TECH CORNER
How to Maximize Google Workspace E M I LY H O L D O R F MS, RDN, CDN NE MENTOR
It seems like we’re all always looking for ways to make our lives easier, more seamless and increase our productivity. As entrepreneurs it can seem like we have to keep on top of all the new tech trends, purchase new platforms for our businesses and always be getting the next best thing. Let’s chat about how you can maximize Google Workspace (previously known as G Suite), which I personally find to be my most useful piece of technology for my business. Google Workspace’s main tools and functions are Gmail, Drive (which includes Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms), Calendar, Meet, Hangouts - the list goes on. One of the first things to note is that you can make your Google Workspace HIPAAcompliant by signing a business associate agreement (BAA). This is important if you are conversing with clients/patients via email or housing any sensitive information within your Google Workspace. There’s also the opportunity to create a personalized email address using your domain name for ultimate professional communication. The Drive function is probably the most widely used since it allows for real-time updates and evergreen documents to be shared with multiple people. If you’re just getting started seeing private clients, definitely consider using Docs, Sheets, etc. as your EHR platform. You can keep client notes, track information and easily share resources electronically with your clients all through these Drive features. It’s low-cost, very user-friendly and low financial risk if you’re just testing the waters of private practice. You can also utilize the Forms feature to have clients fill out basic application info to work with you or gather other information. If you do any virtual work or have team members in different locations, I’m sure you know how vital Drive is to your business already. As dietitians, we probably all live and die by our calendars, so making 14 | nedpg.org
sure that your Google Calendar is synced with any scheduling systems you may have will help make your business tasks seamless and you’ll never forget a meeting or session. A couple of my newer favorite features are Keep and Jamboard. Keep is a note-taking tool so you can share memos, lists, voice notes and images across multiple devices. If you’re the type of person who always has great ideas at spur-of-the-moment times, you can voice-note this in Keep on your phone and be able to access it on your computer in the future. Jamboard is great if you are working with a team on a project or have associates within your business. It’s essentially an interactive whiteboard feature, which is great for brainstorming and organizing ideas as a group. Lastly, Classroom may be a cool feature to explore if you want to create courses within your business. I’m sure many parents are familiar
with this function by now after months of virtual learning, but there could be some really great ways to utilize Classroom as a course platform. All in all, Google Workspace has a lot of great features to help maximize efficiency at an affordable price. In my opinion, it’s a must for all business owners. Emily Holdorf, MS, RDN, CDN, is a registered dietitian located in upstate New York. Emily owns her own nutrition coaching business, EmPowered Nutrition, where she helps busy young professionals feel empowered and positive about their bodies and the food on their plates. She also creates easy, approachable recipes for her blog.
