This week I’m going to keep things brief and provide you with a list of some useful keyboard shortcuts that, when utilized, can save you a lot of time as you work on your computer. This is particularly useful if you’re a touch typist – it can save a lot of mousing time (and wrist stress) as you work.
Ones you may already know:
CTRL-C = copy (this works almost anywhere and is quite useful when paired with any of the first 3 items in the next list marked with asterisks *)
CTRL-X = cut
CTRL-V = paste
ALT-TAB = cycle through windows
WINDOWS-TAB = flip through windows
CTRL-TAB = cycle through windows or tabs within an open program
WINDOWS-D = jump to desktop (press again to pull all windows back up)
CTRL-Z = undo
CTRL-Y = redo
Ones you may not be as familiar with:
* Hold SHIFT while selecting either with the mouse, the arrow keys, PAGE-UP/DOWN, or the HOME or END keys = select a range of items
* Hold CTRL while selecting with the mouse = select specific items
* CTRL-A = select all items
TAB (in webpages or on forms) = jump to the next item
SHIFT-TAB = jump to the previous item
CTRL-N = new (item, document, etc.)
CTRL-S = save
CTRL-O = open
CTRL-T (in an internet browser) = open new tab
Hold CTRL when clicking a link = open target link in new tab (I use this one a lot)
Hold SHIFT when clicking a link = open target link in a new window
Here’s a ridiculously long, exhaustive list of more shortcuts: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts – Note that you can choose which version of Windows you’re running since there are some differences.
And speaking of wrist stress, if you use your computer a lot it pays to have a good mouse and keyboard setup. This is my all-time favorite keyboard – I absolutely love it – it completely changed the typing experience for me many years ago and I’ll never go back:
I’ve been using this same keyboard for a decade now and I’m completely sold out and radical – for an ergo keyboard it’s the best bang for the buck hands-down – worth every penny.
As for mice, there are countless great wireless mice on Amazon starting at $10. Using a laptop touchpad is a recipe for instant frustration, not to mention carpal tunnel. If you have a laptop, you really need to own a good wireless mouse. I haven’t made the leap yet, but supposedly the vertical (true ergo) mice are way better for your wrist. For now, I’m good with my conventional wireless mouse – but I definitely rely on it.
Alright, that’s all for this week. I hope this saves you some time and wrist stress.
One of My Favorite Websites of All Time
On a completely unrelated note, I’d like to offer up one of my favorite websites of all time:
I’ve probably spent several hundred hours watching documentaries on this website. The information contained within these films is multitudinous and often overwhelming, but ultimately illuminating and empowering. As the saying goes, The truth will set you free… but first it will piss you off. If you’re interested in becoming more aware of what’s going on in the world around you, this is the perfect place to start. There’s great info here on almost any topic you can imagine. I have countless recommendations – if you’d like any, just let me know.
Here’s a good kickoff clip. It’s a 4-minute video of one of the best speeches ever, delivered by none other than Charlie Chaplin: http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/a-message-for-all-of-humanity/ Enjoy 🙂