Keyboard Shortcuts - How to get more done in less time.
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If you’re working from a laptop all day — at home, in a café, or on the road — every little bit of saved time and effort adds up.
One of the simplest ways to get more done (without working longer hours) is to use your keyboard more and your trackpad/mouse less. Keyboard shortcuts sound a bit “techy”, but once you know a handful of them, they become second nature.
This guide walks through practical shortcuts you can start using today to work faster and with less friction.
Note:
- Windows shortcuts use Ctrl and Alt
- Mac shortcuts use ⌘ (Command) and ⌥ (Option)
1. Core Shortcuts Everyone Should Know
These are the everyday shortcuts you’ll use constantly across browsers, docs, email, and more.
Text & editing
Copy / Paste / Cut
- Copy: Ctrl + C (Windows) / ⌘ + C (Mac)
- Paste: Ctrl + V / ⌘ + V
- Cut: Ctrl + X / ⌘ + X
Undo / Redo
- Undo: Ctrl + Z / ⌘ + Z
- Redo: Ctrl + Y or Ctrl + Shift + Z / ⌘ + Shift + Z
Select all
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Select everything: Ctrl + A / ⌘ + A
Save often
- Save: Ctrl + S / ⌘ + S
Make a habit of hitting Save every few minutes without even thinking about it — you’ll never lose a draft again.
2. Shortcuts That Speed Up Browsing
Most of us live in the browser. These shortcuts keep you moving quickly between tabs and pages.
Tabs
- New tab: Ctrl + T / ⌘ + T
- Close tab: Ctrl + W / ⌘ + W
- Reopen last closed tab: Ctrl + Shift + T / ⌘ + Shift + T
Find anything on a page
- Find: Ctrl + F / ⌘ + F
Use Find instead of scrolling to look for a word, name, or section. Once you get used to it, scrolling feels painfully slow.
3. Navigate Text Like a Pro (Without the Mouse)
If you write a lot — emails, reports, code, essays — these shortcuts can easily save you 10–20 minutes a day.
Move around faster
Jump word by word:
- Windows: Ctrl + → / ←
- Mac: ⌥ + → / ←
Jump to start/end of line:
Windows: Home / End
Mac: ⌘ + ← / →
Delete faster
Delete previous word:
- Windows: Ctrl + Backspace
- Mac: ⌥ + Delete
Instead of holding Backspace, use Ctrl + Backspace (or ⌥ + Delete on Mac) to remove whole words at a time. It feels small, but over a day of typing, it’s a huge time saver.
4. Stay in Flow with Window & App Shortcuts
Switching between windows and apps with your mouse breaks your focus. These shortcuts help you stay in the zone.
Switch between apps
- Windows: Alt + Tab
- Mac: ⌘ + Tab
Hold the keys down and tap Tab repeatedly to cycle through open apps.
See all windows
- Windows: Win + Tab
- Mac: Mission Control (often F3 or swipe up with three/four fingers on trackpad)
5. Screenshot Shortcuts (For Sharing & Saving Info)
Screenshots are useful for sharing bugs, saving receipts, or capturing part of a page.
Windows
- Snip tool: Win + Shift + S (then drag over the area)
Mac
- Select area: ⌘ + Shift + 4
- Full screen: ⌘ + Shift + 3
6. How to Actually Build a Shortcut Habit
Knowing shortcuts is one thing. Using them consistently is another.
Here’s a simple way to make them stick:
Pick 3–5 shortcuts only.
Don’t try to learn everything at once.
-
Write them on a sticky note.
Keep in on your laptop or monitor for a week. If you reach for your mouse for something that has a shortcut, pause and use the keys instead. -
Level up each week.
Once the first batch feels automatic, add a few more: -
Make it part of your portable workflow.
If you’re using a portable setup like the DeskMate Pro with a full-size keyboard, shortcuts become even easier — your fingers are in the same place whether you’re at a café, airport, or coworking space.
Final Thoughts
Keyboard shortcuts are one of those small habits that compound over time. You won’t suddenly double your productivity in a day, but you will:
- Spend less time clicking and hunting for buttons
- Stay in “flow” longer, with fewer interruptions
- Get more done in the same block of time
Start with a handful of shortcuts this week. In a month, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them.