Finding Time Using Google Calendar

Like most people, I have a variety of interests. In an effort to discover more time in my schedule, I created a Google Calendar. In it I first put what I routinely do. These were things that you sort of move through without thinking. Then came things that you have to do like laundry, bathing, feeding animals, making food, etc. Next came work hours. After all that, I added things I make time for like watching football on Sundays. For me that day also involves making the snacks that we eat during football. For my husband, this is a very important part of the football experience. So anyway, since you are able to choose colors for the entries, it makes it very easy to sort through at a glance.

While making an entry into a Google Calendar, it asks you about notifications. This is where Google sends you a notification about one of your created entries. This is done by email at intervals that you decide, like if you want to be reminded you that you have an appointment, it will allow you to decide how far in advance of the appointment you want a notification(s). If you're on your computer, it also sends you popups of the appointment. I thought that was pretty nifty.

It all sounded great to me. The notifications could keep me on track. You see, one of my enduring problems is that I get to concentrating on something and loose time and then I'm trying to make up for it all day.

I completed my calendar and the funny thing is a few days later my employer asked me to send them my schedule. I thought really? I'm not going to make an entirely new and separate calendar for them and what do I care if they know that I'm up making dog food for my dogs or that I take a bath before I come to work. It's not as though my life is that of an international spy. I'm a housewife when I'm not at work. So, I just sent them the calendar and told them “You are the green entries.” The next time I saw our company President, she looked confused and said she just “couldn't deal” with my calendar. I thought, "Well, no shit." Neither could I. I was still getting things done, but I was annoyed all day.


Here's the problem. I started feeling that the notifications from the Google Calendar were harassing, more so than my family members who wanted to know the status of the things that I do for our family. I created the darned thing to help me find more time. Instead, it was telling me that I'm always behind, like I needed a reminder of that. I turned the notifications off. There, I found more freaking time! Take that you popups.

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