How to increase productivity without burnout

Meet your burnout-busting toolkit

Outlook — clear the clutter so you can focus on what matters

A messy inbox isn’t just overwhelming, it’s distracting. Every unread message pulls at your attention, even if you’re not opening it. Instead of checking emails all day, give yourself a few set times to deal with them. In between, let Copilot in Outlook¹ help you:

• Write your email from a one-sentence idea — Prompt: “Write a friendly follow-up to my neighbor about borrowing their ladder this weekend.”
• Get the short version of a long thread — Prompt: “Summarize this thread and list anything I still need to reply to.”
• Tweak the tone so it lands just right — Prompt: “Rewrite this email so it’s polite but still gets the point across.”

Everyday tip: Use rules and filters to send newsletters, store receipts, or social updates to a separate folder. That way, you can focus on what’s urgent and save the rest for when you have time.

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Word — don’t waste your best energy on a bad first draft

Your sharpest thinking happens during your personal peak hours. Don’t waste it wrestling with sentences. Instead, pour your ideas onto the page in a quick, messy brain dump, then let Copilot in Word² :

• Reorganize and smooth the flow so it reads naturally
• Suggest tone adjustments for different audiences—whether it’s a casual note, heartfelt letter, or important application
• Condense rambling sections into clear, easy-to-read paragraphs

Try these Copilot prompts in Word:

• “Rewrite this text to sound more conversational and engaging.”
• “Summarize this document into a 200-word overview.”
• “Reorder these points to make the story flow better.”
• “Make this blog post sound more confident without losing warmth.”

OneNote — turn inspiration into action before it fades

Great ideas have a habit of showing up in the middle of life—waiting in line for coffee, watching TV, or chatting with a friend. If they’re not captured right away, they’re gone. OneNote gives you a single, organized place to save them so they’re easy to find later—no random scraps of paper or “what was that thing I thought of last night?” moments.

• Keep all your notes, lists, and brainstorms in one place so they don’t get lost
• Tag them as “action,” “reference,” or “someday” so you know what to focus on
• Use Copilot to turn your rough notes into clear, actionable plans
• Prompt: “Turn these packing notes into a checklist for my weekend trip.”
• Prompt: “Summarize this recipe into quick bullet points for grocery shopping.”
• Prompt: “Organize these bullet points into a plan for my home project.”

Real-world example: You’re planning a backyard BBQ and jot down ideas as they come to you. In seconds, Copilot can turn your scattered list into a neatly organized menu, shopping list, and prep schedule, so you can spend more time grilling and less time scrambling.

PowerPoint — presentations without the stress

Presentations aren’t just for the office, they’re for everything from volunteer events to school projects to pitching a community idea. The hardest part is starting from scratch. PowerPoint with Copilot¹ helps you skip the stress and get straight to the good part:

• Turn your topic into a complete outline with slide suggestions — Prompt: “Create a 5-slide presentation on my community garden project, including benefits and volunteer opportunities.”
• Suggest relevant images, layouts, and charts to bring your story to life — Prompt: “Add visuals to make this presentation more engaging for a neighborhood meeting.”
• Rearrange and refine slides for a logical, impactful flow — Prompt: “Reorder these slides to make the introduction more compelling.”

Presentation tip: Focus on three core points you want people to remember. Too much info and the message gets lost. Copilot can help you tighten your story while keeping it visually appealing.

Bonus productivity habits that actually work

• Use the 2-minute rule – If something takes less than two minutes, handle it now instead of adding it to your to-do list.
• Schedule thinking time – Block off parts of your calendar for creative or strategic work.
• Weekly reset – Spend 15 minutes organizing your inbox, notes, and calendar for the week ahead.

Microsoft 365 twist: Prompt Copilot in Outlook1 to “summarize my week and create a priority list for Monday.”

Your burnout-free future starts here

When smart tools meet smarter habits, productivity stops feeling like a grind. Microsoft 365 keeps you organized, focused, and ready for whatever’s next.

Take the stress out of success. Try Microsoft 365 today and see how much better life feels when you work with intention, not just intensity.

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