Using a Mac for business? Your guide to business features
You’ve probably chosen a Mac for work because it boasts a wide array of features, including security, speed, user-centric experience, to name a few.
But do you know which macOS features can make your workday even more efficient? In this post, we shed light on how to optimize your Mac for business using its built-in tools. Let’s go!
Image by Apple.com
Keep your desktop neat
A crowded desktop is a bane of using a Mac for business. On the other hand, a clean desktop can magically put your mind at ease amid a hectic workday. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your main screen in order and strive to use it as temporary storage for your files. A good rule to follow here is to tidy up your desktop at the end of the day. As you clean it up, you can put your screenshots into a folder for screenshots and remove the files you no longer need.
Dial down on open windows
When you work on a task, you probably open numerous windows and tabs related to what you do at that moment. When you move forward to the next task, the information from the previous one can distract you, as it puts pressure on your Mac’s power. Thus, it’s best to stick to a few open windows to let your Mac breathe more freely. It will also make your Mac faster and prevent overheating.
Use an additional screen
A second screen can be helpful when you need to keep an eye on your do-to list or calendar. Apple lets you pair your Mac with your iPad and use it as a second screen using Sidecar, a handy app explicitly designed for expanding your Mac’s screen. You can toy with the brightness of the screens as you switch your attention between them. However, be careful not to use both screens for work, as you may lose focus. It’s best to think of your second screen as an information dashboard on which you can quickly cast a glance to check the status.
Manage notifications
In most cases, notifications are helpful, as they let you stay on top of things. However, you may want to work in complete silence for a bit at some point in the day. To that end, your Mac has the Do Not Disturb mode, an easy way to turn off notifications. You can enable this mode by holding down the Option key and clicking on Notification Center in the right upper corner of the screen. When the Notification Center icon changes its color, the Do Not Disturb mode turns on and will endure until midnight. Of course, you can turn it off manually at any time.
Sign up documents
Your Mac offers an easy way to put a digital signature on any document using the Preview app. It’s a default application that lets you sign a PDF in a few clicks after a simple setup procedure. Here’s how to use this fantastic feature:
- Right-click on a document and choose “Open with Preview;”
- Click on the pen icon near the search field that shows editing options;
- Click on the signature icon and create a signature.
The feature will give you a few options to digitize your signature, including capturing it with your camera, trackpad, or iPhone screen.
Use Mission Control
This feature lets you have a bird’s eye view of your open windows, helping you switch between them quickly. You can access Mission Control in several ways:
- Three-finger swipe on the trackpad;
- Press Control + Up Arrow;
- Launch Mission Control from the Launchpad or Dock.
Mission control is incredibly convenient when combined with the Split View feature that lets you use two windows simultaneously.
image via apple.com
Manage your Mac’s storage
When you’re using your Mac extensively (sometimes more than 10 hours per day), it tends to fill up with files over time. Thus, its storage may go overboard one day, and eventually, your system will slow down under the weight of all the data you’ve collected. At some point, you may desperately want to speed up your Macbook. You can use Mac’s default storage management options to clean it – look for them under the Apple logo – About this Mac – Storage – Manage. Here’s what you’ll find there:
- Optimize Storage – Remove your old watched TV shows and movies from your Mac;
- Clear the Bin Automatically – Purge the files you have in your Bin;
- Store in iCloud – Transfer your files to iCloud so you can have more free space on your Mac;
- Reduce Clutter – Review your files and get rid of unneeded ones.
That’s it! As you can see, your Mac is exceptionally business-friendly, so don’t hesitate to make the most of its features.
