If your email account is not a Google Workspace account (i.e., it is a Microsoft 365 account), you can create a “personal use” Google account that uses your non-Google email address.

Process

Go to https://accounts.google.com

Click Create account.  

NOTE: If you do not see a login screen like the following, press Ctrl-Shift-N to open an incognito tab and then go to the site above.

Click on For my personal use

Type in your first and last name and click Next

Enter in your birthdate and gender as requested and click Next

Click on Use your existing email 

Type in your work email address and click Next.  

NOTE: You must have access to the mailbox for this email address as you will be asked to verify the email address.

Check your email for the verification code - copy and paste it into the verification box and click Next.

Type in a strong password and confirm it.  Then click Next.

You may be asked to provide a recovery phone number.  Please enter one that you can receive text messages on.  It will send a code by text message - enter in that code to verify the recovery phone.

Verify that your account information is correct and click Next.

Privacy and Terms - scroll to the bottom and click I agree.

Click Confirm to confirm personalization.

Congratulations!!

You now have a Google Account set up for “personal use” 

At this point you can click the icon grid to jump to Google Drive to find files that have been shared with your work email account.

You can also use Google Docs, Sheets and some of the other applications to create content.