Do you feel like you don't have time for everything? Do you feel like you take too long to do some tasks at work? Don't worry, this is something that happens to all of us. Luckily, there are solutions that can help us make better use of the time we spend working, and so, let's see how. maximize productivity with OneNote.
Because it turns out that this powerful Microsoft tool can significantly improve your productivity if you know how to use it well and know the best tricks to get the most out of it.
Not using OneNote yet?
If you don't know what it is, let us clarify that it is a Microsoft application designed to take digital notes and organize information.
It allows you to capture and organize text, save images, make audio recordings, screenshots, save files, etc., and all this with a flexible and very easy-to-use interface. Plus, it syncs across multiple devices and platforms, making it ideal for collaborative or remote work.
If you haven't tried it, discover some of the best tricks to get the most out of it and it will surely not take long to become one of your favorite work tools.
Keys to maximizing productivity with OneNote
Both new and veteran users of the Microsoft app can benefit from these productivity tips we've compiled.
Organize information efficiently
OneNote gives you the opportunity to collect information in notebooks, sections, and pages. If you use them well, finding what you're looking for will be much easier and faster.
Our advice is to create notebooks for the different projects you have going on. For example:
- Final degree project.
- Trip to Thailand.
- Wedding.
- Quarterly report.
- Business plan.
Then, within the notebook, create more specific sections. Thus, within your business plan notebook you can have the following sections:
- Initial budget.
- Market study.
- Providers.
- Sources of funding.
Finally, within each section, create pages that break down the information even further. Continuing with the example above, you can dedicate a page to collecting information on each of the suppliers you are considering working with for your business.
Use labels to highlight key information
To maximize productivity with OneNote, it may not be enough to group information into notebooks, sections, and pages. If you want to highlight some key data, ideas, or concepts, mark them using labels, which will make them much more visible. In addition, the application allows you to allows you to create fully customized labels.
Highlight the text and select a label from the menu Home > Tags.
Once you have tagged the content, just go to “Search for tags” or press Ctrl + E and all the notes you have marked with the indicated tag will open.
Create reminders
With well-organized information, it's hard to forget something, but there's always a certain risk of it happening. If you want to minimize the possibility of forgetting even more, take advantage of the reminder option.
Create a reminder for a task and Add it to your Outlook task list, so Microsoft's email service will notify you when the time comes.
To set a reminder do this:
- Highlight the task you want to remember.
- Click on “Outlook Tasks” in the “Labels” section under “Home”.
- Select one of the labels, you will see options like “Tomorrow” or “Next week”. Choose the one you are interested in and you will have created the reminder.
- If you click on the “Custom” tab, you can set the exact time you want the reminder to arrive in your email. Enter the date and time and then click on “Save and close”.
Use OCR technology to extract text from images
If there's an image, such as a poster or photo, that has text you're interested in, you don't have to waste time transcribing it. Simply take a photo of the image and open it in OneNote. Right-click on it, then select “Copy text from image” in the menu and you will have the text free and available to be edited.
Sync all your devices to maximize productivity with OneNote
Syncing lets you access the information you have stored in OneNote from any device, helping you get more done.
By default, this Microsoft application Sync notes with all the devices you have connectedHowever, you can check if you have it activated by following the path File > Information > View synchronization status.
To be able to work from your mobile, download the app so you can take notes on the go.
Take notes with the voice recording system
If you have an idea or have seen something that you need to write down immediately, the most effective way to do so is to make a voice note.
To record audio in OneNote go to the tab "Insert" and from there to Transcribe > Record Audio. Once you have finished recording, don't forget to press "Stop" from the options you will see at the top of the screen.
Listening to this type of audio is very simple. Click on the clip and select the play button in the pop-up window that will appear.
You can also record video by following more or less the same steps. And if what you need is to take a screenshot, follow the path Insert > Screen Clipping. This way you can capture parts of your screen and paste them directly into your notes. This is especially useful if you have to work with diagrams or other graphics.
Use your own templates
OneNote puts at your disposal a series of predefined templates that help you structure information, but using your own templates allows you to work more efficiently.
Microsoft continues to improve this tool day after day, making it more flexible and useful. Now that you know how to maximize productivity with OneNote, we are sure that you will be able to streamline many of the tasks you perform on a daily basis. Can you tell us about your experience?