Maximizing your productivity helps you not only get done with tasks faster but also better. When you optimize your Mac for maximum productivity, you will realize that you get a lot done much faster because the task at hand has your complete attention.
Top 6 Productivity Hacks for Mac Users
If this sounds like your goal, keep reading to find about six productivity hacks that you should know as a Mac user.
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Tip #1: Get rid of clutter from your desktop
Visual clutter is not only terrible for your productivity but also for your brain. Our brains are not designed to handle chaos. So, clutter can have a cumulative effect on your brain. It mentally drains you, leaving you unable to give your full attention to the task at hand.
So, it is essential that you get rid of the clutter on your desktop. There are three simple ways of doing so:
- Backup all your files to Time Machine and delete all the files from the desktop
- Use Stacks to arrange all your files in a neat fashion
- Manually sort through files that you need and delete the ones that aren’t necessary
You can also play around with the settings on your Mac to change the location of where screenshots are saved to make sure they don’t land up on your desktop.
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Tip #2: Get more than one display
Sometimes one display just isn’t enough, especially when you’re multitasking. You need another monitor to make sure you have your windows and apps open at the same time.
You can use your iPad if you have one as an additional display. If you don’t have an iPad or you need a bigger screen, you can also purchase an external monitor.
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Tip #3. Master shortcuts
This article wouldn’t be complete if we talked about getting things done faster without discussing keyboard shortcuts. Mac has a bunch of keyboard shortcuts that save you a couple of seconds each time you have to perform a repetitive task. A popular one is accessing Spotlight with Command + Space Bar and then typing in the name of the app you want to open.
Apple has a list of these keyboard shortcuts that you can learn to save you precious time.
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Tip #4: Speed up your Mac
A slow Mac is detrimental to your productivity. There are several reasons why your Mac may have slowed down. If you use your Mac every day but don’t shut it down, this can cause certain apps and processes to continue running in the background that can slow down your system. Make sure you shut down your Mac regularly to avoid this issue.
Another reason is the insufficient storage on your disk. You need to have 10% free at any given time to use the Mac in an effective manner. Follow Apple’s recommendations when it comes to optimizing storage – empty the trash automatically, store your files to iCloud or any other Cloud storage, create backups of your files, and delete unnecessary files.
Sometimes, an app you download off the internet can also cause your system to slow down. If you notice that your system has slowed down after you installed a bunch of apps, you can try uninstalling them to see if it improves your Mac’s performance.
When it comes to uninstalling apps, it is not a straightforward process. Even if you delete an app, the installation files may still be on your Mac. It is recommended that you use an app uninstaller software from a recommended list of tried and tested software to automate the process for you.
Besides, task automation helps with productivity a lot.
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Tip #5: Become familiar with in-built features
macOS has a ton of features to help you boost productivity. You can disable all your notifications to get work done faster. Notifications are a productivity killer. Suppose you are working on something that requires your sole attention. Getting notifications is distracting, and also checking notifications is addictive and eats up your productivity without you realizing it.
You can use the Calendar app on Mac to schedule brainstorming sessions and all your other meetings so that you stay on top of your work. And finally, you can use the Dictation tool to avoid typing everything out.
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Tip #6: Use Screen Time
Screen Time is a great way to keep your focus on certain apps while limiting yourself from using apps that you may be endlessly scrolling on. You can also schedule downtime because taking breaks is just as important to increase productivity.
You can keep track of all the hours you spend online vs. the output to make sure you are utilizing your time effectively. It is one of the Best Productivity Hacks for Mac Users on this list.
Why you need productivity hacks
Most of these Productivity Hacks for Mac Users only save you a couple of seconds, so do you really need to learn shortcuts or use these features? Yes. Just like with the power of compounding when it comes to investing, saving a couple of seconds with repetitive tasks has a cumulative effect on your overall productivity.