Tip of the Week: Keeping It Simple

Shortcuts are one of the key parts of using a computer these days, and when properly used, they can make your experience with the device much, much more convenient. You can be more productive throughout the workday and be more effective at completing tasks, all thanks to shortcuts. There are four in particular that can help you be a better computer user.

Tip #1: No Fear
Technology can often be tricky to get just right, and people with no experience often struggle to grasp a concept that seems simple. This can be frustrating for many. The best way to approach this is to just take a dive into the deep end and take a risk by learning something new. There are very few ways you can actually brick your computer without meaning to. One of the most basic ways you can use keyboard shortcuts is to use them for Undo. The shortcut for Undo is Ctrl+Z. This will undo your last action in just about any application you have open.

Tip #2: Use Search Engines
The computer novice might think it intimidating to have files and applications within an operating system. The Internet is actually the biggest troubleshooting guide out there, so you can use search engines to figure out everything you need to know about various applications. Just type your search query into the address bar and you will see results. While digging through the results isn’t the most engaging thing, it’s up to you to find the ones that best suit your needs. You can change the parameters somewhat, so try playing with the settings to best customize what you are looking for.

Tip #3: Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
You can use keyboard shortcuts to improve the speed of your work considerably. Here are a couple of suggestions to help you get started.

• Ctrl+A - Select all
• Ctrl+C - Copy selected content
• Ctrl+X - Cut selected content
• Ctrl+Z - Undo (Seriously, this one is crucial.)
• Ctrl+Y - Redo

There are others that you can use depending on the application, but these are generally provided under a Help menu. If you can look for these and figure out how to use them, you’ll be much better off.

Tip #4: Find Your Comfort Zone
Nobody’s a natural when it comes to any skill, even if they like to boast about it. You can’t expect anyone to be proficient with something the first time they try it, so you can’t expect it of yourself, either. Just try to stick to what you know, and know well. If you have several applications that you are comfortable with, stick to those unless you have someone who is willing to train you in how to use the others.

Getting used to using a computer for a lot of your typical business work can be challenging, but we believe in you! If you ever need a tip on how to be more effective at using a computer or any piece of business technology, be sure to subscribe to SCW’s blog.