Easy Ways to Boost Productivity with a Mac

Mac users are drawn to Apple’s ecosystem because of its sleek design, high performance, and reliable security guarantees for all of its devices. But as many Mac owners soon discover, owning a computer is only half the battle.
To truly boost productivity with your Mac, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the habits and system settings that can help make your device work for you.

Whether working remotely, managing multiple tasks, or looking to save time, there are several different ways to unlock your Mac’s full capabilities.

From disabling startup items to finding hidden features, every single steps counts in making your device more productive. And unlike many Mac users who focus on adding new “productivity apps” to their devices, sometimes removing some of the less useful apps you already have can make all the difference.

If done right, your Mac can transform from a great device into an indispensable productivity machine. This blog covers every right step you can take and all the easy ways to boost productivity with your Mac.

1. Clean up unused apps

The quickest way to make your Mac run faster and boost its productivity is by removing the clutter. As time passes, you end up with a collection of apps or files you no longer use or need. Not only do these take up valuable storage, but they can also impact performance, especially when they run in the background without your knowledge.

Unfortunately, using the built-in method of dragging apps to the trash doesn’t always remove everything. Additional files or “leftovers” are often left behind adding to the already existing clutter in your system.

A dedicated tool such as OS X uninstaller can help you clear every clutter on your device. It’s engineered to remove Mac apps and leftover files in just a couple of clicks, no matter where they’re hiding.

By clearing out every app leftover, corresponding caches, and hidden files, your Mac gets more storage space, runs smoother, and boots faster. It also helps maintain a cleaner and more organized system, making it easier to find what you need.

2. Optimize startup programs

Each time you boot your Mac, many programs automatically open up. Some of them are necessary, but quite a few aren’t. All those apps opening up simultaneously slow down your booting process and use valuable RAM from the start.
Luckily, you can easily manage startup programs through System Settings in the Login Items. Here, you’ll find a list showing the applications and other items that open automatically when you log in.

You can add or remove startup items from this list, as per your preferences, effectively controlling what launches when your Mac starts up.

Here are the simple steps to optimize startup programs on a Mac:

1. Open Apple Menu > System Settings.
2. Go to General in the Sidebar.
3. Click on Login Items.

Review all the programs listed there and turn off everything except anything you must have opened when your Mac starts. Once you’ve trimmed down this list, you’ll find that your Mac starts much faster and feels quicker when you first open it up to work.

3. Use built-in productivity features

MacOS comes with a host of built-in features that can supercharge your productivity. Take Split View, for example. You can work with two different apps simultaneously without having to resize Windows manually. This is perfect for writing a report while referencing some data somewhere else.

Mission Control gives you a single view of all open windows to easily navigate between tasks. You can set up Hot Corners to activate certain features, like turning off your screen or bringing up the notification center. By getting into the habit of using these shortcuts, over time, you’ll eliminate the need to click that icon on your desktop.

4. Master keyboard shortcuts

One of the most underrated ways to speed up your workflow is by learning and using keyboard shortcuts. Instead of dragging your cursor everywhere, a simple keystroke will open Spotlight, create a new folder, or switch between windows.

That translates to reduced effort on repeated movements and more time with fingers on the keys. You’ll save seconds per instance on some commonsense shortcuts like Command + Tab to switch between apps or Command + Space to open Spotlight.

Over time, you can customize many more in System Preferences that suit your workflow. The more shortcuts you learn, the more second nature they become. Here are some of the common shortcuts that can boost your productivity with a Mac:

• Command-X: Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
• Command-C: Copy the selected items to the Clipboard.
• Command-V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app.
• Command-P: Open a print dialog so that you can print the current document.
• Command-Q: Quit the current app
• Command-O: Open the selected item or a dialog to select a file to open.

5. Use Focus mode and notifications wisely

Don’t let distractions kill your productivity. Apple introduced Focus Mode in recent macOS versions, which allows you to filter notifications depending on your current work. If you’re working, relaxing or sleeping, you can choose the apps and the people that can disturb you.

Here is how to access and customize Focus settings on your Mac:

1. Open Apple Menu > System Settings.
2. Click on Focus in the Sidebar.

That done, you can set your device on “Do not Disturb” mode and go on for the rest of the day without being distracted by notifications.

6. Organize files with tags and smart folders

If your desktop is a mess, your workflow will likely be less than optimal. Thankfully, Macs make it easy to stay organized using tags and Smart Folders. Easily tag files by right-clicking on them and assigning colored coded labels such as “Work,” “Personal,” or “To Review.”

Smart Folders will then automatically group all tagged items, all documents or all files that have been modified within the last week. These folders update in real time, so you’re always presented with the most up-to-date files.

This method significantly reduces time spent trawling through folders looking for stuff and helps you focus on what you need to see.

7. Automate repetitive tasks

MacOS includes Automator, a powerful yet often overlooked tool. Automator speeds up your workflows in multiple ways, most notably by allowing you to perform automated tasks by dragging, dropping, and defining workflows using various integrated components.

These can interact with anything in any app or within macOS, so you can script actions that work across multiple apps.

Third-party applications like Keyboard Maestro or Hazel go way deeper for something more user-friendly. Automate anything from email sorting to file management and keep adding on.

8. Keep your Mac updated

MacOS updates are regularly released, usually containing bug fixes and performance improvements to help you work more efficiently. It’s also worth ensuring your system remains compatible with the software you rely on, and keeping up to date will help keep your Mac secure, too.

Here are the simple steps to update your macOS:

1. Open Apple Menu > System Settings.
2. Go to General in the Sidebar.
3. Click on Software Update.

If downtime is a concern, you can schedule these updates during off-hours. This step ensures your Mac runs smoothly and often resolves background glitches that slow you down.

9. Monitor system performance

Sometimes, your Mac feels sluggish, and you’re not sure why. The built-in Activity Monitor helps you find out. It tells you exactly what processes are using up all that CPU, memory, and energy in case an application starts acting up and needs to be forced to quit.

This is another reason you want to use a dedicated OS X uninstaller. If you identify a consistently problematic app, removing it thoroughly ensures it doesn’t leave behind services that slow you down.

10. Streamline cloud sync services

While services like iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive make it easier to access your files, syncing too many folders can slow down your machine. Only sync what you need access to on all of your devices.

iCloud Drive offers the ability to optimize storage by moving older files to the cloud, freeing up local Space. Here’s how you can streamline cloud sync services and boost productivity on your Mac:

From here, you can manage how apps and features on your Mac sync with iCloud. Remember that syncing your files in iCloud helps with performance and reduces the mental load of navigating duplicate or unnecessary files.

Final thoughts

Productivity is not about doing more work; it’s about doing the same amount of work in less time. MacBooks are powerful machines, but they can get bogged down with clutter, unused applications, and features.

Cleaning up your system, optimizing startup items, using built-in tools like Split View, and embracing automation can make a noticeable difference. Small changes add up, especially when they cut distractions, speed up processes, and help you stay organized.

Whether you need to meet deadlines, organize your projects, or get through the day with less hassle, these simple strategies can help you make the most of your Mac. The key is consistency—the more regularly you optimize, the more productive you’ll become.