Fewer clicks = more energy left. Learn five high‑leverage shortcuts this week and you’ll save dozens of micro‑movements and decisions every hour.
Quick Path ⚡️
- Learn these 5: New Tab, Close Tab, Address Bar, Word Jump, Delete Word.
- Practice 2 minutes daily: one tab drill, one edit drill.
- Post a sticky cheat: T W L ⟵ ⌫ (new, close, location, jump, delete).
- Use the mouse only when necessary; keep hands parked on keys.
- Add one new shortcut on Friday—only if you used it.
Full Path 🧭
Phase 1 — Master the Core Five (⏱️ 5 min • 🧩 Easy)
The Five to Master First
Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
New tab | Ctrl + T |
⌘ + T |
Close tab | Ctrl + W |
⌘ + W |
Focus address bar | Ctrl + L |
⌘ + L |
Jump by word | Ctrl + ← / → |
⌥ + ← / → |
Delete previous word | Ctrl + Backspace |
⌥ + Delete |
Bonus (navigation): Start / end of line — Windows:
Home
/End
• macOS:⌘ + ←
/⌘ + →
.
Why these? They remove pointer hunting, cut micro‑aiming, and build reliable muscle memory.
Phase 2 — Micro‑Drills (⏱️ 2 min • 🧩 Easy)
- Tab triage (60s): Press
T T T
, thenL
→ type a site →Enter
. Close extras withW W
. - Edit run (60s): In any text box, jump by words (
Ctrl/⌥ + arrows
), delete by word (Ctrl/⌥ + Delete
), then jump to line start/end.
#lowenergy tip: set a 1‑minute timer and do only drill 1. Done counts. ⏲️
Phase 3 — Energy Snapshot (⏱️ 3 min • 🧩 Easy)
Task | Mouse‑heavy | Shortcut‑first |
---|---|---|
Open site in a new tab | Aim → click “+” → click address bar → type | Ctrl/⌘ + T → Ctrl/⌘ + L → type |
Fix a word | Point to exact spot → click → hold Backspace | Jump by word → Delete word |
Phase 4 — Make It Stick (⏱️ 3 min • 🧩 Easy)
- Post your cue: Write T W L ⟵ ⌫ on a sticky and place it at eye level.
- Pick one context: Apply the five only in your browser for three days.
- Friday check‑in: Keep the five; add one useful extra.
Add‑Ons for Sharp Days (optional) (⏱️ 5 min • 🧩 Easy)
- Switch tabs:
Ctrl + Tab
/Ctrl + Shift + Tab
(macOS same). - Reopen closed tab:
Ctrl + Shift + T
(macOS⌘ + Shift + T
). - Beginning/end of document: Windows
Ctrl + Home/End
; macOS⌘ + ↑ / ⌘ + ↓
. - Forward delete (Mac laptops):
fn + Delete
.
Tiny System Card (print or save)
Less‑Clicks Starter
- This week’s five:
T, W, L, word‑jump, word‑delete
- Daily: 2‑minute drills
- Rule: mouse only when necessary
- Friday: add one new shortcut you actually used
Accessibility and Care 💙
- Use voice: Say “press Control T” or “press Command L” with Voice Access/Voice Control.
- Protect hands: Pair with an ergonomic input device if strain persists.
- No medical advice: Adapt pace to your body and day.
Troubleshooting 🛠️
-
Overwhelm from big lists.
- Fix: Commit to five only. Revisit this page, not a giant cheat sheet.
-
Forgetting under pressure.
- Fix: Keep the sticky cue: T W L ⟵ ⌫ right on your monitor.
-
Shortcut conflicts in an app.
- Fix: Remap once in that app or OS settings. Prioritize consistency over perfection.
Friction Fix ✂️
- Enable Sticky Keys (Windows/Mac) to ease modifier presses.
- Pin a 1‑minute timer on your phone. One micro‑drill, then stop.
Next Action ▶️
Start a 1‑minute timer and run Tab triage once: Ctrl/⌘ + T
, Ctrl/⌘ + L
, type a site, Enter
, then Ctrl/⌘ + W
.
Sources (official)
- Windows text editing (Ctrl+Backspace, Ctrl+←/→) — Microsoft Support: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows.
- Browser basics (New Tab, Close Tab, Address Bar) — Chrome Help: Chrome keyboard shortcuts.
- macOS editing & navigation (⌥+Delete, ⌥+←/→, ⌘+←/→, ⌘+↑/↓, ⌘+T/W, fn+Delete) — Apple Support: Mac keyboard shortcuts.
Featured image — Alt text
Ctrl/⌘ + T
— open a new tab — browser.Ctrl/⌘ + W
— close the current tab — browser.Ctrl/⌘ + L
— focus the address bar — browser.Ctrl/⌥ + ← / →
— jump by word — editor/text field.Ctrl/⌥ + Backspace/Delete
— delete previous word — editor/text field.
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