I know work (and personal) calendars can get pretty hectic. Here are some tips & tools to help focus on what's important and to save time on scheduling new appointments.
1. Color coding - There are many different ways to color code your calendar, so you'll have to pick something that works best for you. I find that color-coding helps people focus on what's important and assists them in preparing for meetings. Here are some options:
a. Internal vs. External
b. Work vs. Personal
c. Meetings with Executives/boards vs. peers vs. direct reports
d. Recurring vs. single occurrence meetings
e. Meetings that need preparation vs. meetings where attendance only is necessary
f. A combination of the above or something else depending on your own calendar!
2. Calendly - This is a great tool to send to external parties so that they can sign up for a time that works for them in available slots on your calendar. Calendly automatically sends an invite with your preferred meeting requirements (Zoom, phone call, etc.). It also allows the recipient to cancel or reschedule with the click of a button!
3. Vimcal - Want to provide a few more options to external parties and have a little bit more control? With Vimcal, you highlight the portion of your day that you're free and it automatically converts that to a usable text format to add to an email. This is great for people who might have items on their calendar that can be easily moved (since Calendly only sees open spots).
4. Doodle - This tool helps several parties decide on a time. Select some possible options and let the other people you want to meet with vote on which slots work for them. Doodle is so much easier than a lengthy email chain!
5. Virtual Assistant - If the above isn't enough, a virtual assistant can help! A VA will learn your preferences and knows which meetings are moveable, priority, etc. Virtual assistants take care of all of the back-and-forth with scheduling, calendar rearranging, color-coding, calendar invitations, sending Doodles, etc. so that you can focus on getting work done!
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