Macs are an excellent choice when you want to get more work done in less time. But for this, you must ensure your system is performing to its optimum capacity. If you see the Mac spinning rainbow wheel regularly, you must tinker with the settings to improve system performance. For instance, quit resource-hogging processes by going to the Activity Monitor, clearing storage space, restarting your system, and updating the software.
Once your system’s performance is up to par, look at these tips to enhance your productivity and efficiency when working on your Mac.
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Save Searches
Don’t waste your time running common searches over and over again. macOS allows users to save their searches in Smart Folders. These are virtual folders that are updated continuously with up-to-date search results.
You can run a search in Finder using the search box and choose the filtering criteria you need. Then, you can click the plus sign to add more criteria. When the search is set up the way you want, click Save. Finally, you can give a name to the Smart Folder so you can access the folder from the sidebar.
Create Custom Trackpad Gestures
The customizable, sensitive trackpad on your Mac is a weapon for boosting productivity. You can use different gestures on the trackpad, including rotating, zooming, and scrolling. You can even add customized gestures to finish tasks quickly.
Go to System Preferences > click Trackpad and set up the gestures that will be useful for your work. Some popular gestures are swiping with three fingers to see notifications or moving the pointer to the lower corner of the display to open Mission Control.
Leverage Hot Corners
Don’t assume Hot Corners increase the temperature of your system. Instead, it is a feature that offers a convenient and fuss-free way of navigating around your Mac. You can move the mouse cursor to any corner of the display to accomplish pre-determined tasks.
You can switch on Hot Corner by going to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Mission Control. Then, click Hot Corners, and from the drop-down menu, you can choose four actions for the four corners of the screen. Once these actions are assigned and you have confirmed the changes, you can take your mouse cursor to the four corners of the screen to accomplish the tasks.
Some available actions include opening the Notification Center, locking Mac, starting the screensaver, or opening Launchpad.
Utilize Text Replacements
Typing out common bits of text repeatedly can be tedious and tiresome. So whether you need to enter your home/office address or use common phrases, you can let your system do the hard work on your behalf. You can type the shortcut you already agreed on, and your Mac will expand it to the full text string.
You can set this up by clicking the Apple menu > selecting System Preferences > K/eyboard > Text. The text replacements can be synced and made available across your Apple devices.
Use Dictation
Of course, there’s no harm in typing. But if your fingers feel exhausted, you can take a break using the Dictation feature of macOS. With this function, you can let your Mac write the text while you dictate.
Go to the System Preferences app > Keyboard > Dictation. Then, switch on the feature, and when you need to enter text on your Mac, press the function (Fn) key twice. Alternatively, you can choose Edit and Start Dictation.
You will see a microphone symbol on the screen when your system listens for spoken input. When you wish to stop dictating, click Done.
Use the Focus Feature
Preventing distractions is a priority when you want to boost efficiency. For this, use the Focus feature of macOS. Create separate modes for work, sleep, driving, swimming, etc. This will filter notifications and prevent you from getting distracted.
Use a Second Screen
By using a second screen, you can make your life easier. For example, it makes it fuss-free to juggle multiple things or see two apps in a larger size. But, of course, you must arrange the screens according to your preference so that it works perfectly for you.
You can choose the main screen by moving the white box on the image. In addition, you can turn on the Sidecar feature to use your iPad as a second display if you use an iPad.
Learn Shortcuts
Knowing keyboard shortcuts surprisingly makes a huge difference to your productivity. For example, some shortcuts like Command + Spacebar, Command + W, Command + Tab, or Command + X are commonly used by Mac users to open Spotlight search, close windows or browser tabs, and switch between apps or cut items.
You can head to System Preferences > Keyboard to modify the shortcuts and customize them according to your preferences.
Bottom Line
Follow these tricks to take your productivity to the next level, and you’ll experience a new work-life balance.
