You settle in with your morning coffee to get a jump on your email, only to find 12 hours later you’ve forgotten to stand, stretch, or do literally anything else. The idyllic dream of working from home with leisurely family lunches and afternoon brain breaks walking the dog has been replaced by a harsh reality: Most of us don’t know how to unplug. Thankfully, finding the ideal work-life balance isn't out of reach.
Read on for productivity boosters that can help improve your work, life, and everything in between.
Being more productive isn’t about working more, it’s about working smarter with the right tools. We’ve collected a few productivity boosting tools and features to help you strike a balance between an engaged employee and happy human.
Have more time for what you love. When you can be more productive in the time that you have available, it’s like minting more time for yourself. Get everything you need to unleash your creativity and to get things done like premium Microsoft Office apps, extra cloud storage, advanced security, and more with Microsoft 365. You can even use it to be more productive on the go, so you can get your work done anywhere you want or need to be. Learn more about Microsoft 365.
Protect your personal time. You can be a better employee and person when you’re rested and ready for each day. Create some “me time” for yourself by blocking out parts of your day in your Outlook calendar to take a mind break, to meditate, play a game, eat your lunch, and even sign off for the day. Set your Outlook meeting as private and make the time slot recurring, if you want, so you stick to it. You wouldn’t miss or be late to a meeting, so don’t do it to yourself. Finding your work-life balance means investing in yourself as well as your career.
Get faster access to your stuff on your computer. Streamlining your device so you can get to what you need more quickly is a huge productivity booster. Personalize the taskbar in Windows 10 to work better for you. Change the color and size, pin your favorite apps to it, move it around on your screen, and rearrange or resize taskbar buttons. Learn how to do what you want with the Windows 10 taskbar.
Avoid distracting notifications when you need to stay focused. Set your own quiet hours on your computer by choosing which notifications you’d like to see and hear, and during what times. You can also specify what happens when you’re playing a game and more. Improve your focus with Focus assist today.
Explore your work patterns with personal productivity insights. Learn ways to work smarter and gain uninterrupted time to focus, collaborate, network, and recharge. Understanding how you’re spending your time is a great way to start taking some of your time back and find that elusive work-life balance. Learn more about Microsoft MyAnalytics in Microsoft 365.
Create activities that make you want or need to unplug from work. Hosting a virtual cocktail party, game night, dinner party, or something similar will give you some fun time with your favorite people and help you break free from the grid. For example, use Together Mode in Microsoft Teams to meet up with friends and loved ones in the virtual space of your choosing, including a café, beach resort or that family favorite, the dinner table. Easily transform your video call into an experience that makes you forget you’re apart.
Even when days blur into each other, and daily work tasks encroach on your nights and weekends, you can reclaim your personal time with our productivity boosting tips. Make the time, take the time, and let yourself relax. You’ve earned it.
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