5 Outlook Inbox tips to be more productive

Posted on: 11/06/2021

A lot of our time is spent in Outlook. Here are five inbox tips to be more productive. Tip 1 - Turn on Focus Mode. Tip 2 - Create a meeting from an email message. Tip 3 - Create a task from an email message. Tip 4 - Send an email to Microsoft Teams. You can send it to a Teams chat or channel. Tip 5 - Use the Immersive Reader for long emails.

Focused Inbox separates your inbox into two tabs—Focused and Other. Your most important email messages are on the Focused tab while the rest remain easily accessible—but out of the way—on the Other tab.

Tip #1 - Turn Focused Inbox on

In Outlook, select the View tab.
Select Show Focused Inbox.

YouTube video

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:21 Tip 1 Focus Mode
01:12 Tip 2 Create meeting from email
01:50 Tip 3 Create a task from email
02:43 Tip 4 Send email to Teams
03:09 Tip 5 Immersive reader

Tip #2 - Create a meeting from an email

Open an email and select Reply with Meeting.
The information from the email will go in a meeting request.

Tip #3 - Create a Task from an Email

Drag an email to Task. Fill out the details of the Task.

Tip #4 - Send an email to Teams

Select an email and click Send to Teams on the Home tab.

Tip #5 - Use Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader in Outlook for the web and Outlook desktop allows you to adjust the text of an email to read in the way that works best for you. Use Read Aloud to hear emails read to you as each word is highlighted, or modify spacing, color and more for a comfortable and easy to process email experience.

Select View, click Immersive Reader. Immersive Reader will launch in your email pane.

Choose the Immersive Reader options that work for you from the ribbon

Chris Menard

Chris Menard is a certified Microsoft Trainer (MCT) and works as a full-time Trainer at BakerHostetler - one of the largest law firms in the US. He runs a YouTube channel with 900+ technology videos that cover various tools such as Excel, Word, Zoom, Teams, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Outlook. To date, the channel has helped over 20 million viewers. Menard also does 2 to 3 public speaking events every year, presenting at the Administrative Professional Conference (APC), the EA Ignite Conference, the Support Staff Conference, the University of Georgia, and CPA conferences. You can connect with him on LinkedIn at https://chrismenardtraining.com/linkedin or watch his videos on YouTube at https://chrismenardtraining.com/youtube.