Work faster

Posted on 11 Mar 2008 at 12:19

22. Easily find recent documents

Quite often, you'll find that the file you need is the one you've just closed or the one you were reading yesterday afternoon. Even if your documents are beautifully organised, there's an easier way to access recently used documents other than trawling to the appropriate folder: the My Recent Documents folder (Recent Items under Vista) on the Start Menu.

23. Use networked folders offline

All of those network folders you use at work can be accessed from home, and you don't need to delve into virtual networks - or even be online. Simply right-click on a network folder or file and select Always Available Offline. Windows will create a copy of that file on your computer automatically, and sync any changes you make when it gets a chance.

24. Make the Start Menu your pinboard

Windows automatically adds frequently used programs to the Start Menu, but you can save time by dictating a few yourself. Simply right-click on an application shortcut and select Pin To Start Menu - it will be added above the automatic icons. You can add anything, including documents.

25. Customise your Start Menu

There's no reason to keep the Start Menu the way Windows arranges it. Why not have work-related programs in one separate folder and games in another? To customise the Menu, right-click the Start button, go to Properties and select the Start Menu tab. From here, choose the Classic Start menu option, and clicking on Customize | Advanced will then let you add, move and delete folders.

26. Increase your screen resolution

Usability tests have proved that one factor affects Windows productivity more than anything else: the resolution of your Windows desktop. A higher resolution means more desktop space, and more space means less shuffling windows around while you're working. Many people run their monitors at less than maximum resolution; you can tell if you're one of them because graphics and text will look fuzzy.

To change the resolution in XP,right-click on the desktop, select Properties, click on the Settings tab and drag the Screen Resolution slider. If the slider has space to the right, the chances are you're not running at native resolution so drag it all the way to the right and hit OK. If the resolution doesn't work and the display goes blank, hit Escape and Windows will revert to the previous setting.

In Vista, right-click on the desktop, choose Personalize, then click on the Display Settings link.

27. Set a custom Places bar

Down the left-hand side of many XP file open/save dialog boxes, you'll see a dark grey bar containing one-click shortcuts to a selection of file system locations. It's a decent selection, but you can make it more useful with the TweakUI PowerToy (download from www.pcpro.co.uk/links/162win2), which lets you edit which locations appear. For example, ditch My Network Places and replace it with a shortcut to your favourite data folder. Next time you want to open a file, it will just be a click away.

28. Use Mouse Gestures in Firefox

Using keyboard shortcuts is often quicker than using the mouse, but the Mouse Gestures add-on for Firefox could change that. This plug-in lets you open links, tabs and new windows - and go back or forward a page - with mouse movements. It can be found on the Mozilla website, or head to www.pcpro.co.uk/links/162win3.