How to add and customize a Google Calendar to separate your work and personal schedules

Aside from the paper calendar that hangs in the kitchen that my wife keeps updated, my Google calendars are the only place I record upcoming meetings, events, birthdays, and anything else I need to remember.

I love using Google Calendar because, unlike a note jotted down on paper, I can't lose it. And I can access it from my computer, tablet, or phone from anywhere on earth I have web access.

Adding a new Google Calendar is a quick and easy process, and it's worth mastering. Keeping separate calendars for different areas of your life helps you compartmentalize your work and home schedules.

Just make sure you cross-reference each of your calendars when making plans, as it's easy to forget what you have on each individual calendar.

How to add a new Google Calendar and customize it

1. Log into your Google account, then click the Google Apps logo, which is the square formed by nine dots at the top right corner of the screen.

2. Click on the Calendar icon, which is a blue box with the number 31 on it.

Open Google Calendar. Steven John/Business Insider

3. Locate the words "Other calendars" on the taskbar at the left and click the plus symbol (+) beside it.

Click the plus sign to open a menu where you can create a new calendar. Steven John/Business Insider

4. Click the words "Create new calendar."

5. On the page that appears, enter a calendar name, an optional description, and select your preferred time zone, then hit the blue box that reads "Create calendar."

Enter in your calendar's information, including its name. Steven John/Business Insider

And there you have it, your brand new Google Calendar.