I have a huge shortcut-tool to share!
Over the last few months I worked on “Calendar Agent”. It works like a smart calendar assistant that schedules your events, tasks and habits for you (inspired by reclaim.ai, but as reclaim does not work for iCloud calendar, I decided to re-create this in Apple Shortcuts).
Here is a teaser trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1y5DyYXX0I
If you want to install it, follow the instructions provided on: https://www.lukaslindnermusic.com/calendar-agent
iCloud-Link to the installer shortcut: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/9ea7795b1c3347deadaaeec8b2eb1af2
(but there are steps necessary before and after running the installer)
I am really curious on what you think! If you checked it out, feel free to give me your feedback! :)
Here is a feature-list:
REARRANGE EVENTS
Add events that automatically take a free slot on your calendar based on how you want it. You can change the following settings for each new event:
Event-Duration
Shrinking: An event can try to shrink down to a specified minimum duration in case there is no fitting slot for the full duration.
Deadline: Events will get planned only before the defined deadline. If there is no fitting slot before the deadline, Calendar Agent will warn you.
Priority: Important events can claim slots of other, less important events if necessary.
Pre/Post Timeblock: Block time before your event starts or after it ends.
Allowed Days: The event will only be scheduled on the selected days.
Assigned Categories: see below under “Settings”
Calendar: The calendar in which to schedule the event.
TASKS
A Task adds daily Rearrange Events (work sessions) over a specified period of time and is perfect for longer projects. There are the following settings:
Task Duration: The total duration you need for your task.
Task Deadline: Work sessions will get planned only before the defined deadline. If there is no fitting slot before the deadline, Calendar Agent will warn you.
Task Priority: Important work sessions can claim slots of other, less important events if necessary.
Session Duration: Minimum and maximum duration for each work session. If you set a task duration as well as a task deadline, the necessary duration for each work session will be suggested/calculated based on those two settings and the selected days.
Session Pre/Post Timeblock: Block time before your work session starts or after it ends.
Session Rearrange Limit: By default, if a daily work session collides with other events, it will get rearranged to the next best slot. This slot could be on any day within the Operation Days. Optionally you can limit the rearranging of work sessions only to the scheduled day of the work session.
Allowed Days: Work sessions will only be scheduled on the selected days.
Assigned Categories: see below under “Settings”
Calendar: The calendar in which to schedule the work sessions.
FIXED EVENT
Create a regular, fixed Calendar Event that won’t get rearranged.
HABITS
Habits are reocurring events (like meals, workouts, time for meditating, naps, etc.). You can set up the following options:
Preferred Time: When should the habit take place ideally.
Duration: How much time do you need for the habit.
Pre/Post Timeblock: Block time before your habit starts or after it ends.
Protected: By default, habits get deleted if there is not enough time left on the day in question. A protected habit will defend its place.
Allowed Days: The habit will only be scheduled on the selected days.
Assigned Categories: see below under “Settings”
Calendar: The calendar in which to schedule the habit.
EDIT TASKS
Edit your existing tasks, for example in case you need more time for a project.
EXCLUDE SLOT
Exclude a Timeslot so that no events will get scheduled within that timeslot.
SETTINGS
Operation Days: The amount of days Calendar Agent will plan ahead.
Active Calendars: The calendars used for creating events, tasks and habits.
Collision Calendars: The calendars used for calculating free timeslots and collisions.
Categories: Categories are defined timeslots on a day (for example the category “Morning” could be set to 09:00 to 12:00). Each event, task or habit gets assigned to one or more categories. Events of a category are only scheduled within those timeslots.
Preset for new events, tasks and habits: Set up a preset for the selected days and categories to create events even faster.
Rearrange Mode: By default, everytime you close your calendar app, Calendar Agent checks and resolves new collisions. You can change this for each device. Calendar Agent could alternatively ask you if you changed something (this reduces battery drain), or you could disable it entirely.