How to Use Microsoft Teams for Families
Do you struggle to manage your family’s busy schedule of activities, sports, doctor appointments, and playdates? Is your family’s life busy and hectic, and you need a simple way to manage it all? Have you ever gotten to the grocery store only to realize you forgot your list? Say hello to Microsoft Teams, my one-stop-shop to organize and manage my family’s life.
I’m the kind of person who loves to have everything organized and neat. For years, I used my colorful day planner, writing my daily and weekly appointments, schedule, and to-do list in vibrant colors. And I dragged my planner around with me almost everywhere I went. Of course, this was also the time in my life when I would still print out mapped directions “Just in case.”
Well, now I have maps and directions and even my day planner on my phone. I also have Teams. Teams allows me to share appointments and lists with my husband, kids, and extended family in real-time, all from the ease of my phone or computer. And I love that Teams has become my solution to modernizing my day planner.
For work, I need a project management tool to plan out my photo shoots, campaigns, party setups and events. I generally have four to six setups during each photo shoot that often include props, clothing, products, and food. Add in vendors and bigger party sets, it’s a lot to manage, so I need a place to organize everything and keep me on track.
Making the most of their 365
From running a family to rowing across the Atlantic, learn how real users unlock their best selves with Microsoft 365.
The problem with lists is, well, we all live on our phones and technology. A written task list can’t be shared and can be lost. Microsoft Teams easily allows you to add people to chats and from there you can create Task Lists.
In a group chat, there are two options at the top: Chat and Dashboard. Toggle to Dashboard and from there select Task List and the + symbol at the top right and name the list.
As an example, I created a task list for my daughter’s eighth birthday party. On the list, I added tasks such as:
Under each Task, you can assign a person to be responsible for the task, and they will get a notice in Teams. You can include a due date and mark a Task as “Important.” This helps me prioritize the party planning details and make sure everything is on track. I love how you can add detailed notes under each task. For instance, under “movie set up,” I wrote notes to my husband asking him where he wanted to set the movie up.
Finally, you can add an additional checklist under each Task. For example, under “order dinner” I can include the menu items I need to pick up or order and when I finish a checklist item or Task List. I love the satisfaction of crossing things off my list.
Teams for Family Group Chats—and More
Text messages is the default way to communicate with friends, family, and other parents. I also use texts for work to take care of any emergency situations or to get quick answers. While I love the ease of text messaging, group messages can quickly become overwhelming. At times, I can be off my phone for an hour workout and return to hundreds of text messages which can become very stressful and since I mostly work from my phone, I need to quickly be able to respond to work text messages.
This is why I love Teams. A group chat on Teams allows you to chat, share GIFs and memes, and even create polls. I often use the poll features to determine real-time decisions like “Which movie should we watch?” or “Where should we eat?”
Everything you need to achieve more in less time
Get powerful productivity and security apps with Microsoft 365
Learn more
