Tips For Optimizing Your Mac For Productivity

If you've been looking for ways to make your Mac more productive, a few simple steps can make a massive difference. 

Mac is a powerful tool. It can help you become more productive, especially if you have a time tracker for Mac. There are robust and efficient systems, allowing it to perform various tasks. However, it may lose speed after a while. 

Macs sometimes take longer to complete activities. And while this isn't necessarily a problem, you can tune your Mac to run better than it does now. 

That’s what this guide is about. We’ll show you how to optimize your Mac for better productivity. 

Let’s begin. 

Practical Ways to Optimize Your Mac for Productive Work 

1. Start Using iCloud

The first thing you should do is sign up for iCloud. You can create an account and start using all of its features in just a few minutes, and it's free.

You'll be able to back up your Mac data if something goes wrong. Or sync your data across multiple devices to access your documents on the go.  

You can also use iCloud Photo Library to store all your photos in full resolution, accessible from any device anytime. And if you want access to music that's not stored locally on iTunes, use Apple Music directly through iCloud Music Library. 

It’s better than syncing playlists with iTunes or purchasing songs individually.

2. Keep Your Desktop Clean

One of the most frustrating things you can do when working on a Mac is to have a cluttered desktop. This can lead to lost files, which adds more stress and frustration in the long run.

So get rid of files you don’t use or don’t need anymore. Get rid of them if they're taking up space on your hard drive and not serving any purpose. 

Moving these files into folders using Finder or dragging them off into the trash bin is easy. 

3. Make Sure Your Apps are Up to Date.

You can check if you have the latest version by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen. Then select About This Mac > Software Update. 

If any updates are available, they will be listed here and updated automatically when clicked.

4. Clean Out Your Menu Bar 

Your menu bar is a great place to put essential apps, but it can get cluttered quickly. For example, you probably don't need your calendar, calculator, or sticky notes cluttering your screen space.

If you want to clean out your menu bar, here’s how:

• First, Right-click on the app you want to hide and select "Show in Finder" from the drop-down menu. This will open up a window in Finder with that app in it.

• Drag this window into another folder (even another hard drive) or onto your desktop. That way, you can reaccess it later if needed, but make sure not to delete the original file accidentally.

5. Use a Better Wallpaper and Screen Saver

Choose a wallpaper that's not too busy. A busy wallpaper has a lot of different elements, such as words, pictures, and lines. A suitable wallpaper will have just one or two main colors with a few subtle details to keep it interesting.

Use a screensaver that isn't too busy, either. Instead, you want your screen saver to be relaxing and discreet. That will prevent distractions and help you focus on your work.

6. Try Out One-Tap Shortcuts For Common Actions

The built-in shortcuts are great for common actions if you have a new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. For example, just tap to control brightness, scroll through tabs in Safari, or scrub through a video.

If your Mac doesn't have a Touch Bar, don’t worry. You can still customize your keyboard to quick-launch your most used apps and files, so they're just one keypress away.

7. Check Your Downloads Folder

Having enough free space on your Mac's hard drive is crucial for it to function correctly. Unfortunately, this means you must manually inspect locations, such as the Downloads directory. 

Delete from Downloads any files that have already served their purpose, such as PDFs. This helps with folder management by keeping things organized and tidy. 

There's no point in keeping unused installation files on your Mac if they've been sitting in your Downloads folder for months. Likewise, if you've deleted the associated programs, there's no need to keep the installation file. 

8. Add Social Media Buttons to Safari in macOS Sierra's Share Menu.

To add social media buttons to Safari's share menu in macOS Sierra's share menu, select the “Show Share button” checkbox. This will enable the share menu in Safari and add buttons for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Gmail.

To add other sharing services to this list:

• Open System Preferences by clicking on its icon in your dock. You can also press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight search and type "System Preferences" without quotes. Then select it in the results list.

• Click App Store from System Preferences' left sidebar (or click on the Apple logo at the top center).

• Click Manage Account from App Store's main window (or click on your name at the top center). If you're not logged into an account with an Apple ID already, enter them here. 

Conclusion

You’ve got a lot of options in Macs to increase your productivity. Follow these simple tips to waste no time in getting your projects done. You can also use Traqq’s time tracker to boost your productivity after you’ve set your Mac for focus work.