar or Outlook calendar. Just make sure that your choice integrates with everything you use. I use both Google and Apple Calendars and have them integrated together so everything is in step.
You don't hae to choose just one. I have a calendar associated with my gmail account that is my personal calendar. This is also my default Apple calendar.
How to connect Apple to Google
If you want to see your Google calendar on Apple devices, you can go into settings on your Apple device. Here is Google’s method for doing this. Alternatively you can use the Google calendar url and subscribe that way to a single calendar.
And Google to Google
If you have more than one Gmail or Google account you can invite each account to the other so you can see both calendars in the same place. Click on the calendar you want to share then click Share with specific people or groups and enter the email address for your other calendar.
What about Outlook?
I have to admit that I pretty much gave up on Outlook when I quit my job. I’ve had a few brief encounters with it since then, but find it’s the hardest system to wrap my head around. It also seems less supported by most software that small business users are using.
But if you come from the corporate world, or you use other Microsoft products, this might be the calendar you choose. You may also want a Google calendar for better integration with other platforms.
Be careful inviting people from your calendar
With Google the default is to send out a Google meet link so if you’re using Zoom, you’ll want to change that to avoid confusion. I’ve also seen where the email gets deleted when you accept the meeting. Which can be a problem if you are on an account that doesn’t have a Google calendar connected to it. You’ll want to test this out with another email account to make sure it’s working.
Scheduling tool
Keeping your scheduling tool connected to your personal calendar is important. This way if you book a dentist appointment you don’t have to change your availability.
And also make sure that you block off time for vacations and for national holidays that you’re taking off. I live in Canada and I’ve often had people book appointments on holidays because ours are different from the US and I forgot to block it off.
Make sure you set your scheduling tool up for buffer time. You want time between appointments and travel time for things like dentist appointments included.
Project management tool
You’ll also want to connect your project management tool to your calendar. This makes it possible to easily add important dates to your calendar. For example if you have a launch in March, you’ll know not to schedule appointments for that week. You’ll just need to share your project management calendar with your main calendar.
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Time blocking
You can take it one step further and use your calendar for time blocking. This can be done by directly adding blocks to your calendar app or with your project management tool. I recommend using a different calendar for time blocking so you can decide if this is time that should be available or not when syncing with other apps.
Add a family calendar
If you have a busy family, having a family calendar is essential. You can add family vacations, after school sports and dentist appointments to this and share it with everyone in the family. My boys are adults now, so I don’t have the time blocked off as unavailable, but we still use it. I can see when they are away for weekend, and things like that.
Subscribe to other important calendars
You can keep your schedule up to date by also subscribing to other calendars. Your school district might have a calendar of important events that you can subscibe to. Courses that include live calls, will often have a calendar that you can subscribe to. My son added his university schedule to a calendar and let us subscribe. Nice for knowing when to expect him home for dinner, or when he’s off for break week.
You can toggle the views of these calendars on and off so your calendar doesn’t get too busy. Things like my son’s university schedule are useful to know, but it’s not something I want cluttering up my main calendar.
Find a calendar app that works for you
If you are using a calendar to organize your business, then find an app for your devices that works for you. I use Apple devices, but I like the look of Google calendars better, especially on my phone. I find that Google makes much better use of screen space. There are also many other apps available for calendars and planners if you don’t like the standard options. And if you like pencil and paper there are Apple pencil planners that integrate with your online calendars.
Summary
Even if you’re a paper and pencil type, I highly recommend using an online Calendar to keep track of your business and your life. This is the best way to avoid overbooking and overcommitting yourself.
