Everyday productivity hacks for work and home with Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 makes everyday life less overwhelming

Between errands, appointments, and keeping up with friends, “real life” can feel like another full-time job. Microsoft 365 helps lighten the load with a few easy hacks:

• Calendars in Outlook: Instead of juggling three different apps, organize everything—work deadlines, family events, and doctor’s appointments—into one clean calendar. That way you’ll spot conflicts, like a client call scheduled the same day as a dentist appointment, before they happen. Bonus: color-coding events makes it even easier to see what’s work versus personal at a glance.
• Budgets in Excel: Use the “Personal Monthly Budget” template (just search for it in Excel) to track bills and spending. If you’re using Copilot in Excel^1,2, ask: “Show me where I spent the most last month and forecast my next three months of expenses.” You’ll see trends instantly and spot those sneaky subscriptions draining your wallet.
• Catch-all in OneNote: Use Quick Notes (Ctrl+Shift+N) to dump ideas, recipes, or reminders in seconds, then add tags like #travel or #meals. Later, just search the tag and everything’s at your fingertips. It’s like a junk drawer that’s actually organized.

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Work that feels lighter

Work piles up fast, but small hacks in Microsoft 365 can take the edge off, and keep you focused on what really matters:

• Outlook + To Do: Right-click an email and flag it. Outlook automatically sends it to your To Do list. No need to rewrite reminders or risk losing track of action items.
• OneNote: Create a single “Meeting Notes” notebook and use tags like Decision, Action Item, or Follow-Up. Later, search the tag and instantly pull every decision made across dozens of meetings, no scrolling through endless email chains.
• OneDrive: Turn on “Version History.” If someone overwrites your file, or you delete a section by mistake, you can restore any past version with one click. It’s like undo for your whole project.

Pro tip: Use Outlook to block “focus hours.” It’s a gentle but firm way of saying no to calendar clutter, and yes to uninterrupted deep work

Enter Copilot in Microsoft 365: your always-on assistant

Once you’ve got the basics handled, Copilot in Microsoft 365¹ takes things a step further. It’s like adding an AI-powered personal assistant that slips right into the Microsoft 365 apps you already use.

• Need to send an email? In Outlook, try this Copilot prompt¹: “Draft a quick thank-you to my client for today’s call, make it professional but warm.”
• Trying to organize family and work? In OneNote, write in Copilot¹: “Create a weekly dinner plan for a family of four with quick recipes,” or “Turn my brainstorm notes into a to-do list.”
• Money on your mind? In Excel, prompt Copilot with: “Forecast my budget for holiday travel.”²
• Deadline looming? In PowerPoint, try in Copilot¹: “Build a five-slide client update deck using this outline.”

Focus less on the busy work, more on the good stuff

Work and life will always overlap. But with Microsoft 365 and Copilot, that overlap feels a lot less stressful, and even enjoyable. One platform that keeps you organized, saves time, and makes space for what matters most. Try Microsoft 365 for free for a month and let Copilot help you work smarter, and live smarter too.

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