I’m rarely the first to find the cool and useful tools…but I usually find a way to use them in such a way for maximum usefulness for what I do. Since my system has been useful to at least one other person recently, I thought I’d share what I do. Caution…if you don’t use gmail in any way, this will be useless to you…and shame on you for not using gmail. Also…if you’re an organization guru, this won’t impress you. This is for regular people that are drowning in their own appointments, details and to-do lists.
1. I have ALWAYS used an email/calendaring client of some kind. Back in the day, I used Eudora lite…now, I’m a faithful MS Outlook user (Ical would be sufficient if you’re a slave to Steve Jobs). My reasons are really simple. First, Outlook is still heavily used and therefore heavily supported by 3rd party software (add-ins). Case in point, the “Getting things Done” add in is simply great and a must if you’re a GTD fan (if you even know what that is). If you’re not, don’t worry…my system is not dependent on this. The other reason for using an email/calendaring client on your computer (for popping your email) was highlighted the other day when gmail went down for half the world. If you don’t pop your mail and do your calendaring from your machine, you had no access to your account. Plus, it’s always smart to have a copy of your mail on your computer, IMO.
2. Ok…so when you choose an email/calendar client, use THAT calendar as your go-to appoinment making calendar. Be disciplined about this. Refuse to make appointments until you’ve been able to check with that particular calendar. If you have to, email yourself from your phone to remind yourself to look at appointment options for a meeting.
3. Alright…after establishing your desktop client, download the google sync for syncing your client calendar to your gmail calendar. Set it up so that the gmail calendar always gets synced with your client calendar and that your client calendar is never affected by the gmail calendar. The goal is to have ONE calendar…your client calendar…that is your go-to for making appointments and creating tasks (plus, gmail calendar doesn’t do tasks…yet).
4. Now…if you’re an iphone or blackberry (or some other smart device) user, download the google tools for your phone (this will include sync in addition to many other tools). Set your phone/device to RECEIVE appointments/updates from your gmail calendar. Don’t allow your phone to update your gmail calendar. This is meant to be a one-way procedure. Gmail should ALWAYS update the phone.
4. Quick aside: Why the one-way syncing? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of syncing? Well…yes. But practically speaking, I’ve noticed that many people’s calendars get messed up when the sync gets confused (which it sometimes does when syncing two or more devices/machines). Allowing a “one-way street” of data ensures one origin point for any creation or edits. I’ve yet to have the one-way approach fail me like the two (or three) way approach has failed me.
5. Quick aside 2: Why go through gmail? Simple–convenience. While you could USB sync your phone/device with your computer or even do this wirelessly with some phone/computer combos, this is usually a manual procedure for most people. Under my method, Gmail calendar is updated in the background while you’re working (and not thinking about it). Further, gmail calendar will update your phone wirelessly without you thinking about it. You only have to worry about your calendaring client being up to date. Gmail sync pretty much handles everything else without you thinking about it. This is priceless in my opinion.
Let me give an example of how this all works out. I’m in the lobby after church and someone wants to meet with me. I tell them I can’t make a meeting without my calendar in front of me. So either ask them to email me some times they’re available OR I email it to myself right there from my blackberry.
On Monday morning, I look at the email they’ve probably sent me and determine which date/time works. I confirm the date/time via email and make the appointment on my Outlook calendar. I go about my business. Meanwhile…over the next 30 minutes, gmail calendar has synced with my desktop calendar and now has the appointment. Shortly after that, my blackberry is updated by my gmail calendar.
This all occurs while I’m either working or whatever. Later in the day, I’m out and about (away from my calendar and internet) and look at my blackberry and see that the appointment I made earlier is on my phone without me having done anything. Genius. Technology has literally worked for me while I work on other things–the way things SHOULD be. 
Ok…without the rationalization and detailed explainations…here’s the simple low-down on what to do:
1. Make appointments from your client/computer calendar only.
2. Have google sync already setup on your calendar to sync ONE-WAY with your gmail calendar (gmail calendar is always updated by your client calendar).
3. Have google sync on your phone/device already setup to sync one-way with your gmail calendar (phone/device is always updated by your gmail calendar).
4. Enjoy technology that works FOR you.
This is only one way for things to work…but it’s extremely effective after having lived it for many months. If you know of any tweaks to this, I’d love to know about them. I’m always in the pursuit of freeing my time more. But a word of warning. I don’t consider “get an iphone” to be a tweak. That’s for all you iphone snobs out there.
My only wish is that gmail calendar would sync my outlook tasks as well. As it is, I STILL need to manually connect my computer to my phone/device for task updates. This is only a minor irritant, since appointments are much more timely and critical than tasks in my system (which is based on GTD).
