Working from home is excellent, but it’s not always easy. It’s essential to have a space that’s comfortable and efficient. And you need to make sure your Mac helps you to become as productive as possible, which can be difficult.
So we’ve put together these work-from-home tips for Mac users.
Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Tips for WFH Mac Users
1. Get a Good Wireless Mouse
If you want to get the most out of your Mac, you’ll want a wireless mouse. There are many benefits of using a wireless mouse, from increased convenience and responsiveness to increased battery life and better performance.
Wireless mice also tend to be smaller than their wired counterparts due to the lack of cables tying them down. This means they won’t take up as much space on your desk. And if you’re working from home, that could make all the difference.
2. Improve Your Productivity With a Time Tracker
If you use a Mac, you can increase efficiency by using a time tracker for Mac. Without the distraction of the clock, you’ll be able to give your full attention to your task.
Set a timer if you have a project due in a few days and other things to do before. That’ll be useful for keeping you on track with your responsibilities.
Using a time tracker can help you avoid wasting time and increase productivity.
3. Keep Your Mac Updated
Updates are so crucial because they help keep your computer secure. So if you’re not in the mood to install them immediately, at least consider it. And besides, updating is easy.
Just go to “System Preferences,” then “Software Update,” and click “Check Now” or “Update All.” You can also set your Mac to download any updates that become available automatically.
4. Have a Strong Password
Using a password manager like LastPass to keep track of all your passwords is the first step toward having strong passwords. It’s not just convenient. It’s also safer since the only thing you have to remember is your master password.
The app will generate random passwords for every site you visit and store them in an encrypted database on your device. Even browser extensions can fill in all those fields on any site without requiring you to type anything in manually.
5. Protect Your Privacy
To protect your privacy, you should use a VPN. A VPN encrypts the data you send over the internet, making it unreadable to anyone who might intercept it. This is especially important if using an unsecured Wi-Fi connection, like at an airport or coffee shop.
6. Document Your Work
Keeping track of what you’ve done and how long it took is essential if you’re working from home. Documentation is also vital when someone else needs to look at what’s happening with a task or project. There are many different types of documentation:
First, you can write notes in Evernote or Notion, which is easily accessible whenever you need them. Also, take screenshots if something looks different than it did earlier in the day, week, or month.
This is especially helpful if bugs aren’t visible across platforms or devices. You can also use apps like Skitch or Google Drawings to annotate them as needed.
Create a calendar reminder if tasks need to be completed at certain times throughout the day, week, or month. That way, no one will be left out of what to do.
7. Use Duet Display
You can use Duet Display to connect your iPad to your Mac and use it as a second screen. This app is great for working from home because it allows you to multitask on various projects without switching between desktops or tabs.
Duet Display has two modes: mirroring or extending the desktop. Mirroring will show the same thing on both monitors. That’s useful if you want an easy way to view documents side by side.
Extending mode lets you use one monitor for work tasks and the other for entertainment or other tasks.
8. Use Continuity to Make Work Easier
As a Mac user, you have a few unique advantages over your Windows counterparts regarding working from home. One of the best ways to capitalize on these advantages is through Continuity.
This allows you to connect your Mac with other Apple devices seamlessly. That helps to share files and send messages more quickly.
If you’re unfamiliar with Continuity, it’s a set of technologies built into macOS and iOS. It allows two operating systems to communicate using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth LE. To take advantage of this feature, enable it in “System Preferences” on your Mac.
Afterward, enable Handoff and Instant Hotspot in Settings and AirDrop in Finder. Once all these settings are enabled, your device will begin sending information back and forth between both platforms automatically as needed.
9. Keep Your Mac Clean and Tuned Up With Onyx
If you want to go all out, a free app called Onyx can help you keep your Mac clean and tuned. It not only finds unnecessary junk files and data. But it also optimizes the performance of your hard drive by defragmenting it.
That is good for everyone who has ever been frustrated by sluggishness on their old computer. You can download Onyx from the Mac App Store and run through its list of things you can do to keep your computer running smoothly.
10. Learn More Shortcuts That Can Save Time
When you get comfortable with a task, it doesn’t take as long as it did when you first started. That’s because you’ve learned the shortcuts for those tasks.
Shortcuts are a great way to speed up your workflow and keep things organized. For example, if you want to create a new file in Xcode by duplicating an existing project, just press Command + D.
If you want to open a project folder in Finder or any other application that supports keyboard shortcuts, just press “Shift + Command + G.”
These shortcuts will save time over doing things manually every single time.
Final Thoughts
None of these suggestions will magically transform your Mac into a working wonder. But implementing even a subset of these points will make your computer more functional. By following them, you’ll be able to get more done with less hassle.