☕ Tech Tips & Tales from The MS Office Maestro

Your weekly guided mini lesson on Microsoft, Copilot & smart working

☕ A note from Shelley

I can’t quite believe I’m writing this… but The PA Show is next week!

If you’re heading there, I’d love to know, are you joining me in one of my sessions? And please do come and say hello at Stand D15P. It’s always my favourite part of the show, putting faces to names and having proper conversations (usually fuelled by coffee ☕).

If you’re looking at the Learning Track, you can also use my code SHELLEY10 for 10% off, consider it my little thank-you for being part of this community.

See you very soon… it’s almost showtime!

💡 This week’s mini lesson: Why short prompts win (and improve) every time

More words don’t mean better results.
In fact, short prompts usually work better, especially when you’re just getting started.

Simple prompts reduce thinking, build confidence faster and make Copilot feel easier to use.

What to try:

Choose one short prompt and use it consistently.
For example:

No fancy phrasing. No overthinking.

🧠 Why this works at work

• Lower cognitive load – less thinking, more doing
• More consistent results – you know what to expect
• Better habits – repetition builds confidence

🔁 One important reminder

Copilot isn’t a one‑hit wonder.
Your first response is rarely the final one and that’s exactly how it’s meant to work.

Tweak it. Refine it. Ask again.
Iteration is where the real value shows up.

⚡ Try this:

Stick with the same short prompt all week and don’t aim for perfect.
Notice how much easier it feels and how much better your results get after a couple of small follow‑ups.

This approach outperforms prompt collecting every time. People breathe a sigh of relief when they realise they don’t need a library of prompts.

🎬 Behind the scenes

Right now, I’m deep in PA Show prep mode and that means rehearsing far more than just the content.

Yes, I practise what I’m going to say…
But I also rehearse:

• Switching between apps smoothly
• Making sure the right demo files open instantly
• Checking the tech behaves exactly as expected (because it doesn’t always!)

It’s a good reminder that confident delivery comes from knowing your tech as well as your message. When the tools are second nature, you can focus on the people in front of you and that’s where the magic really happens.

If you’re presenting soon, my advice is simple:

Rehearse the clicks, not just the script.

📅 Coming up (very quickly!)

Just a super‑short nudge so it’s on your radar:

• Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with Copilot – starting 9 March
• AI Duo webinar (Copilot + ChatGPT) – happening 10 March

Both are designed to be practical, assistant‑friendly and immediately useful, more details below if you’re curious.

​Enrol in Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with Copilot​

​AI Duo - How Chat GPT and Copilot Can Help Streamline Your Workflow​

A quick heads‑up before I sign off: there won’t be a newsletter next week as I’ll be fully immersed in The PA Show.

Normal service resumes the week after, with a proper report back on what worked, what surprised me and what I’m bringing back with me.

👉 Whether in person or online

Between The PA Show next week, Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with Copilot on 9 March and the AI Duo webinar on 10 March, it’s a busy and exciting few weeks.

If you’re at the show, do pop by Stand D15P and say hello. And if the learning track catches your eye, SHELLEY10 will give you 10% off.

Whether in person or online, I hope to see you soon.

Shelley

The MS Office Maestro

Expert-led, human-centered Microsoft 365 training