The Complete Guide to Slack Reminders

Over the past 5 years, Slack has rapidly become the collaboration hub for over 12 million daily active users. Beyond chatting, 82% of teams now use Slack for task and project management according to recent surveys.

With flexible, customizable reminders, Slack provides the perfect productivity system to stay on top of individual and team tasks. No more dropped balls or forgotten meetings. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to fully utilize Slack‘s reminder superpowers tailored to your unique needs.

Why Slack Reminders Matter

First, let‘s discuss why setting reminders directly in your digital HQ with Slack is so valuable for organized teamwork:

There are clear productivity benefits to managing tasks in Slack versus a fragmented mix of email, calendars, and project tools:

• 63% faster communication about deadlines and action items
• 41% reduction in meetings by shifting discussion into channels
• 33% more aligned teams with visibility into shared goals

Whether it‘s a regular daily standup or ad-hoc request from a colleague, Slack reminders right where you already chat make coordination smooth.

Now let‘s dive into how to configure different reminder types to remember everything.

One-Time Reminders

Do you have an important email to send by end of day? Need to prep slides tonight for an executive update tomorrow? One-time reminders help tackle those one-off tasks that are critical not to forget.

For example, an engineering manager might set a one-time reminder like this:

/remind @projectteam Final prototype demo on Fri Aug 9th at 2pm in conference room B.

The key benefit is that this reminder posts visibly in the #project channel rather than getting lost in personal DMs. Public reminders keep your team accountable.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Setting a one-timer takes seconds:

Follow along:

1. Navigate to the appropriate channel (#marketing, #product-updates) or DM
2. Type /remind then hit enter to initialize the command
3. Specify the recipient – a @username, #channel, or me for yourself
4. Select the date/time from the pop-up calendar and add the message text
5. Click Save to confirm the reminder!

Now Slack will post the friendly reminder when the day and time arrives. Never forget a one-off task again!

Repeating Reminders

Recurring reminders ensure you complete regular tasks and systemize consistent workflows. Perfect for:

• Daily standup meetings
• Weekly reports to leadership
• Monthly newsletter sends

Rather than using the GUI, set up repeats directly within the /remind command:

/remind me to send weekly metrics every Monday at 9am

This compact syntax works for any interval whether configuring team meetings or personal habits.

For example, here is an individual contributor reminder for consistent progression:

/remind me to complete two Udemy courses every Saturday at 5pm  

No more aimless weekends or long gaps falling out of learning rhythms!

Message-driven Reminders

Slack also enables tying future reminders directly to relevant conversations and projects.

Turn any message into a reminder by long pressing the message then selecting "Remind me about this". Pick any custom date and time needed to resurface it as a reminder.

This transforms one-off requests like this:

Into scheduled reminders perfectly timed to make progress:

No more last-minute scrambles when leadership asks for an update!

Level Up With Slack Apps

Slack also offers integrated app extensions for advanced reminder capabilities:

For example, Repeato sets reminders based on entering or leaving locations like "Remind me to grab milk when I leave work".

Check out Slack‘s App Directory to boost functionality.

Remember Everything with Smart Slack Reminders

With this comprehensive guide, you have all the tools needed to fully leverage Slack as an intelligent reminder system personalized for how you work.

The key advantage over traditional calendars is visibility and alignment – keeping your whole team updated rather than just yourself. Shared channels reduce 143 emails per week and 20% of meetings.

So if you haven‘t already, it‘s time to graduate from old-school tactics:

And integrate frictionless productivity with Slack reminders instead!

Our related resources offer even more ways to maximize your Slack impact:

• Essential Tips for Slack Project Management
• 5 Ways Leaders Boost Teamwork in Slack
• Slack Automations 101

So what are you waiting for? Setup those reminders and propel your team to new peaks of operational excellence!