Google Home is a smart home device that can be used to automate your home and make your life easier.
With Google Home routines, you can set up multiple actions to happen at once, such as turning on the lights, adjusting the thermostat, and playing music.
In this article, I will share some helpful Google Home routine ideas that you can set up to make your life more convenient and efficient.
Introduction to Google Home Routines
Google Home, a brainchild of the tech giant Google, has revolutionized how we interact with our homes.
The smart speaker, beyond playing your favorite tunes and answering trivia questions, boasts a powerful feature known as routines.
But what exactly are these routines and how can they upgrade your everyday life? Let's delve into it!
Understanding Google Home Routines
What is a Google Home Routine?
Google Home Routines are essentially a set of actions that your Google Home device executes in response to a single command. They are customizable sequences that can include multiple tasks like adjusting lights, setting alarms, playing music, reading out the news, and much more.
Benefits of Google Home Routines
Google Home Routines offer convenience, control, and customization. They help streamline everyday tasks, save time and effort, and also enhance your smart home experience by allowing you to automate various devices around your home.
Setting Up Your Google Home Routine
The Prerequisites
Before we jump into creating routines, ensure you have the following:
Google Home device, such as a Google Nest Mini or Google Nest Hub Max
Google account
Google Home app installed on your smartphone
Step-by-step Guide
Setting up Google Home Routines is simple.
Open the Google Home app, tap on 'Automations', here, you can choose from ready-made routines or create your own by clicking on the Add button.
Main routines screen
Routine type selection
Empty routineThere are two types of routines you can create, personal or home. Personal routines help you throughout the day and are only available to you. Household routines automate devices in your home and are shared with other household users. A full guide to understanding the differences can be found here.
Once you have chosen your routine type you will be presented with an empty routine.
Firstly, give it a name by clicking on the pencil icon where it says Untitled.
Next, you will need to add a starter. Tap on '+ Add Starter'.
A starter is a trigger to begin your routine, a simple example is to set a specific time every day for a morning routine. From the starter screen, you can choose from the following types:
When I say to Google Assistant
At a specific time
At sunrise or sunset
When an alarm is dismissed
Once you have selected a starter you will then need to select an action (what your routine will actually do) by tapping on the '+ Add action' button. Here is a list of what actions are currently available:
Get info and reminders
Communicate and announce
Adjust Assistant volume
Adjust Home devices
Adjust phone settings
Play and control media
Custom actions
In my example from the screenshots below, I have selected At a specific time (07:00) for my starter and Play and Control media > News as my action.
Creative Google Home Routine Ideas
Morning Routines
One of the most popular uses for Google Home is to set up a wake-up routine.
Create a routine that brightens your day right from the start. You could set it up to slowly increase the brightness of your smart lights, read out your calendar events, play your favorite podcast, and tell you about the day's weather. This is a great way to start your day feeling refreshed and energized.
Evening Routines
Another popular routine is the goodnight routine. This routine can be set to turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat, remind yourself to do your nighttime skincare routine or read a book to help you relax and fall asleep.
This routine is especially useful for people who have trouble sleeping as it helps create a relaxing and comfortable environment.
Work from Home Routine
Stay productive with a work routine. Set reminders for breaks, have it read out your emails, or play ambient noise to keep you focused.
For Leisure and Entertainment
Turn your home into a mini theatre. Set up a routine to dim the lights, turn on the TV, and play your favorite Netflix series.
For Home Automation
Integrate with your smart home devices for automation. Set a routine to turn off all lights and lock the doors when you say "goodnight" or start the coffee maker when you say "good morning".
Family Time Routine
If you have a busy family, you can set up a family time routine to help everyone stay on schedule. This routine can be set to remind everyone of important events and activities, such as homework time, dinner time, and even playtime. This routine can also be set to turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat, and play music to create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.
Home Alone Routine
For those who are home alone, you can set up a home-alone routine to make sure you're safe and secure. This routine can be set to turn on the lights, lock the doors, and even play music to keep you company. This routine is especially useful for people who live alone and want to feel more secure when they're home alone.
Party Time Routine
If you like to entertain guests, you can set up a party time routine to help create a fun and festive atmosphere. This routine can be set to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and play music to get everyone in the party mood. This routine is especially useful for people who like to entertain guests and want to make sure their guests have a good time.
Cleaning Routine
For those who like to keep their home clean, you can set up a cleaning routine to help you stay on top of your cleaning tasks. This routine can be set to remind you to clean specific rooms, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. This routine can also be set to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and play music to make cleaning more enjoyable.
Tips to Maximize Google Home Routines
Making Use of Shortcut Commands
Use shortcut commands to make it easier to activate your routines. For example, instead of saying "Hey Google, start my morning routine" you could just say "Hey Google, good morning".
Routine Scheduling
Scheduling your routines can bring consistency and automation to your life. You can set your morning routine to automatically start at a certain time without any command.
Conclusion and FAQs
Wrapping Up
Google Home routines can be used to automate your home and make your life more convenient and efficient.
With the Google Home routine ideas shared in this article, you can set up routines that will help you start your day feeling refreshed, end your day feeling relaxed, and even make cleaning more enjoyable. With Google Home routines, you can create a smart home that will help you live a more comfortable and efficient life.
Experiment with different routine ideas to make the most of your Google Home.