You know how to use your Mac, but do you use it efficiently? Are you making the most of your Mac computer so that you can do more in less time?
If the question baffles you, it is probably because you haven’t yet dug deep to make use of all the features that your Mac offers. These five quick tips can boost your productivity and help you get done more for less effort and time.
Go full screen
It would be helpful for you to know how you can go full screen in almost any application on a Mac because this allows you to focus better and block out all the distractions. When a lot is going on, it can be difficult to focus on what’s important. This is why there are so many articles on prioritizing tasks. But, when you are working on your Mac, you can simply drown down all the distractions by going full screen when you need to focus and coming out of the full screen when you need to check on other apps. It is that simple and you can read all about “How to Enter and Exit Full Screen on a Mac“.
Stack desktop items to clear the clutter
Do you use your desktop as a dumping ground? If you just have been dumping folders, files, and also shortcuts on your desktop, you are not alone. It is useful to have everything within easy reach. However, when the desktop starts looking like clutter, it could mean wasted seconds and minutes hunting for the folder or file that you need. There are just so many of them!
It’s time to bring some order to your desktop and you can do so with the help of Stacks. Click on the black part of your desktop > open the View Menu > choose Use Stacks. Folders and files will be grouped automatically without any effort and they will be piled up by category. You can select View > select Group Stacks to select how you want your files and folders to get organized.
Use multiple desktops on your Mac
Do you need to open a lot of windows to work on your Mac? Do you ever find it difficult to keep track of them all? If so, you need to know about Mission Control which not only shows you all the windows that are currently open but also gives you solutions to organize them.
Mission Control is one of those features that Mac users easily ignore, but once you learn about it, everything is going to be easier. It offers the option of multiple desktops that allows you to easily switch back and forth.
Multiple desktops can be accessed in more than one way. You can swipe up using three or four fingers on the trackpad or you can tap the F3 button on your system or the Mission Control icon in the dock. Then, when you have multiple desktops opened, you will see the option of clicking on specific desktops or adding more.
Type faster with the help of text replacements
Stop typing! You don’t have to type out commonly used bits of text, such as your address or an emoji that you regularly use. Your Mac is here to do all the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is type in a shortcut that you have already agreed on, such as ‘my-ad’ and your Mac is going to automatically expand that to a full string of text. Easy, right?
You can set this up by going to the Apple Menu > choose System Preferences > Keyboard > Text. You’ll already see that there are a couple of examples to help you. With the plus button underneath, you can add new ones to make it easier for you.
What’s more, these text replacements are applied to all the applications on your Mac.
Activate hot corners
Hot corners don’t raise Mac’s temperature, but they provide you with a convenient and simple way to navigate around the various parts of macOS. You can do all this by simply moving the mouse cursor to the farthest corner of your display.
Go to the Apple Menu to turn hot corners on > select System Preferences > Mission Control. Then, you have to click Hot Corners and you will get 4 drop-down menus for the 4 corners of your screen. Each corner is going to have a different action assigned. The available actions include opening the Notification Center or the Launchpad, locking your Mac, showing the desktop, starting the screensaver, and putting the display to sleep.
So, jump on these tips right away to make the most of your Mac and boost your productivity. Also, keep exploring your Mac to discover more hidden features that will make everyday tasks simpler and quicker.