How I Use Google Calendar to Stay Aligned (Not Just Organized)

There was a time when I used to wake up and check WhatsApp first thing in the morning.

Then Instagram.

Then my email.

Then I'd sit staring at my screen wondering what to do next.

I thought I had a productivity problem.

But the real issue?

I had no alignment.

I didn’t know what mattered today. Or this week. Or in my life.

That’s when I started experimenting with Google Calendar. Not just as a tool to dump tasks. But as a space to align my life with what actually matters to me.

I don't fill every minute. I highlight the right ones.

I used to cram my calendar with too much. Now I do the opposite.

Every Sunday evening, I sit with a cup of tea and ask:

What are the non-negotiables this week?

Things that actually move me forward — not just keep me busy.

• One hour for writing
• 30 mins for a walk
• Time to call my parents
• Two deep work sessions for Prosnic

I mark these in color — usually green or orange.

Green = Energy

Orange = Focus

Everything else? I keep it light. Optional. Flexible.

I block time for thinking. Yes, thinking.

We schedule meetings.

We schedule calls.

But when do we schedule clarity?

I started adding 15–30 min “Pause Blocks” to just sit and think. Sometimes with a notebook, sometimes without. Just staring out the window is okay too.

You’d be surprised how much your brain solves when you give it silence.

I use recurring events for values, not goals.

I don’t like rigid goal systems anymore. They make me feel guilty when I slip.

Instead, I use recurring calendar blocks for my values:

• “Move your body” – repeats every morning
• “Create before you consume” – 7AM daily
• “Be available” – 6PM to 7PM (for family, calls, life)

Even if I don’t follow them perfectly, they remind me of what I stand for.

That’s way more powerful than a to-do list.

I share my calendar with no one.

It’s private. 100%.

Because this space is not for performance.

It’s for alignment.

I’m not here to impress anyone with how packed my day looks. I’m here to make sure I don’t get lost in distractions that aren’t mine.

Some practical hacks I use:

• Color code by energy: Green (important), Yellow (meetings), Blue (low effort tasks)
• Set notifications 5 minutes before, not 30 — so I don’t lose momentum
• End every day with a 10-min “reset” event — where I ask, “Did I live aligned today?”

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I don’t use Google Calendar to be productive. I use it to stay in tune with myself.

That’s the shift that changed everything.

If you’re feeling scattered, don’t start with goals.

Start with a calendar that reflects your real life.

Not just tasks — but energy, purpose, values.

You’ll start feeling more aligned than you’ve felt in months.

At least, I did.

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