Embracing Slow Productivity with Copilot and Microsoft 365

Recently, I read the Slow Productivity book from Cal Newport and it truly resonated with me. The book explains how we can achieve more without falling into the pseudo-productivity trap. While reading, I couldn’t help but think about how AI, particularly Copilot and Microsoft 365, is already helping me implement these principles. This article isn’t a detailed review of the book but rather my thoughts on how Copilot can help you avoid burnout and achieve more doing less things.

Slow Productivity

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Reading Corner: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

Cal Newport’s latest book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, is a must-read for every knowledge worker. In current times, it seems that everyone is focused on achieving more and more, following rules and patterns that no longer make sense as they were developed to limit physical fatigue of factory labor or maximize the use of solar light.

As we sprint towards the goal of always achieving more, we tend to add more tasks and responsibilities to our lists, ultimately leading to anxiety and having a negative impact on productivity. The book starts with an introduction to Pseudo-productivity, a concept used to describe the use of visible activity as the primary means of measuring actual productive efforts.

Reading Corner: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

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What’s new for Copilot – June 2024

If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard a lot about AI changing how we work. Well, it’s true, and Microsoft’s Copilot is leading the charge.

This June, Copilot got even better. It’s now working hand-in-hand with our old friends – Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Plus, Copilot for Microsoft 365 got some cool new features.

Knowing your way around Copilot in Microsoft 365 is becoming a big deal. So, even if you haven’t tried Copilot yet, keep an eye on what it can do. Trust me, it’ll make jumping into AI-assisted work a whole lot easier when you’re ready.

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Reading Corner: The Unicorn Project by Gene Kim

The Unicorn Project by Gene Kim is a book that everyone working in IT should read, regardless of their role within the organization. Don’t let the title or the format deceive you; I also had doubts that a novel about IT could be interesting, but I was so wrong. I guarantee that the story told in this book occurs in thousands of companies worldwide, and even if you don’t work in IT, I bet you will find something that relates to your daily job.

The Unicorn Project

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What’s new for Copilot – May 2024

Welcome to the future of computing with Microsoft Copilot! May 2024 has been a landmark month for technological innovation, as Microsoft unveiled the first computers with Copilot natively embedded, harnessing the power of the revolutionary NPU processors. This integration marks a significant leap forward, not just for personal computing, but for the entire digital ecosystem.

As Copilot expands its horizons into hardware and Windows, it continues to evolve within the classic Office suite. Microsoft 365 users can now experience the enhanced capabilities of Copilot in Microsoft Teams, which has been leading the charge with several new integrations designed to streamline and enrich the meeting experience.

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Discover Recall, the Ultimate AI Memory Tool for Your Windows PC

In the modern workplace, the amount of data we interact with can be overwhelming. Microsoft latest innovation, Recall, promises to transform how we interact with our digital environment. This feature, part of the Copilot + PC initiative, is a game-changer for information retrieval on our computers.

Recall acts as a digital extension of our memory, enabling users to find almost anything they’ve seen on their desktop. With just a brief description, Recall displays snapshots of relevant content, mimicking the capabilities of a photographic memory. This intuitive method simplifies workflows, allowing users to relaunch content directly from these snapshots, be it a webpage or a Microsoft 365 application.

Windows 11 Recall

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How to Enable Microsoft Places Public Preview

Exciting news for those eager to streamline their workplace coordination: Microsoft Places is now in Public Preview! This fresh addition to the Microsoft suite is designed to simplify your calendar management and provide insights into your colleagues’ work locations. Although not all features are currently available, you can begin exploring its capabilities today.

In this blog post, I’m explaining how administrators can activate Microsoft Places globally across their organization or selectively for certain user groups.

Enable Microsoft Places application

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Microsoft Places is Available in Public Preview

Microsoft Places is a fresh addition to Microsoft 365 that transforms the way we think about work flexibility. It’s a tool that guides employees in making smart choices about their work arrangements. Whether it’s deciding who to work with, the best way to work, when to work, or picking a location, Microsoft Places is there to help. This leads to better productivity and teamwork.

With Microsoft Places, you can sync up your office days with your team. It’s all about finding the perfect spot and time to work, reserving spaces and meeting rooms when you need them, and focusing on important interactions with your team and new colleagues.

Microsoft Places Public Preview

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What’s new for Copilot – April 2024

April was a landmark month for Microsoft Copilot, with a series of updates and announcements that have significantly enhanced the user experience across various Office applications. Notably, Word has emerged as the frontrunner, with Outlook and Excel trailing closely behind, all benefiting from graph-grounded chats that streamline and enrich interactions. Additionally, Copilot has made its debut in the Employee Experience suite, marking its presence felt. This month, we’ve also seen a surge in Copilot’s integration within Viva Engage, Viva Amplify, and Viva Insights, indicating a growing adoption of the tool. With all these updates, April has undoubtedly been the most eventful month since Copilot’s inception, reflecting a robust momentum in its evolution.

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Reading Corner: The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink

Starting a reading corner on my blog last year was a great idea, and even though I took a little break, I’m back! Today, I want to talk about a book that really made me think: “The Power of Regret” by Daniel H. Pink.

Daniel H. Pink is a pretty well-known author. He’s written some bestsellers like “Drive” and “When”, and he’s got a knack for digging into what makes us tick. Before he became a writer, he did some interesting stuff like writing speeches for Vice President Al Gore.

The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink

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I've been working with Microsoft Technologies over the last ten years, mainly focused on creating collaboration and productivity solutions that drive the adoption of Microsoft Modern Workplace.