How to use this checklist
Click a section to open its checklist, then click How to on any item for why it matters and the exact steps. Tick items off as you go. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can come back any time.
A series of simple settings and daily habits for the systems you use every day, to help you work as efficiently as possible. Each one saves a little time, and those small savings add up to hours over the year.
of people say they do not have enough uninterrupted focus time in their workday.
Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2023 (31,000 people)emails and Teams messages the average worker receives every working day.
Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2025to get back into a productive flow after switching to a different app.
Qatalog and Cornell University, 2021of the working week is spent just searching for answers and information.
Atlassian State of Teams, 2025 (12,000 people)of the working day goes on communicating in meetings, email and chat, leaving 43% for actually doing the work.
Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2023of employees say their work feels chaotic and fragmented.
Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2025of customer service employees' time goes on admin and internal tasks instead of helping customers.
Salesforce State of Servicebreaks between back-to-back calls stopped stress building up in the brain. Without them, it kept climbing.
Microsoft Human Factors Lab, 2021Research by Asana found that 58% of the working day goes on "work about work": switching apps, searching, messages about work, chasing updates and juggling priorities. This checklist is designed to win some of that time back.
Some of this is the job itself, like replying to students. The aim is to cut the wasted part. Asana Anatomy of Work, 2023 (incl. Australia)
Click a section to open its checklist, then click How to on any item for why it matters and the exact steps. Tick items off as you go. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can come back any time.