When it comes to computer technology, I’m amazed at how many people aren’t intimately familiar with two of the most important buttons on your keyboard. The awesome power of ALT and TAB comprises some of the most important productivity tips for anyone who uses a computer to promote or conduct their business.
The Alternate Zone
To understand the ALT+TAB combination, we need to begin with a discussion of the ALT key. You probably know that ALT is short for alternate. That means that this tiny little button is intended to change the entire function of the current user interface. Computer wizards sometimes call this mode switching. Pressing the ALT key tells the machine to behave entirely differently than it does currently.
This may seem overdramatic. After all, the SHIFT key seems to do the same at first glance. But SHIFT merely changes characters from upper to lower case. An A is the same as an a. Some older typewriters even contained both copies of letters. The ALT key takes your machine into a new world.
The Single ALT+TAB
It might seem like nothing happens when you hit ALT. Press and release the key a dozen times, and neither a Windows or Mac machine will respond. But if you hold the ALT key down and then reach across and press the TAB key just once for just a second and release that TAB key, you’ll see a window appear. It will list all active applications, and you’ll find that the next one has been highlighted. When you release ALT, you’ll instantly be switched to that program.
The power of ALT+TAB alone can create tremendous productivity improvements. You don’t need to take your hands off the keyboard and move to the mouse to change between two open applications. Go and try it now. Spend a few minutes getting to know how ALT+TAB feels.
The Last Two
If you pay close attention to a single ALT+TAB, you’ll recognize that it switches between the current and last-used applications. That means if you switch from your web browser to your word processor with ALT+TAB, you can switch back by pressing ALT+TAB again. All of this switching back and forth might sound like a waste of time, but this is exactly what we all do when we are researching and writing. ALT+TAB is perfect for everyday workflow.
Saving a few seconds moving your hand back and forth from the mouse probably doesn’t seem like much. Multiply that times hundreds of switches every hour. Consider that you momentarily lose focus when you have to find the mouse with your peripheral vision and drag the cursor down to the bottom of the screen and back. Mastering the single ALT+TAB will dramatically change your productivity.
Advanced ALT+TAB
There’s far more than just the basics. If you hit ALT+TAB but hold down the ALT button, you’ll see all the icons of active applications. You can use repeated TAB key presses to come back to programs you used a while ago. A combination of SHIFT+TAB goes the opposite direction.
If you’ve ever caught yourself copying data from one program to another with keystrokes, ALT+TAB can make your experience one of using only the keyboard. This can result in significant productivity improvements.
Take some time to learn ALT+TAB. You’ll be faster with the machine and can get more work done. But more importantly, recognize that keys like ALT are really about changing the mode of the systems around us. ALT is like the difference between working at your desk and talking on the phone. It’s about switching to a different state.
Context-Switching
Context-switching is the biggest cost in productivity. Every interruption presents the opportunity to forget what you were doing. Figure out what you do that requires changing your focus from the keyboard to the mouse. You’ll find your workflow runs smoother, and you’ll get more done.
