17 Technical Tips and Techniques

Ever find yourself frustrated searching for a password you thought you noted down somewhere? Or perhaps you've spent tedious moments resizing windows to have two on the same screen? Sometimes, technology can seem more like an unavoidable hassle than a helpful tool. Here, we've compiled 17 shortcuts and strategies to leverage technology for your benefit, making your daily life a bit smoother.

1. Reboot Regularly for Better Performance

It's a good practice to reboot your computer weekly. This action flushes system memory, completes any ongoing Windows updates, and can significantly improve productivity and overall performance.

2. Opt for a Secure Password Manager

Avoid wasting time recalling forgotten passwords. Secure online password managers like 1Password and Keeper can seamlessly integrate with your web browser, making login processes swift and secure. These tools can even generate robust passwords, enhancing your account security.

3. Capture Screenshots with Ease

On a PC, find the "Snipping Tool" by right-clicking the "Start" button. On a Mac, use "Shift+Command+4" to select and capture a specific screen area.

4. Automate Laptop Screen Brightness

Protect your eyes from blue light by using the automatic light switcher in Windows. Right-click the "Start" button, search for "Night Light," and schedule the feature to adjust to warmer colors based on environmental lighting changes.

5. Swiftly Re-Open Closed Browser Tabs

Accidentally closed an essential browser tab? On a Windows PC, press "Control + Shift + T" to quickly reopen it.

6. Directly Search from the Browser Bar

Save time by searching directly from your browser's address bar, eliminating the need to open a new tab and go to Google.

7. Enhance Google Searches with Quotation Marks

Improve search precision on Google by enclosing your query in quotation marks, ensuring results exactly match your input.

8. Locate Your Android Using Google

Sign in to your Google account on a PC and search "find my phone" to locate your Android. For Apple devices, use Find My iPhone on iCloud.com.

9. Efficient Email Management in Microsoft Outlook

In the Microsoft Outlook ribbon, select “File,” click the “Manage Rules & Alerts” button, and then select “New Rule.” In this menu, you can assign tasks to emails under certain conditions, such as automatically filing emails based on criteria like the sender or specific words in the subject line.

10. Schedule Delayed Emails in Microsoft Outlook

In Outlook, use the "Delay Delivery" option under "Options" when composing a new email to schedule when it should be sent.

11. Establish Quiet Hours in Microsoft Teams Mobile App

Open the Microsoft Teams app on your phone and click the navigation menu (photo icon) in the top left corner. Click “Notifications,” then click on the bell icon under “Block notifications,” identified as During quiet time. After you click “quiet hours,” you will have the option to turn it on and select your desired quiet hours. There is also a separate option to turn on quiet days, which mutes notifications for a full 24 hours.

12. Mute and Unmute Zoom Meetings with the Space Bar

During Zoom calls, press and hold the spacebar to quickly mute and unmute your microphone.

13. Automate Meeting Scheduling with Calendly

Calendly allows you to schedule meetings with people outside of your organization who may not use the same calendar software as you. Once you set your ideal meeting times and length in the app, you can share a specific Calendly URL. This way, people trying to schedule events with you can find what works best, eliminating the back-and-forth of multiple emails.

14. Master Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Key + D - Helps you hide or show the desktop at once despite how many tabs and windows are opened on your desktop.
Spacebar - Scrolls down the page.
Shift + Spacebar - Scrolls up the page.
Windows Key + Left/Right Arrow - Allows you to select and work on two windows side by side.
Alt + Tab - Switches between multiple windows quickly.
Windows Key + L - Locks your computer in a second. This comes in handy if you're working on something confidential and someone comes over, and you need privacy quickly.

15. Use Youtube Keyboard Commands

Keys 0 through 9 skip through the video. Press 5 for 50%, 7 for 70%, etc. The J, K, and L keys also have useful functions. Press J to rewind, K to pause, and L to fast forward. These keys only work in this manner when the video is paused.

16. Expand Your Vocabulary in Documents

In Office 365, the built-in thesaurus is a handy feature. To avoid repetition when writing content, right-click any word and select “synonyms.” You'll get a full selection of great alternatives.

17. Texting Efficiency Hack

Double-tap the space bar at the end of a sentence for an automatic period and capitalization in your texts.

Hopefully, these shortcuts will free up some time in your day. Stay tuned for more tech insights or reach out with any questions.