Finding the simple solutions to increasing workflow.
With technology surrounding us in this era the way we work has changed substantially, from people using pen and paper to make documents, sending information via letters, and handheld calculators, all of which have changed to computers that can do all these things much easier and way more efficient. Our workflow has changed massively due to us relying so much on technology nowadays and we have to embrace it, as there have been lots of new emerging techniques and software to help our workflow as many of these are overlooked. Learning these fantastic skills and programs will improve your workflow and make your life much easier when it comes to software.
The first technique I want to talk about is probably one of the most overlooked but most used features on modern computers, this feature being the use of keyboard shortcuts. This feature can be utilised every day with countless scenarios, and there are so many variations people do not know about. Both major pc software (Mac and Windows) uses these keyboard shortcuts extensively, with each mainly using one main key with a number of variations to activate many of these shortcuts; Mac using the “Command” key and Windows using the “Ctrl” key. Going onto Microsoft and Apple’s websites you can view the hundreds of different combinations learning just a few of these can help improve your workflow massively by saving time with simple tasks, such as coping and pasting; using “Ctrl – C” to copy and “Ctrl – V” to paste. I advise you to take a look at each of Apple and Microsft’s respected websites, you’ll be surprised at how many different shortcuts there are.
Keyboard shortcuts for Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102650
Keyboard shortcuts for Windows - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/keyboard-shortcuts-in-windows-dcc61a57-8ff0-cffe-9796-cb9706c75eec
Another helpful way to increase your workflow is by maximizing productivity. The use of a third-party file manager app can significantly enhance your workflow by simplifying the file organisation process, access to files your as well as sharing your files. With some file manager apps, you can organise your files with keywords to automatically save files to a specific location. For example, if I had my keyword as ‘graphics’ every file with this in its name will be saved to a specific location of my choosing. This incredible feature makes it extremely easy to save files without losing them as well as saving time. Most file managers can be integrated with cloud services such as iCloud and Google Drive, which ensures seamless access across multiple devices. Incorporating this use of cloud services can make collaboration effortless as many file manager apps let you share files securely using the cloud to a centralised location others can access. This feature can massively improve people’s workflow when working on a group project. There are countless file managers to download, however, some offer more features than others so be sure to know what you’re looking for. The best-rated file managers are Directory Opus, Total Commander, FreeCommander, One Commander, ExplorerMax, WinDirStat, and Q-Dir.
Whether you’re a student, professional, or entrepreneur, always take into consideration the ways you can improve your workflow, whether it be by using simple keyboard shortcuts or a file manager using these significantly helps you and lets you focus on what truly matters.
