Life's my light and liberty and I shine when I want to shine
Some awesome keyboard shortcuts you may not have known about
(Note: Windows only, sorry Max and Linuc users. The browser ones definitely work in Firefox, but I don't know if they work in any other browser. They should do, though, but if they don't work in your browser, don't blame me.)
Computer (Note: I THINK these are Windows XP and later):
Win + L = Lock the computer
Win + D = Show the desktop
Win + E = Open Windows Explorer
Win + X = Open a special menu from which you can do things like open power saving, control panel, Task Manager, and restart/sleep/shut down
To rename a file quickly, highlight the one you want to rename and press F2
When in an active Explorer window with a lot of files in it, press a letter to immediately jump to the files beginning with that letter
If you want to open a program, press the Win key to open the Start menu, type the first few letters of the program you want, then press Enter.
Window gone off the screen? Press Alt+Space, followed by M, then use the arrow keys to move it back onto the screen.
We all know about Alt+Tab for switching windows, but a better method, especially if you have a lot of windows open, is to do Win+Tab, scroll to the window you want using the arrow keys, then press Enter (or Win+Tab and click on the window you want). This also prevents you from accidentally Alt+Tabbing over the window in question.
Browser:
Ctrl+Shift+T = Bring back a previously closed tab (handy if you accidentally close a tab)
Ctrl+number = Go to that numbered tab (1-9 only)
Ctrl+Tab = Go to the next tab to the right
Ctrl+Shift+Tab = Go to the next tab to the left
Ctrl+L = Move the cursor to the address bar so you can type in an address (saves having to click there)
Ctrl+W = Close the current tab
Ctrl+Shift+P = Open a new Private Browsing window
And since this blog post is rather short, some extra tips to help you with your daily life.
Does your cat love to sit on or near your computer, especially when you're trying to work? Flip the top of a board game box upside down and put it nearby, off to the side. Boxes are like magnets for cats.
If you're sick of receiving marketing email, set up your email client to filter out messages containing the word "unsubscribe".
Tie a knot in one of your earphone wires, so you always know which one is the left one and which is the right without having to check.
Need a cold drink when out and about? Fill a plastic bottle a quarter of the way with water and lay it on its side in the freezer. Once it's frozen, you can fill it with a drink of your choice and keep it ice cold on the go.
If you only ever really drink one thing, fill the ice cube tray with that instead of water. That way you can keep your drink cold without watering it down.
Nutella jar almost empty? Fill it with ice cream and finish it off in style.
When lending things to friends, take a picture with your phone of them holding the item that you lent them. This way you won't forget to whom you lent what.
Similarly, take a picture of your fridge (with the door open, of course) before you go shopping to ensure that you won't forget what you need to buy.
If you're trying to find something on a shelf or in a specific area, look from right to left. Since we're naturally used to reading left to right, this forces our brains to pay more attention to what we're seeing. Saying the name of the thing you're trying to find out loud to yourself while looking also helps.
Have an impulse buying problem? Leave your money (wallet, credit cards, etc.) at home when you go out (unless you're actually going out shopping), that way you won't be tempted. (If you are going out shopping, then take just enough money to get the things you need. Pay with cash, not by credit or debit card - leave those at home.)
Include an accented letter or a letter from a different alphabet in your password. That way, nobody will ever be able to guess it.
(Note: Windows only, sorry Max and Linuc users. The browser ones definitely work in Firefox, but I don't know if they work in any other browser. They should do, though, but if they don't work in your browser, don't blame me.)
Computer (Note: I THINK these are Windows XP and later):
Win + L = Lock the computer
Win + D = Show the desktop
Win + E = Open Windows Explorer
Win + X = Open a special menu from which you can do things like open power saving, control panel, Task Manager, and restart/sleep/shut down
To rename a file quickly, highlight the one you want to rename and press F2
When in an active Explorer window with a lot of files in it, press a letter to immediately jump to the files beginning with that letter
If you want to open a program, press the Win key to open the Start menu, type the first few letters of the program you want, then press Enter.
Window gone off the screen? Press Alt+Space, followed by M, then use the arrow keys to move it back onto the screen.
We all know about Alt+Tab for switching windows, but a better method, especially if you have a lot of windows open, is to do Win+Tab, scroll to the window you want using the arrow keys, then press Enter (or Win+Tab and click on the window you want). This also prevents you from accidentally Alt+Tabbing over the window in question.
Browser:
Ctrl+Shift+T = Bring back a previously closed tab (handy if you accidentally close a tab)
Ctrl+number = Go to that numbered tab (1-9 only)
Ctrl+Tab = Go to the next tab to the right
Ctrl+Shift+Tab = Go to the next tab to the left
Ctrl+L = Move the cursor to the address bar so you can type in an address (saves having to click there)
Ctrl+W = Close the current tab
Ctrl+Shift+P = Open a new Private Browsing window
And since this blog post is rather short, some extra tips to help you with your daily life.
Does your cat love to sit on or near your computer, especially when you're trying to work? Flip the top of a board game box upside down and put it nearby, off to the side. Boxes are like magnets for cats.
If you're sick of receiving marketing email, set up your email client to filter out messages containing the word "unsubscribe".
Tie a knot in one of your earphone wires, so you always know which one is the left one and which is the right without having to check.
Need a cold drink when out and about? Fill a plastic bottle a quarter of the way with water and lay it on its side in the freezer. Once it's frozen, you can fill it with a drink of your choice and keep it ice cold on the go.
If you only ever really drink one thing, fill the ice cube tray with that instead of water. That way you can keep your drink cold without watering it down.
Nutella jar almost empty? Fill it with ice cream and finish it off in style.
When lending things to friends, take a picture with your phone of them holding the item that you lent them. This way you won't forget to whom you lent what.
Similarly, take a picture of your fridge (with the door open, of course) before you go shopping to ensure that you won't forget what you need to buy.
If you're trying to find something on a shelf or in a specific area, look from right to left. Since we're naturally used to reading left to right, this forces our brains to pay more attention to what we're seeing. Saying the name of the thing you're trying to find out loud to yourself while looking also helps.
Have an impulse buying problem? Leave your money (wallet, credit cards, etc.) at home when you go out (unless you're actually going out shopping), that way you won't be tempted. (If you are going out shopping, then take just enough money to get the things you need. Pay with cash, not by credit or debit card - leave those at home.)
Include an accented letter or a letter from a different alphabet in your password. That way, nobody will ever be able to guess it.
Comments
Post a Comment