Shut the front door!
Ever feel like you’re being pulled in all sorts of directions at work? Jack needs something, then Natalie, then Jess, the list goes on… and now it’s almost lunchtime and you haven’t started on your tasks for the day (cue internal screaming)!
Not everyone’s emergency is your emergency
Thankfully, Google Workspace is about to launch a new little feature in Google Calendar to help us stem the flow of persistent incoming messages. Because as much as your coworkers need to get their tasks done – so do you. Your time is valuable. It’s not sustainable to help everyone the minute they need your input. You’re going to catch burnout and that’s a hard no.
So, back in 2021, Google introduced something called the “focus time entry type” in Calendar. Basically, it allowed you to mark specific time slots as dedicated focus time for yourself. This was great because when you combined it with the “do not disturb” setting in Google Chat, you could protect that time from any distractions and really concentrate on your work.
Now, in 2023, they’ve added a new feature that allows you to make focus time work for you using Google Calendar, right from Calendar itself. This means that not only can you avoid interruptions from Google Chat, but you won’t be bothered by any notifications either. It’s like creating a super-concentrated zone just for you.
You are now entering the Concentration Zone
Now, let’s talk about how you can get started with this awesome feature. If you’re an admin, there’s no special control you need to worry about. But if you’re an end user, you can easily mute Google Chat notifications when you add a Focus time entry in Calendar. All you have to do is check the “Do not disturb” box, and you’re good to go! Ahh, now you can work in sweet, sweet silence (or with music, your choice).
When can we start making Focus Time work for us?
For those in the Rapid Release domains, the rollout will happen gradually over a period of up to 15 days starting from the 28th of June 2023. And for those in the Scheduled Release domains, the rollout will start on the 12th of July 2023, also taking up to 15 days for everyone to have access to the feature.
Oh, and one more thing! This feature is available to Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Business Standard, Business Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, and Nonprofits. So, if you fall into any of those categories, you’re in luck!
Now go forth and focus!
Now you can successfully Make Focus Time work for you using Google Calendar’s New Update.
For more Google Workspace updates, click here.
