Reclaim AI Tutorial

Step 1: Sign Up and Connect Your Google Calendar

Head to app.reclaim.ai and click 'Sign up free.' Use your Google account—it's the fastest way and required for calendar access. You'll be prompted to grant Reclaim permissions to manage your Google Calendar. This is non-negotiable; the tool can't work without it. I tested this extensively, and the permissions are standard for calendar management (view, edit, create, delete). After connecting, you'll land on the onboarding flow. Don't skip this! It asks for your work hours, lunch preferences, and focus times. Be brutally honest here. In my experience, if you claim you work 6 AM to 10 PM, Reclaim will try to fill it, defeating the purpose of balance. Set realistic hours that reflect your actual availability.

Step 2: Navigate the Dashboard & Understand the 'Planner'

Your central hub is the 'Planner' tab. This is a live, merged view of your connected Google Calendar and everything Reclaim has scheduled. Blue blocks are your existing calendar events. Purple blocks are 'Habits' (recurring time), and green blocks are 'Tasks' (one-off or project work). On the left sidebar, you'll see the core features: 'Habits,' 'Tasks,' 'Smart 1:1s,' and 'Sync.' What surprised me was the 'Sync' feature—it connects to tools like Asana, Jira, or Linear and pulls in your tasks automatically. For now, focus on the 'Schedule' button at the top right. This is the engine. Clicking it forces Reclaim to find time for any unscheduled items based on the priority rules you've set.

Step 3: Create Your First 'Habit' (Protected Focus Time)

Habits are Reclaim's killer feature. Click 'Habits' in the sidebar, then '+ New Habit.' Let's create a 'Deep Work' block. Name it, set the duration (I recommend 90-120 minutes), and choose the days. Here's my strong opinion: DO NOT set a fixed time. The magic is in the 'Flexible' scheduling option. This lets Reclaim dynamically place the block in your best open slots each week. Set a priority (High, Medium, Low). I mark Deep Work as 'High.' Under 'Scheduling Settings,' be generous with 'Minimum scheduling notice' (6-12 hours) so it doesn't move your work last minute. Click 'Save,' then go to the Planner and hit 'Schedule.' Watch as Reclaim finds and locks time for this habit, defending it from other meetings.

Step 4: Add a 'Task' and Let AI Prioritize It

Tasks are for one-off items. Click 'Tasks' > '+ New Task.' Enter something like 'Draft Q2 Report.' Set an estimated duration and a deadline. The critical setting is 'Scheduling Priority' relative to your Habits and other tasks. I tested this deeply: if you set this task as 'High' priority and your Deep Work habit as 'High,' Reclaim will treat them equally and may schedule the task *over* your habit if space is tight. My stance: keep key Habits at a higher priority than most tasks. You can also add a 'Project' tag here for organization. Save it, and again, click 'Schedule' in the Planner. Reclaim will place this task in an optimal slot before its deadline, and—this is the best part—automatically move it if a higher-priority conflict arises.

Step 5: Configure 'Smart 1:1 Meetings' and Buffers

Go to 'Smart 1:1s' in the sidebar. This automates recurring meetings with direct reports or collaborators. Create a link, set duration, and define your mutual availability. Reclaim will then find the *best* recurring time that works for both calendars and reschedule if conflicts pop up. Next, configure global buffers. Click your profile icon > 'Settings' > 'Scheduling Preferences.' Here, enable 'Breaks between meetings' (I use 10 minutes) and 'Travel Time' for in-person events. What surprised me was the 'Task & Habit Buffer' setting—it adds padding to your work blocks, preventing back-to-back deep work and meetings. This is non-negotiable for sustainable pacing. These buffers are what transform a packed calendar into a humane one.

Step 6: Integrate with Project Tools and Review 'Stats'

For advanced automation, go to 'Sync' and connect a project management tool like Asana. I map my Asana project to a Reclaim 'Project,' and tasks with due dates automatically import as Reclaim Tasks. It's a game-changer. Finally, live in the 'Stats' tab. This shows your time allocation across meetings, focus work, and habits. My honest take: this data is invaluable for spotting burnout patterns. If your 'Focus Time' is below 20%, you're in reaction mode. Use these insights to adjust your Habit priorities or meeting commitments. Reclaim isn't just a scheduler; it's a mirror for your work style.