Effortlessly Organize with M365

We can sometimes rely too much on technology for our thinking, but it is also possible to find a balance. For me, this balance is struck when organization becomes second nature. The importance of organization has long been recognized and as we move into an age of advanced cloud applications designed to help us stay organized, it’s essential to remember the foundation of organization: process.

Throughout my career I’ve learned and applied processes through trial and error to reduce wasted time, conserving mental energy – contextual cues, task switching, stacking and batching being the primary methods. However, organization tools weren’t always easy to find before cloud computing and smartphones. Historically, Microsoft focused on desktop applications, but with the introduction of Office 365 and later Microsoft 365 (M365), personal and professional organization tools have greatly improved in the Microsoft ecosystem.

We now have a surplus of tools that can help us all stay organized. But we must remember to use them and find the right ones for our style of work. This is where processes come into play. It's best to find tools that match your processes. My preference is the M365 suite. I’ll explain why.

Top Three Favorite M365 Apps to Organize Effortlessly

I use many apps from M365 daily. However, there are a few standouts that set the foundation for remaining stress-free and avoiding dropping the ball in my professional and personal life. These are my top three favorite M365 apps that effortlessly keep me organized.

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To Do

A few years ago, the pandemic caused me to fall behind on many life tasks, and I struggled to keep track of them. I got back on track by using a paper list to remove the backlog but soon found it inefficient. Then, I discovered Microsoft To Do, a new way to manage tasks.

My favorite features:

My Day

• Easily see today's tasks if you've assigned dates to them

Access Anywhere

• Access lists from a desktop (web and app) or mobile device

Outlook integration

• Tasks appear on your calendar making task stacking easy, viewing due tasks as you plan for your meetings

Scheduling and recurrence

• No need to remember on your own

Reminders

• In case you do forget, it’s not for long

Groupings

• Task switching and batching is easy with groups based on relevance

Notes and attachments

• Add notes and attachments to tasks as contextual cues for yourself and others later

Collaboration

• Easily share tasks with other people

And oddly, it’s just as fun to mark a task as complete in To Do as it is on paper. Goodbye, task! See you never!

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OneNote

Next up is OneNote, Microsoft's note taking solution. I was using Evernote (released in 2008) until 2014 when Microsoft released a web version of OneNote. I immediately migrated my notes and never looked back.

My favorites features:

Mobile friendliness

• View pages on desktop or smartphone

Copilot integration

• Write faster with help from Copilot

Searchable pages

• Never lose a page with efficient search capabilities

Colored tabs

• Just like a file cabinet

Page grouping

• Grouping by relevance saves so much time

Sharing

• Share pages with others easily

Version history

• Restore a page to a previous version if you make a mistake

Embedded Documents

• You can attach files to a page for context and open them later

OneNote is the best digital notetaking app I've ever used. Evernote comes close, but Microsoft has made significant strides. And while Microsoft Loop (the next leap in notetaking) looks promising, I'll stick with OneNote until Loop offers the features I find valuable.

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OneDrive

OneDrive is Microsoft's solution for work and home file storage. It can help prevent lost files and digital chaos. Long ago, I used Google Drive, then migrated to Adobe Creative Cloud’s file sync app (now retired) and finally landed on OneDrive. While I’ve historically linked OneDrive with business use, it has proven just as beneficial in my personal life.

My favorite features:

Search

• OneDrive will find the file you need if you know the name or what’s in the file

Access Anywhere

• Desktop or mobile, access files any time, any place

Web Interface

• The web interface is very slick and easy on the eyes

Desktop Sync Client

• The desktop sync client just works. No errors, no problems.

Version History

• Restore previous versions of a file (just like SharePoint Online)

Sharing

• Share files with anyone with ease

Commenting

• Leave breadcrumbs (contextual cues) for yourself as comments on files

All of that said, OneDrive won't fix a messy folder structure. If you find file organization challenging, you're not alone. After years of trial and error, I found an effective method. Here's a quick guide to help you create a solid folder structure.

• Start by creating top-level folders with names like “Clients”, “Personal”, or “Projects”

• Add subfolders for specific tasks or topics underneath those

  • Subfolders may match descriptors or metadata about the files inside

• Use clear, concise and consistent names

• Review files and folders regularly to avoid clutter and inconsistencies

• Avoid partial changes to naming conventions to maintain an understanding of your structure

Top level folders example:

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Final Thoughts

Our experiences shape our processes. In my experience, apps alone aren't enough to stay organized. Using contextual cues and methods like task switching, stacking, and batching make organization simpler. Those concepts combined with the support of M365 apps make staying organized truly effortless. And while many other M365 apps offer options to stay organized (Outlook, Planner, Teams), they are not as accessible or simple. For both personal and professional use, To Do, OneNote, and OneDrive are the most intuitive tools for my style of work. If you already use them or decide to try them, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and share your experience!

Happy organizing!