If you’re fortunate enough to use a Mac every day, I applaud you. While I use an iMac for my side business, I am still stuck in the Windows world during the day. At least it’s Windows XP, and not the Beast they call Vista.
Mac OS X has some great tools built in to help you be more productive. That’s right – the OS that’s generally perceived to be for “play” can actually help you work much more efficiently. A few features of OS X stand out in this area. One of my favorites is Spaces.
Spaces
If you work on several projects at a time like most folks, then Spaces is a life saver. In a perfect world, we could each have 3 monitors on our desk. That would allow us to separate our projects, and have all the tasks related to each project on a monitor. However, limited physical space and financial resources usually prevent this from being reality. That is where spaces come in.
Press F8 on your Mac, and you’ll be presented with several Spaces, or virtual desktops. I use 4, though you can use more if you choose. Drag windows from one Space to another, organizing your projects. Then simple click to select which Space you want to use, and everything else fades into the background. The only things you are looking at are those which pertain to your current project. It’s a great way to keep organized and focus better.
Expose
One of the toughest parts for me with the switch to Mac OS X was the lack of a traditional taskbar. If you have a lot of windows open, some tend to get hidden behind others, and forgotten. At any time, simply press F9 to active Expose. It’s like a super-zoom-out, and every open window separates, so you can see everything that you have open. Select what you want to work on, and you zoom back in. Extremely handy, and makes switching between apps a breeze.
The Dock
Perhaps the toughest part of OS X to get used to is the Dock. Think of the Dock as a combination between the Windows taskbar and the Start menu. You can launch apps from the Dock, and minimized apps also reside on the right side of the dock. Your most commonly used apps should be pinned to the Dock, so you can launch them quickly and easily. Apps that are open but not minimized will not show in the dock – if you can’t see them, you’ll need to use Expose to get a glimpse.
Combine them all to be more productive
Use everything that OS X has to offer you. The tools to be more productive are built right in. If you use them, you can get more done in less time. Less time working means more time with your family. Isn’t that the ultimate goal of productivity, after all?
