10 Google Workspace Tips & Tricks You Probably Didn't Know!

1. Schedule Your Emails Like a Time Wizard

Have you ever written an email late at night but didn’t want to send it until morning? Here’s your solution!

Gmail lets you schedule emails for later. It’s perfect for:

• Sending work emails during business hours (even if you wrote them at midnight)
• Following up with clients at the right time
• Sending birthday messages or reminders

Here’s how to do it:

1. Write your email like normal
2. Look for the little arrow next to the “Send” button
3. Click it and choose “Schedule send”
4. Pick your perfect time – done!

Real example: You’re in Dubai working on a proposal at 11 PM, but you want it to arrive in your client’s inbox at 9 AM tomorrow. Schedule it, and you look like the most organized person ever!

2. Turn Google Calendar Into Your Personal Assistant

Did you know Google Calendar can automatically tell people when you’re available? This trick will save you hours of back-and-forth emails!

Set up your working hours:

1. Open Google Calendar
2. Click the gear icon (Settings)
3. Find “Working Hours & Location”
4. Set your available days and times

Create appointment slots:
This is perfect if you’re a consultant, teacher, or anyone who needs to manage meetings. People can book time with you directly through Google Calendar!

Why this rocks: No more “Are you free Tuesday?” emails. Your calendar does the talking!

3. Work on Google Docs Without Internet (Yes, Really!)

Imagine this: You’re on a flight from Dubai to Sharjah, and suddenly you remember you need to finish that important document. No WiFi? No problem!

Turn on offline mode:

1. Open Google Docs
2. Click the three lines (menu button)
3. Go to Settings
4. Turn on “Available offline”

Now you can keep working even when your internet decides to take a break. Your changes will sync automatically when you’re back online. Pretty neat, right?

4. Organize Gmail Like a Filing Cabinet

Are you drowning in emails? Let’s fix that! Gmail’s label system is like having a super-organized filing cabinet.

Create smart labels:

• Hot Projects (for urgent work)
• Waiting For (when you need someone to get back to you)
• UAE Clients (for local business)
• Read Later (for interesting but non-urgent emails)

Pro tip: Use colors for your labels. Make urgent stuff red, personal stuff blue, and work stuff green. Your brain will thank you!

5. Let Gmail Write Emails for You (Smart Compose)

What if Gmail could predict what you want to write? It can! Smart Compose suggests text as you type.

Turn it on:

1. Go to Gmail Settings
2. Look for “Smart Compose”
3. Turn it on

Example: Start typing “I hope you’re having a great…” and Gmail might suggest “day” or “week.” Just press Tab to accept the suggestion.

This feature learns your writing style and gets better over time. It’s like having a writing assistant who knows exactly how you talk!

6. Look Professional in Video Calls with Google Meet

Tired of messy backgrounds during video calls? Google Meet has some cool tricks to make you look super professional.

Background blur and effects:

• Click the three dots during a meeting
• Choose “Apply visual effects”
• Blur your background or choose a professional setting

Other neat Meet features:

• Noise cancellation (bye-bye, construction sounds!)
• Live captions (perfect for international calls)
• Recording (so you never miss important details)

These features work great whether you’re calling clients in Oman or team members in Sharjah!

7. Share Files That Self-Destruct (Sort Of)

Want to share a document but don’t want it floating around forever? Google Drive lets you set expiration dates on shared files.

How to do it:

1. Right-click any file in Google Drive
2. Choose “Share”
3. Click “Advanced”
4. Set an expiration date

Perfect for:

• Temporary project access
• Sensitive documents
• Client presentations

The file doesn’t actually disappear, but people lose access to it. Smart, right?

8. Turn Your Voice Into Text

Hate typing long documents? Google Docs can turn your speech into text!

Voice typing steps:

1. Open Google Docs
2. Go to Tools → Voice typing
3. Click the microphone icon
4. Start talking!

Tips for better results:

• Speak clearly (but you don’t need to sound like a robot)
• Say “period” for punctuation
• Say “new line” to start a new paragraph

This works in both English and Arabic, which is super helpful for businesses across the UAE!

9. Create Booking Pages Like a Pro

Are you constantly playing email tag to schedule meetings? Google Calendar can create a booking page where people can schedule time with you directly.

Set it up:

1. Go to Google Calendar
2. Click the “+” next to “Other calendars”
3. Choose “Appointment schedules”
4. Set your available times
5. Share the booking link

This is perfect for:

• Client consultations
• Team one-on-ones
• Customer support calls

Your clients in Dubai can book time with you at 2 AM if they want – the system handles everything!

10. Let Google Drive Show You What’s Important

Google Drive’s Priority feature is like having a personal assistant who knows what you need.

How it works:

• Drive uses AI to predict which files you’ll need
• It looks at your calendar, recent activity, and sharing patterns
• Important files appear in a special “Priority” section

To find it:

1. Open Google Drive
2. Look for “Priority” in the left sidebar
3. Check it regularly for suggested files

Example: You have a client meeting tomorrow about Project X. Drive might automatically surface all Project X documents in your Priority section. It’s like mind reading!