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I’ve posted on a variety of topics here, but usually in a long-winded manner. It’s time for me to put something useful for everybody, and to get right to the point! So, today I’d like to offer up three very easy, very productive, but often overlooked shortcuts.

None of these are hidden and I have no special insight that you couldn’t get from looking at the OS X menus yourself. But for some reason most people don’t know and don’t use them.  All you need to know before we get started is that the “command” key is the one with the empty Apple logo on it.

• Quit (application) : Command+Q – How simple is that? I know – it’s a no-brainer, but how many of us still use the mouse to close the application even though we have multiple displays or use Spaces? After a while you’ll be holding the Command key down with your left thumb and gunning for the “Q” key.

• Sleep : Option+Command+Eject – I rarely turn off or reboot my MacBook Pro anymore. After years of using Windows notebooks with sleep functions that never worked right, I wouldn’t use Sleep on my Mac for at least a year. Now I always “sleep it” before putting it away.  The Eject key is the arrow on the far upper right hand corner of the keyboard, and the Option and Command keys are available on either side of the spacebar. Hold down those two, then press Eject and your system will put itself to sleep right before your eyes.Now, I suppose you could just close the screen on the MacBook Pro, but this is cooler. Trust me. Plus you get to watch it go to sleep in an orderly manner. It’s much better than Control+Escape because you don’t have to make any choices. Just sleep.

• Zoom In/Out : Option+Command+(either “+” or “-” key) – Sometimes you just want to get a closer look at something on the screen. This key combination allows you to zoom in on whatever your mouse is pointing at, then zoom back out. I use this all the time to look up numbers or in demonstrations to highlight something.To use this one, you’ll need to make sure your settings in System Preferences are set properly. This uses the “Universal Access” menu, which is the blue and white stylized “Virtruvian Man” (or Burning Man if that’s your thing) logo in the “System” row of the System Preferences pane.

Just click the “on” button under “Zoom:” and you’re set. Hold down the Option and Command keys, then press the Plus or Minus keys. You don’t have to hold down the Shift key while you’re doing this. OS X is smart enough to figure out what you wanted…

There you go. Three key combinations that will make you insanely productive. Enjoy!

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