In early 2018, Google migrated all users to
its newest version of Google Calendar. As
part of this migration, Google Tasks was
integrated more thoroughly with the
calendar itself.
A lot of people already use external to-do
apps to keep their tasks synced with Google,
but keeping track of multiple apps can get
annoying. Instead, why not try out the
powerful, in-house combination of a Google
Task list with Google Calendar? It could
potentially replace any other to-do apps you
might use.
In this article, we'll show you how.
Step 1: Viewing Google
Calendar Tasks
If you haven't customized your task calendar
on Google yet, the default view will look very
plain. Maybe even a little boring.
However, this boring facade can be
extremely deceptive. Enabling Google Tasks
in Google Calendar will add a high degree of
functionality to the app that you might not
otherwise expect.
Now, we understand why some people
might not believe in this functionality. The
Google Tasks app used to be one of the worst
to-do applications online. To integrate more
useful features, you actually had to install
browser add-ons like GTasks.
However, the newest version of Google Tasks
is much more useful. To use it alongside
Google Calendar, enable the Google Tasks
widget by expanding the My
calendars section in the bottom left-hand
corner of your desktop browser.
Check off the checkbox that says Tasks:
Next, go to the right-hand side of your
Google Calendar, and click on the Google
Tasks icon, seen here in red:
When you click on it, Google will dock Google
Tasks on the right-hand side of Google
Calendar. Once Tasks is enabled, you're
ready to add Tasks to the calendar itself.
Step 2: How to Create
a Google To-Do List
A lot of power from this Google Calendar
combination comes from how you organize
your to-do list inside of Google Tasks.
If you haven't read up on how to combine
goal apps with to-do apps, we recommend
that you take some time to do so now. It'll
help you create and organize your list.
After that is done, gather your list of goals
that you want to accomplish, alongside the
associated list of tasks needed to complete
them. Then, click on the Tasks dropdown
menu at the top of the Tasks bar.
There, you will see a selection of previously
created lists. You will also see the
button Create new list.
These lists will be your top-down controls in
Google Calendar. You can either click Create
new list---which will allow you to create a
new task list for high-level goals---or you
can click on one of your previously created
organizational aides.
The choice for which one you use is up to
you.
Inside each list, there will be a spot where
you can create a Google to-do task. To
create a new task, click + Add a task. Start
typing.
The Importance of Subtasks
Inside each individual task, there will also be
the option to create subtasks. Subtasks are
added as regular tasks within each of these
main tasks.
Once you click on a task, you can list all of
the steps you have to take in order to
accomplish that goal. With Google Tasks, the
process of listing subtasks is easy.
Press the Edit icon beside the main task to
open up the Add subtasks option. Click on it,
then type each subtask into the box.
Once that's done, press Enter to insert the
text and move onto the next subtask. You
can see my own process and what that looks
like, here in red:
It's important to give each subtask on your
Google Calendar to-do list a realistic due
date. Remember, you'll be loading all your
goals into the calendar itself. So taking
everything you're planning into
consideration will help you keep those dates
manageable.
If you try to add a due date to a subtask,
you'll notice that you can't add one when
you first create it. You need to go back to
the main list level and add from there.
Once you're back on your main list level,
click on a task to go back into your subtasks.
Add the due date to the subtask by clicking
on the Edit details icon next to it:
After this, you'll see the due date option has
been added to your subtask page.
When you click on Add date, Google will give
you a pop-up calendar where you can
choose a specific day to show when this task
is due.
More Tips

If you use some other to-do app
like Todoist or RememberTheMilk, we
recommend going through this same
process to manually transfer these tasks
over.

By using the same techniques listed
above, Google Tasks and Google Calendar
can do everything those apps can do,
plus more.
Another important thing to consider as
you're adding deadlines is that you should
use an actual start date for when you want
to begin working on the main tasks. Most
apps will place your task in the priority
to-do list based upon when they're due.
The neat thing about Google Tasks
integration, however, is that it will lay this
information out in clean, chronological order
on your calendar.
Step 3: How to Use
Google Task Inside of
Google Calendar
When you enable Tasks in your navigation
menu, it will add every task's due date to
your Google Tasks calendar. If there is no
specific time during the day when this task
is due, you'll see your task listed at the top of
each day that you have a deadline:
This visual display is really helpful for
spotting days during the week when you're
overloaded. To avoid this, we recommend
that you take a look at your upcoming tasks
at the beginning of each week. Try shifting
things around when necessary to level out
your workload.
You can do this by clicking on any of the task
items in your calendar, then clicking on
the Edit icon to change the due date.
After you change the due date, Google
Calendar automatically moves that task to a
new spot in the calendar. A lot of apps lack
this ability to seamlessly shift tasks around
on the fly, and this is the second benefit to
using Google Calendar with Google Tasks.
Without it, it can be difficult to visualize
your workload.
Another quick way you can change the due
date for a task is by clicking and dragging it
to another spot on the calendar:
Step 4: Don't
Over-Schedule Yourself
With the Google Tasks
App
To get into the habit of using Google
Calendar, every morning you should take a
look at it. Double-check your deadlines, and
block off additional time during the day
when you plan to work on your Google tasks.
By planning your day in the mornings, you
give yourself more flexibility for your whole
schedule. This way if something unexpected
happens and you need to shift around the
tasks later, you don't need to rework your
entire schedule to do so.
Whichever frequency you choose---either by
checking your calendar daily, or
weekly---this regular review follows the
important 80/20 rule of time management.
Lastly, it's important to state that with a lot
of apps, your daily to-do list is laid out in a
text-based format. A list might be deceptive
in how you're structuring your workload.
With Google Calendar's visual approach,
however, you'll quickly see whether or not
you actually have enough hours in the day to
accomplish what you want.
More Tips

Include the final due date in the task
note. This is so you know how far you
can push the tasks out if you don't get
them done right away.

Consider using task batching when you
schedule out each day.

Try to keep a healthy balance between
tasks for short term goals and long term
goals.

For Google Tasks recurring in a similar
fashion to an early-morning workout,
make a repeating task that will
automatically refresh for specific days of
the week.

Google Calendar tasks for Android and
iOS can be adjusted on your phone, so
long as you have the Google Calendar
app installed.
Use Google Tasks and
Google Calendar for
Time Management Tips
Using Google Tasks with Google Calendar
keeps the most important goals in front of
you every day. If you aren't satisfied with
this combination, however, no problem. You
may have other productivity apps to choose
from, although we recommend that you at
give Google Tasks a chance.
Having a great scheduling strategy is only
the first step, however. There is so much
more that goes into making sure you're
focused on the most important things.
If you're looking for more great ideas to stay
productive, check out our productivity life
hacks from Reddit that really work.