Google Calendar just added a long-requested feature that lets users block off time to work on specific tasks, and it’s coming to every level of Workspace and personal Gmail accounts. This makes organizing to-do list items much easier for people with productivity in mind. Instead of using clunky workarounds, like scheduling “meetings” with themselves, users can now choose an empty slot in Google Calendar and pick the Task option to add a title and description. There’s even a do-not-disturb setting that mutes notifications during focused work time.
When scheduling a task, users can mark themselves busy, set the task’s duration, and adjust visibility so others know (or don’t) when they are occupied. The task will appear in both the calendar and the Google Tasks list, with reminders continuing until the user marks it as done. Users can also assign deadlines to tasks, but for now, only a date can be set, not a specific time.
Google is rolling the new tool out to Workspace and personal Gmail users in waves. Rapid Release domains began receiving the update on Nov. 6, while Standard Release will start on Dec. 1, with the feature enabled by default.