Here are some ways to save time in the working day

South Africa ranks among the countries with the longest average working hours per week. The average worker in South Africa works approximately 42.5 hours per week (or 8.5 hours a day) according to findings by the University of Oxford.

For employers who have to multitask and focus on various tasks in rapid succession, cutting out wasted time is crucial. Not only is it important to ensure that they maximise their efficiency, but that they also maximise the productivity and efficiency of their workers.

One of the best ways to cut out wasted time in the day is to ensure that you know the range of shortcuts available on your computer. Learning these shortcuts will take time, but after an initial learning curve, muscle memory may just make your tasks fly off your to-do list quicker than ever before.

Let’s start with the basics. Most of your day-to-day activities will involve text manipulation of some sort. Here are the most important text-related shortcuts you cannot go without:

Manipulating text

Ctrl + C – Copy selected text

Ctrl + X – Cut selected text

Ctrl + V – Paste text that was copied or cut

Ctrl + B – Bold text format

Ctrl + I – Italicise text format

Ctrl + U – Underline text format

Ctrl + Shift +  – Increase or decrease text size

Ctrl + E/L/R – Centre/Left/Right-align text

Shift + F3 – Shift selected text between Uppercase/Lowercase/Title case

Moving input position

Home – Go to the beginning of a line of text

End – Go to the end of a line of text

Ctrl + Home – Go to the start of a document

Ctrl + End – Go to the end of a document

Ctrl + Left/Right arrow –  Go to the start of the word to the left or right

Getting around your desktop

Win Key + M – Minimise all open windows

Win Key + [Number] – Open the app in the corresponding position on your taskbar

Alt + Tab – Move between the current open window and the last active window

Alt [Hold] + Tab [Multiple times] – Easily move between a variety of open windows

Ctrl + W/F4 – Close your current window

Browser shortcuts

F5 – Refresh the current page

Ctrl + F5 – Clear cache and refresh the current page

Ctrl + T – Open a new tab

Alt + Left Arrow – Back

Alt + Right Arrow – Forward

These are merely some of the most-used shortcuts that could drastically shape the speed and efficiency with which you do your work. Always be sure that if you frequently use a specific programme, that you become acquainted with the shortcuts relevant to your needs.

Knowing your shortcuts is only one way to save valuable time. With the right software and advice, you can invest in all sorts of software that will improve the way you do business, manage your finances and projects, store your sensitive data, etc. Speak to your financial adviser before you make any decisions on what you need to take your business to the next level, streamline and automate your functions, and save time in the process.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)