Google Calendar has rolled out a new feature that lets users block off time for tasks while marking themselves as busy. The update expands on the existing Tasks functionality and addresses something Workspace users have been asking for for a while. Tasks can now be managed much like meetings — you can set specific time blocks, adjust them as needed, activate a “do not disturb” setting, and automatically decline incoming meeting requests during your designated focus time. You can also assign a deadline to a task, though for now only the date can be set — specific deadline times aren’t available yet.
If you rely on your calendar to manage your workload, this is probably the Tasks upgrade you’ve been waiting for. Tasks launched as a standalone app in 2018 and has picked up a string of updates since then, including reminders imported from Google Keep and the addition of completion dates. The new feature is available to all Workspace customers, individual subscribers, and personal Gmail users. The rollout started on November 6 for Rapid Release domains, with broader access expected by mid-December.
For anyone used to blocking out time in Outlook, or who just lives by a well-structured calendar, this should make it much easier to protect chunks of your day and signal to colleagues that you’re heads-down. The key difference from the existing “Focus Time” feature is that the updated Tasks feature lets you tie a specific time slot to a specific task — not just carve out a general buffer.
To try it, open Google Calendar and click on an empty time block. Select “Task” from the options that appear, and go from there.
