Boosting Your Productivity with Microsoft's To Do App
- T.
- Mar 1, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 6, 2024
Are you a productivity junkie like me? Or are you just struggling to find a to do app that is simple to use and easy to manage?
Well, I have good news for you, I've been using the Microsoft To Do app for years now and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a free, simple app that has all the functions you need to keep productive without getting completely overwhelmed. Let me tell you why I'm hooked on it.
Contents
My Top 5 Favourite Functions
It Syncs Across Multiple Devices
Have you ever thought about something while you were out, noted it down on a piece of paper and when you get home you try to find that piece of paper but it is nowhere to be found? That won't be an issue if you use the Microsoft To Do app.
Regardless of whether I am on my laptop at home, or out and about, I can quickly add my thoughts and ideas to my Microsoft To Do lists and it will sync across all my devices where I have the app, ensuring that I never lose a thought again!
Cute Icons / Emojis
Colours and icons/emojis 😄 help you connect with what you have written and make it easier for you to read things back to yourself.
Being able to add cute icons/emojis to the Microsoft To Do lists is a big win for me as I can shorten the names of my list items and can have representational icons for list titles. Just use your devices default icon/emojis to add in meaningful and/or cute icons to brighten up your lists! 🩷🏃🏻♀️✨😝
Think of adding things like:
🛒 A shopping trolly icon in your 'Groceries' list title
💡 A lightbulb icon in your 'Ideas/Thoughts' list title
🍓for strawberries on your groceries list
List Backgrounds (Themes) can be Personalised
Similar to colours and icons helping you connect with what you have written, backgrounds can make it easy to identify which list you are in by the background colour/picture, as well as making it more personal and pleasing to the eye.
You can choose a different background for each Microsoft To Do list by opening the list you want to change the background for, clicking the "..." in the top right-hand corner of the list page and selecting/changing the 'Theme'; from basic colours to scenic options, you decide what each list looks like.
At the time of writing this there are over 20 background themes to choose from.
You can Collaborate (Share) Lists With Others
My partner and I have a shared Groceries list. When either of us is out buying things, we can quickly check this shared list, tick items off as we purchase them, and the other person will know that we no longer need it as they will be marked as completed, it's that simple!
To collaborate with others on a list all you need to do is send the list's sharing link to the person you are sharing with. They will need to make a free Microsoft account and then download the app and the shared list will be there for them to use.
If you have a hotmail/outlook email address than you already have a Microsoft account and can just download the app and sign in using your normal email login details. 😄
TIP! We have a lot of items on our grocery list that we purchase regularly (milk, bread etc.) and when we do our grocery shopping we tick these items off our list turning them to 'completed', but when we get home and unpack the groceries we untick (uncomplete) these frequently bought items and they then show as outstanding (needed) again ready for the next shop - this saving us from retyping the common items each week! 😄
The mobile app widget
I use this on my mobile daily, it makes it just that little bit quicker to add things to my Microsoft To Do lists on the go (which stops me from forgetting things). I personally use an Android mobile, but my partner has an iPhone and it works on that too!
What else do I use the app for?
Personal To Do's
For anything that doesn't fit into a category I have a generic list, here I add tasks like:
Empty and clean the coffee machine weekly
Organise my photos and files on my phone/camera/laptop monthly
Do deep clean the house monthly
Arrange monthly appointments etc.
Gift Ideas
Have you ever forgotten someone's birthday until the last minute and panicked because you have no idea what to get them? Try keeping a list for 'Gift Ideas' to help you get out of a jam, or just to remind yourself of what you could get someone when an event is coming up.
I use this list to note down gift ideas as they pop into my head and reference it when an event/milestone is coming up. For me it is really worth having a list like this!
TIP! Every time you hear a friend, family member or colleague say something like "I would love to have...", "I would love to do...", "I really want a..." make note of it in a "Gift Ideas" list so that when they have a birthday, an event or are just feeling down you have some ideas of things you could get them to cheer them up and make them feel special (this is especially great for if gifting is your love language)!
Brain Dump
A brain dump is simply emptying the contents of your brain. Our brains are designed for doing, understanding, problem-solving and creating - not for remembering. The more you try to store in your head, the slower your brain becomes, and then the overwhelm sets in.
I aim to take 10-20mins out of a day once a month (but you could do this weekly or daily) to 'dump' my thoughts down into a section of the To Do app, anything that's weighing on my mind no matter how small it may seem.
A tired brain is not a happy brain, and a brain dump can help lower your stress levels, allowing you to get better rest. Plus, it’s a super simple and effective way of processing your 'weighing' thoughts giving you an overview of what tasks you actually need to complete to feel less overwhelmed.
Due Dates and Reminders
Due dates are a great way to set a deadline for your tasks and help keep your list ordered by priority. You can sort your tasks by due date and even mark the most important ones to help grab your attention.
You can add a due date by opening a task, clicking "Add Due Date" and selecting the date.
You can mark a task as important by clicking the star on the right-hand side of your task.
Reminders are like little nudges that pop up on your phone or computer to remind you of what you need to do.
You can set a specific date and time for a reminder by opening a task, clicking "Remind Me" and choosing when you want to be reminded
You can even set your tasks to reoccur on set days, weeks, months, even yearly so you don't have to add them in multiple times. Simply open a task, click "Repeat" and choose a desired frequency of reminders.
I have used other apps similar to this where you have to pay to get the reminders features, so I especially love that this is included for free with the app!
Final Thoughts
You can make your lists as basic or as complex as you like, add due dates and reminders, assign people to collaborate with you on task lists and specific tasks on your list, change backgrounds and unlike a lot of similar to do apps it is free to use all of these functions!
So, whether you need to plan your shopping list, a trip, or just remember to buy milk the Microsoft To Do app can be used for it all and I highly recommend giving it a try for a simple, easy to use solution to your productivity woes - what do you have to lose?!
I hope you enjoyed this month's blog post - I would love to hear your thoughts on whether you have tried the app and if you rate it as highly as I do, or if you think you have a better alternative!
Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter below to be notified of future blog posts and to be sent free checklists, tips and tricks. Until next month, stay productive and have fun!
Note: the content in this blog is my own personal opinion based on my usage of the Microsoft To Do app. I am not being paid to endorse this app; I genuinely think it is a simple, easy to use productivity solution and find it really helpful in my daily life.
Comments