Did you know that Americans spend hours every single day looking at screens? If you are a student or you work an office job, you likely take up a good portion of that time on a computer.
Have you ever found yourself struggling with productivity on your Mac? Here are some Mac tips that will help you get on task and accomplish all of your goals, whether they are work or personal.
Your Mac Tips
1. Use Multiple Desktops
Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between your work and personal life. Or, if you have a regular job and a side hustle, it may seem downright overwhelming.
An easy fix for this is using multiple desktops. You can do this on your Mac by swiping up to enable Mission Control, the pressing the plus sign in the right corner of the desktop.
This will create another desktop. Learn more about how to use multiple desktops for your Mac here: https://setapp.com/how-to/use-multiple-desktops-macos
If you want to separate work and personal stuff, consider creating a new user account on your Mac for work or school. Then you will not have to worry about accessing files you need or logging in to separate email accounts constantly.
2. Learn About Shortcuts
Although only a couple of seconds saved may not seem like a lot, those can really add up if you are on a tight deadline. One of the best ways to save time is through keyboard shortcuts.
If you do not know how to use shortcuts on a Mac, remember that most of them are a combination of the Command key and another key. This is similar to the function of the Control key on the PC.
Many of the shortcuts for Mac are similar to the PC version. For example, to cut something on a Mac, you would press Command and the X key. On a PC, you would do the same, but with the Control key.
However, there are some shortcuts unique to Mac that will help you stay productive. If you want to navigate a website within Safari, try pressing Command and the L key.
On your Mac, you can also use your fingers for different shortcuts. For instance, use all your fingers and bring them together on the trackpad of your Macbook and you will pull up a screen of applications.
3. Keep Files Organized
The last thing you want to do when you have a deadline approaching is hunting down an erstwhile file. To combat this, simply keep your files organized in a way that works for you.
If you want to organize the files on your desktop without the blue color, you can customize the file color or even have different colored folders for different types of files.
In addition, it is always a good idea to clean out your Downloads folder regularly. This will help free up space on your Mac, making it run more smoothly, and cause less clutter in general.
4. Download a Website Blocker
Do you need a little extra motivation to keep you on task? A website blocker might just do the trick to help you complete your assignment.
There are many applications in the App Store that you can use to restrict your website usage. You can blacklist or whitelist sites, depending on your preferences.
Blacklisting means that all of the sites that you enter will not be accessible for a certain amount of time. Whitelisting means that you can only access sites that you put on the list.
5. Set a Timer
Another way that you can take advantage of the App Store on your Mac is by downloading productivity applications. One of the most popular is a Pomodoro Timer.
The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity method in which work time is broken up into chunks of 25 minutes. The first two breaks are five minutes, and the third is a longer break of 15 minutes.
Depending on the application you choose, you can designate Pomodoro cycles to certain tasks or just do it for more productivity in general.
6. Connect Your Apple Devices
One of the best features of Macs is that they are compatible with other Apple devices. This will allow you to streamline your activity and keep everything synced.
Airdrop is a feature that will let you transfer files from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac. Make sure that your Airdrop feature is turned on.
You will not have to text or email the files to yourself. Just Airdrop them and they will show up in your Downloads or desktop.
Using your Mac to do things like send iMessage will also help eliminate distractions. When you pick up your phone, you may want to use social media or play a game. On a Mac, you can send iMessage and get back to work.
7. Active Dictation
If you are a slow typer, you are certainly not alone. The average typing speed for computer users is only 41 words per minute.
Taking typing lessons online or doing exercises may help you type faster, but in the meantime, try using the Dictation feature on your Mac.
In your System Preferences, go to Keyboard and Dictation. When you enable Dictation, all you have to do is press the Function key twice to get started.
Dictation is a great feature for people with disabilities or conditions such as arthritis in their hands and wrists. If you get tired of typing or want to get something done faster, try using Dictation on your Mac.
Stay Productive With These Mac Tips
If you own a Mac, you probably do not know all of the secrets within its operating system to encourage productivity. With these Mac tips, you can get things done more easily on your computer. Want to learn more about the latest advancements in technology? Check out our site for all of the newest tech trends and computer updates in the industry.
