For any professional to flourish, achieving a high level of productivity is key. Though some people might equate it with gruelling work, this is a misconception. It’s more than possible to boost your performance at work without tiring yourself out. Productivity can be easier to cultivate with the correct practices and digital solutions to optimise your workflow.

With an all-in-one collaboration and communication platform like Microsoft Teams, you can streamline daily work operations by eliminating cumbersome and time-consuming tasks. Pair this application with good communication strategies, and your projects are likely to run smoothly and effectively, whether you’re working alone or in a team.

If you’re looking to make this year a productive one, below are some activities you can do to improve your efficiency at work:

Share and Organise Files with Microsoft Teams’ Built-in SharePoint or OneDrive for Business Features

If your workplace uses various software, you may have noticed that jumping from one digital application to another can be tedious. This constant shifting also tends to disrupt your workflow and overall productivity. However, Microsoft Teams prevents this dilemma by keeping all your different software in one application.

For example, you can access popular file-sharing applications like OneDrive and SharePoint directly from the Microsoft Teams system. With these built-in applications, you can share files with other team members and work on them simultaneously in real-time. It is perfect for revisions and collaborative projects, as it reduces long-winded email exchanges with multiple versions of the same file.

Additionally, you may have experienced instances where you left important work files on a hard drive or your personal computer at home. In these cases, retrieving or re-creating them can delay your work progress. Fortunately, you won’t have to experience this when using the OneDrive feature in Microsoft Teams. It safely stores all your files in the cloud, allowing you to organise and access them from wherever you are.

Use Microsoft Teams’ Chat Features Strategically

Rather than letting emails pile up in your inbox, you can quickly address work matters through Microsoft Teams’ chat features. The application lets you create separate conversation channels for different topics to ensure that your discussions stay organised. It also turns chats into conversation threads so they are easier to follow. Need to notify someone or get their attention for a matter? Simply mention them with the “@” symbol to send them a direct notification.

If you’re looking for a specific message, you can easily find it through the chat’s search function. This way, you can retrieve past information whenever you need it. Microsoft Teams also organises every file attachment sent to your chat channels. Just click the dedicated “Files” tab to see them all in one place. By strategically using these nifty features, you won’t have to spend hours scrolling through hundreds of messages to keep track of essential information while you’re working.

Schedule Meetings with Microsoft Teams

Meetings are great opportunities to share ideas and stay up to date with your team’s work. It is especially true with remote setups, as video conferencing is the next best thing to face-to-face workplace collaboration. However, planning for a video conference can be time-consuming without the right tools.

Thankfully, Microsoft Teams can help you schedule your meetings with just a few clicks. To set a meeting in advance, simply pick a date and time, choose your attendees, then save the information. All the meeting details will automatically be emailed to every attendee. This saves you the effort of notifying each participant about the video call.

Microsoft Teams also comes with a scheduling assistant feature, which syncs with the Outlook calendars of all your team members. It automatically alerts you of any schedule conflicts and suggests when all your meeting participants are free. This way, you won’t have to approach each attendee to ask them about their availability, which often interrupts everyone’s workflow.

Practice Effective Communication

Miscommunication is often detrimental to the quality of your work, as it leads to all kinds of setbacks and misunderstandings. While an efficient digital system like Microsoft Teams can boost your overall productivity, you need to pair it with effective communication.

Start by being clear about what you’re trying to say. Avoid delivering vague or ambiguous messages to your team members, whether it’s through chat, email, or video call. If you’re communicating in person or through video, try to be more aware of your body language and tone of voice. For example, even if you’re not angry, a stressful day at work may cause you to scrunch your brows or cross your arms, giving your team members the impression that something is wrong or that you are not pleased with them.

Lastly, prioritise two-way communication by actively listening to your team members during discussions. This will prevent you from missing important information and repeating ideas already communicated.

Increasing your productivity doesn’t have to be a tiring process. Remember, achieving better work performance is not about toiling, but cultivating an environment that promotes efficiency and convenience. With the right digital software and communication practices, you can create an organised and intuitive workflow conducive to success.

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