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Google Assistant adds ‘Workday’ reminders, brings Gentle Sleep and Wake to all lights

Work from home (WFH) has thrown work-life balance out the door for many, but Google wants to help you better manage that with a “Workday” Assistant routine. Meanwhile, it’s rolling out Gentle Sleep and Wake to all smart lighting.

This Workday, self-care routine sets out to remind “you of all the small and big things to do throughout your workday — from staying on top of your calendar to taking a break away from the desk — that can sometimes be easy to forget.”

For example, every Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., you’ll get a message from Google Assistant on your smart speaker or display saying “it’s time to stand up and stretch!” At 2:00 p.m., it might suggest going for a walk, and then to grab a glass of water at 3:00 p.m. Finally, at 4:45 p.m., you’ll be reminded to start wrapping things up.

Everything is customizable with users able to specify when alerts fire and what actions occur, as well as what devices reminders play on. Set-up is available from Android and iOS, with Assistant including the current time with every alert. Workday for Google Assistant is rolling out this week and will be available starting in English.

Meanwhile, at the other end of your day, Google is rolling out Gentle Sleep and Wake to all smart bulbs. This feature was previously restricted to Philips Hue lighting when it launched in 2019. You can have lights dim automatically at night, while the opposite happens 30 minutes before you rise to mimic the sunrise.

More about Google Assistant:

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

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