I was making plans with someone today via email, and as I use gmail as my client, I noticed something: there’s a little button above the text entry area (up in the right corner) that says “Add Event Info.” I clicked this, and right there inline, was the option to throw the plans right there into my Google Calendar. Oh, and it auto-generated a .ics file, in case my mail recipient had iCal and wanted to load the same event in.

How simplified a workflow is that? Make plans with someone via gmail, and at the same time, set up the event in your Google Calendar. In-line. Talk about easy.

If you’re using Gmail but not Google Calendar, reconsider. It certainly streamlines the flow of information.

–Chris Brogan is a regular writer for Lifehack.org . He’s an irregular writer elsewhere.