Work moves fast, and so do your conversations. In a busy organization, your important messages can quickly get buried under a flood of new ones. Even pinned chats can only do so much before they start feeling overwhelming. You probably find yourself scrolling endlessly just to reach a frequently used chat or widget. And when your mouse acts up—disappearing somewhere off the screen or opening a personal channel you've been avoiding for weeks—it only slows you down. But, what if there were a faster, more reliable way to get what you need?
The power of keyboard shortcuts
A keyboard can do so much more than typing—it can actually take the place of your mouse. While keyboard shortcuts might involve a slight learning curve, they become the ultimate tool for anyone looking for greater speed and efficiency.
Studies have consistently highlighted the advantages of keyboard shortcuts. Research by Brainscape found that professionals who regularly use shortcuts save an average of eight workdays per year. Some of the best PC users rarely touch their mouse at all. Another study on keyboard shortcut adoption suggests that those who work in environments where shortcuts are widely used are more likely to integrate them into their workflow. The more shortcuts you incorporate, the more efficient your work process becomes.
No matter your profession, if you use a computer for work, keyboard shortcuts can make a huge difference in productivity. Whether you are a designer, developer, writer, or analyst, there is a shortcut that can streamline your workflow. Designers constantly rely on Ctrl + Z to quickly undo mistakes in Photoshop. Developers use Ctrl + Shift + N to open a new window in browsers or coding environments. Writers frequently use Ctrl + B (which I used just now) to bold text in documents. Analysts use Ctrl + Shift + L to apply filters in spreadsheets. These shortcuts, tailored to different professions, help users work faster and more efficiently.
History of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts have been around for longer than you might think. They trace their origins back to early typewriters, where the Shift combination was introduced to capitalize letters. As computers emerged, shortcuts in command-line interfaces required users to type specific inputs to execute tasks. But, as computers evolved, so did the idea of keyboard shortcuts. And when graphical user interfaces (GUIs) became popular, shortcuts became essential for efficiency.
Two of the most well-known shortcuts, Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V, were popularized by Apple’s Lisa computer in the 1980s before becoming a standard across operating systems. The famous Ctrl + Z for undoing actions was inspired by software developers who needed a quick way to correct mistakes. Over time, these shortcuts became second nature to users worldwide, shaping how we interact with technology today.
Take it a step further with Zoho Cliq
If you are looking to optimize your team communication even further, Zoho Cliq offers custom keyboard shortcuts tailored for efficiency. These are in addition to the slew of general keyboard shortcuts that are already in the app. The best part is, you can customize these default shortcuts to suit your workflow, ensuring everything is tailored to your needs.
At the time of writing, there are two actions that you can do with the help of these custom shortcuts that come in especially handy:
- Open a conversation
- Open a widget
For example, if you frequently need to chat with your manager, searching for their conversation every time can be a hassle. Instead, you can assign a shortcut like M + A, so that with just two keystrokes, you are instantly in the chat.
For those who have not explored this feature yet, now is the perfect time. Save time, eliminate unnecessary clicks, and experience a more efficient way to work with Zoho Cliq.
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