Scheduling and Availability

Why This Exists

When your calendar is accurate, the team can move without friction. Someone who needs your help knows when to reach out instead of spamming messages into the void. When you need help, others know exactly when to contact you. The goal is not more meetings or more structure. It is clarity that lets everyone support each other without guesswork.

What to Mark

Most people on this team have responsibilities outside Systeric: classes, businesses, family, commutes, religious practice, volunteering, and more. We do not just tolerate that — we think it makes this team better. Someone who serves their community or shows up for something bigger than work brings that same posture here. You do not need to account for all of it on your calendar.

What you do need to mark is when you are open for sync. That is the only thing others need to schedule around. Everything else — whether you are working async, commuting, or handling something outside Systeric — does not need to be labeled. Block off times you are unavailable, and leave open the windows where you can take a call.

Having more open slots does not mean you work more. Having fewer does not mean you work less. The calendar reflects when you are reachable, not how hard you are working. That said, keep enough open time that people can actually get to you when they need to.

Your Responsibilities

Keep your calendar accurate for the current week and the week ahead at all times. By [day and time, TBD] each week, next week must be set: working hours declared, sync slots open, focus blocks and unavailable times in place. Both weeks should always be readable by the team.

Block your unavailable time as soon as you know it. Off days, classes, exams, recurring commitments: block them immediately. A recurring commitment is a recurring block. Do not leave it in your head.

Set your working hours in Google Calendar. Include weekends if that is when you primarily work. Your calendar should show when you are open for sync, not just the standard Monday to Friday assumption.

Scheduling a Session

Anyone can schedule a sync with anyone. The rules are the same regardless of who initiates.

1. Check all participant calendars for open slots. No need to ask first.
2. Book it with at least 4 hours advance notice.
3. Cross-block on all participant calendars at the time of booking.

The calendar invite is the confirmation. Silence is acceptance.

When Something Changes

If you need to move something already on the calendar, you own the reschedule:

1. Notify affected people as soon as you know — not the day of.
2. Propose a new time in the same message. Do not cancel and leave it unresolved.
3. If you cannot find a workable alternative, flag it directly to whoever initiated the session.

The person who changed it puts it back together.

The Expectation

No one is expected to be available at all hours. But your available hours must be visible. The tradeoff for a flexible, dynamic schedule is that you own making it legible. If your availability is not on the calendar, the team will treat you as available — and if you do not respond, they will not know whether to wait or move on.

A well-kept calendar is how you protect your own time and how you make yourself useful to the people who need you.