Sometimes I can watch in fascination as others do their jobs. Some are incredibly clumsy, while others seem to have the efficiency and speed of some kind of PC wizard. Quickly switching between screens and windows, cleverly positioning them and, of course, making the most of the programs. I, too, am always trying to improve my flow. Yet this remains a constant struggle. For what is really useful, what is worth investing time in to get better at it, and what is actually more for show?
Lately, I have been actively paying attention to using the mouse less. This sounds trivial, but I believe it can really help make my work more enjoyable and also reduce the risk of RSI. So that means doing as much as possible with keyboard shortcuts and other tricks.
In addition, there are countless other ways to bend your virtual world to your will. Useful command line plugins, for example omyzsh, and the many built-in and available extensions for the programs we use every day. In particular, my note-taking tool, Obsidian, can sometimes be a rabbit hole without end. The possibilities offered by this open-source program, with all the community extensions, are so diverse that I often can’t see the forest for the trees. The Obsidian cult is one I enjoy being a part of, but it can also be exhausting. Should I perhaps thoroughly put more time into this so that I can take my organization to the next level?
In addition to virtual improvements, hardware optimizations are also possible. Mechanical keyboards, split keyboards, vertical mice (again, against RSI!)—there are countless improvements possible. Those who can skillfully program their own keyboard can perform the most complex operations with apparent agility with a few taps on the right keys. I myself am still at the beginning of this adventure, and I am curious whether it is at all for me. Purchasing a vertical mouse is a good first step, though, I think.
In short, which improvements are worth it? Where to start? Basically, the rule of thumb “focus on what you really use” is a good one, but sometimes it takes a little learning curve to get the most out of something. At the same time, you can’t spend all your time optimizing tasks, because then they won’t get finished at all.
For now, no magic is coming out of my hands, although some probably see it differently. But with a little practice -and maybe that new mouse- it will get a little better and better.